Anantaram

Anantaram (Thereafter)
File:Anantaram.jpg Poster designed by Gayathri Ashokan
Directed by	Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Produced by	K. Ravindran Nair
Written by	Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Starring	Ashokan Mammootty Shobhana
Music by	M. B. Sreenivasan
Cinematography	Mankada Ravi Varma
Edited by	M. Mani
Production company	General Pictures
Release date	1 October 1987 (1987-10-01)
Running time	125 minutes
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

Anantaram (Thereafter: Monologue) is a 1987 Indian Malayalam-language film production written and directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. It stars Ashokan and Shobhana in the lead with Mammootty in an extended guest role. The film is structured like a monologue. It develops through a commentary by the protagonist about himself in the first person. The attempt of the protagonist is to narrate how his undiagnosed psychosis led him where he is now. The film was an experimental film for its time as it did not have a linear narrative.

The film won three National Film Awards. It was included in an online poll by IBN Live listing 100 greatest Indian films of all time.

Plot

The film develops through a commentary by Ajayan (Ashokan) about himself in the first person. Later he tells another story about his life with the same background. Finally both these stories fuse together.

Ajayan is born an orphan. He is brought up by a doctor. A brilliant child, Ajayan grows up as a reclusive person and a confused youth. The beautiful Suma (Shobhana) arrives at their house after marrying Balu (Mammootty), his foster-brother. After Balan's marriage to Suma, Ajayan starts getting attracted to her at the very first sight. This eventually creates internal conflicts and guilt within himself. Ultimately this leads Ajayan to leave the house which ends in a disaster.

In the second story Ajayan narrates his confused youth and about the beautiful girl, Nalini who enters his life. Ajayan's mind shifts often between reality and an imaginary romantic world. Finally both these stories converge to a point where Nalini is Suma, his template for delusional escape. He in the end of his monologue says he is unsure whether he has said everything, and a young boy is shown skipping numbers while counting each treads of a stair.

Cast

• Ashokan as Ajayan
• Shobhana as Sumangali and Nalini
• Mammootty as Dr Balu
• Sudheesh as teenage Ajayan
• Bahadoor as Driver Mathai
• Azeez (actor) as the gambler
• Kukku as the nurse
• Krishnankutty Nair as the ailing patient at the dispensary
• Kaviyoor Ponnamma as Yogini Amma
• Adoor Pankajam as Lakshmi Amma

Themes

In Anantaram, the theme of perception is dealt with through the protagonist, a youth who, like Adoor, has a bipolar character. In an interview, Adoor said, "Anantaram is basically about perceptions. About a young, impressionable boy who lacks some sort of functioning. Though, my life was not very familiar, but I was searching for the familiar experience of growing up, struggling with life and relationships. What is in the frame and what is juxtaposed to it just outside the frame... or let us put it this way, it has to do with attuning to the reality just beyond perception. Actually this is part of daily experience though we don't analyse it."

Critical reception

The film's overall reaction was mixed.

Awards

The film has been nominated for and won the following awards since its release:

1987 FIPRESCI Prize (Karlovy Vary)

1987 National Film Awards (India)

• Won - Best Director - Adoor Gopalakrishnan
• Won - Best Screenplay - Adoor Gopalakrishnan
• Won - Best Audiography - P. Devadas, T. Krishnanunni, N. Harikumar

External links

• Anantaram at IMDb
• Of Life...On Films...: Adoor on Anantaram