1979, YouTube, Malayalam, 7.6/10 IMDB, Directed by G. Aravindan
A striking interpretation of Ramayana’s Uthara Kandam- endorsing the humanness of the mythological characters and disintegrating our conditioned imaginations of the epic that disturbingly leaves us contemplating.
Director G. Aravindan’s adaptation of C.N. Sreekanthan Nair’ play, stands tall for its personification of ‘Nature’ as Sita, its lilting music, its conspicuous minimalism and its distinctive casting of tribesmen.
The patterned landscape and the uninhabited forests, the entire milieu that the duo, Rama and Lakshmana walks, speaks for the maker’s intention to thread the path of realism in the characters. The simplicity of a twig crowned and white feathered Rama, the cave palaces, the deserted vastness of the country without fanfare, feeble sloganeering Vasista, tree hanging penance of Shambuka, a rare visualization of Ramayana that makes the audience grow fonder of the unique story telling technique.
The difference of opinion between Rama and Bharatha on performance of Ashwamedha yaga without Sita, the elaborate yaga procedure right from making of fire to placing of the golden statue of Sita, – every detail is captured with minimal dialogues or no dialogues at all. Sita portrayed without her physical representation and only through rustling trees and blowing winds, makes the audience feel the pain of Rama’s loneliness as he is seen calling out Sita’s name in grief. The interpretation dwells on making Rama more human and subject him to emotions, which brings him much closer to the audience.
The cinematography by Shaji N. Karun, etches you deeply in many instances, memorable one being, the recording of a 3 whole minute of undisturbed sun rise.
The music by Rajeev Taranath, proves to be in perfect harmony with the visuals, especially when ‘Sita’ is visualized as nature. The music in fact places the visuals on higher pedestals at some instances like the one where Lakshmana and Lava draw their arrows at each other and the sudden gushing of wind makes Lakshmana look up in to the sky literally searching for a heavenly force that’s trying to stop them fighting.
Valmiki Ramayana does end with Rama walking in to the river Sarayu to end his Ram Avatar. But when Rama in Kanachana Sita is walking in to the river, the intentions seem to contradict that of valmiki’s Ramayana, as here it translates through the grim face of Rama, a supposed guilt in him, as he walks in to the river, in reminisces of his wife Sita. The calm black screen with credits rolling, leaves you contemplating on the maker’s choice and you are leaning towards the maker’s interpretation as you feel the pain of Sita more than ever.
A good watch.