Shudharil Shudhan Malayalam Movie
Shudharil Shudhan is as much a personal film as it is political. It's a charming work, crafted with immense care and attention to detail.
Raman (Indrans) is a tea estate employee who dearly holds the red flag close to his chest. As the employees' union goes on an indefinite strike, the comrade stays put despite hunger gnawing away at his family. When power and money lure away the leaders, Raman is left alone as a scapegoat and his kin driven to the brink of suicide.
This is a grave film about a gravely significant subject that, despite its blemishes, fulfils nearly all of its ambitions. Most of what actually occurs in the film concerns you, as it keeps the whole thing on a human scale. Shudharil Shudhan is a concrete illustration of how the destiny of the unfortunate is being shaped in the hands of the fortunate.
The psychology of the victim could never be accurately comprehended. Here life is an endless struggle for Raman and his wife Janaki (Lakshmi Sharma). When there is no place to go, and when you know your fate has been sealed, its easy to sit and watch the water flooding towards you, the banks caving in. Janaki takes up a menial job as a maid and soon tries to get accustomed to her employer's eyes lasciviously wandering all over her. He does finally trap her in a corner with a few rupee notes and she weakly succumbs. The passiveness on her face disgusts him, and it is only then that he turns away in contempt.
The three children, soon left alone, learn to fend for themselves. When nature schemes along with the world to bring them down, their school comes crashing down in a downpour. It's a poignant scene as we see them hastily making their way to the school only to see a bunch of kids dancing their way back home. Holidays aren't as welcome for this trio, as the (only) daily meals that they hope to have, have been washed down the drains.
The biggest interpolation in this otherwise smoothly crafted script occurs towards the climax with the human Rights Commission (Mukesh in a cameo) walking in to take a look. Tipping towards the dramatic, there is an air of artificiality that barges in all on a sudden on the scenes, on account of the entire racket that is raked up. It's understandable though that in an age when divine intervention is no longer appealing, there needs to be a few humans around who could perhaps act as substitutes.
Raman is wholly safe in Indran's hands. The comedian, who had almost squandered his career away in mostly inconsequential roles of late, is delightfully confident at essaying a meaty role that he has been finally offered. Ganapathi, as his eldest son, is as natural as ever, and tremendously moves you with a powerful performance.
Shudharil Shudhan is a modest film that totally surpasses all your expectations. As a solid indictment on a political dogma that has received a severe battering from its new age followers, Jayaraj's film delivers its goods remarkably well.
