Fazil's 1994 psychological mystery drama, Manichitrathazhu, is one of the most beloved movies of Malayalam film buffs and family audiences. It's a film that perhaps has the best recall value as well as the best rewatch value, which is also why Manichitrathazhu's re-release in 4K Dolby Atmos version on August 17, 2024, has taken off to a flying start in theatres. Starring Mohanlal, Shobana, and Suresh Gopi in the lead, scenes from Manichitrathazhu have been dissected and rediscussed over the years, and new interesting details and theories are coming out. Now a viral post that recounts a popular scenarist's unique take on the film is taking fans by surprise. Thalastaanam, Manichitrathazhu, Commissioner – 5 Films Of Suresh Gopi That Were A Massive Hit In The '90s!

In Manichitrathazhu, Nakulan, played by Suresh Gopi, and Ganga, played by Shobana, are shown as a newly married couple who come from Kolkata to Nakulan's supposedly haunted ancestral home, Madampalli, in Kerala. Ganga, who is fascinated by the house and its spooky history, is also excited when she learns that the author of her favourite book of poems, Mahadevan (Sridhar), who also happens to be the fiance of Nakulan's cousin Alli, is staying in the nearby house.

It is this 'love triangle' that becomes an insightful discussion in an X post shared by a user called Abhilash S Nair. He shared snippets of an article once written by popular author and scenarist, Kalavoor Ravikumar, who had an intriguing take on the relationship between the married couple and then had it validated by Manichitrathazhu's writer Madhu Muttam when Ravikumar had interviewed the latter as a trainee journalist for Vellinakshatram when the movie first came out in 1994. So what was the theory all about?

If you are well-versed in Malayalam, you can read his thoughts on Nakulan-Ganga-Mahadevan triangle in his post. If not, hold on...

Nakulam is Sexually Impotent and Ganga Lusts for Mahadevan

According to the post, Ravikumar claims that Nakulan is sexually impotent and Ganga, like her alter-ego Nagavalli, is in love with her neighbour, Mahadevan, which is why Nagavalli sees him as Ramanathan and her husband as the cruel 'Karnavar'. He points out that there is not a single scene of intimacy between the married couple. Ravikumar also highlights a sequence in the movie where Nakulan is seen working late in the night, and Ganga, who is lying on the bed, asks when he is coming to bed. To which he responds by saying he has a lot of work to do. The writer feels this is Nakulan's lack of sexual interest in Ganga.

According to him, this also caused Ganga to feel attracted to Mahadevan, as teased in the "Varuvanillarumee" song.

Hidden Lustful Connotations in 'Varuvanillarumee' Song From

Here's what Ravikumar wrote about Ganga's yearning for Mahadevan translated into English, "My suspicion arose after hearing the song "Varuvanillarumee." The film's regular lyricist (Bichu Thirumala) didn't write this particular song, but by Madhu Muttom himself. Why did the screenwriter choose to write this song? I felt it was because the story he wanted to convey subtly was indeed embedded in it. The lyrics talk about waiting by a half-open door, even though no one is expected to come. Even though Ganga is married, she is still waiting. The reason is hinted at in the song, where Ganga laments that she is like an unbloomed mango tree, possibly implying that she hasn't borne children yet." Bharatham, Devaasuram, Manichitrathazhu – 5 Classic Movies of Mohanlal From The ’90s That Will Always Remain Fans’ Favourite.

Watch the Varuvanillarumee Song From 'Manichitrathazhu':

He also claims that the nomenclature of the characters is also a hint enough if you are well-versed in Hindu mythology. The post further read, "The character names also seemed symbolic to me. Should Ganga, who represents the river Ganges, be with Nakulan, whose name suggests "one without lineage," or with Shiva, who is also called Mahadevan? The relationship between Shiva and Ganga isn't pure, after all. In mythology, Shiva hides Ganga in his matted hair without Parvati’s knowledge. Similarly, the attraction Ganga feels towards Mahadevan in the film isn’t pure. In one scene, she clings to him during a festival night. She does many things to hide her growing obsession with Mahadevan, even trying to kill Alli, who is set to marry him."

Makes sense or not?

'Manichithrathazhu' Writer's Thoughts on the Theory

The post also adds what happened when Ravikumar, who went on to pen screenplays for films like Ishtam, Nammal and 101 Weddings, met Manichitrathazhu writer, Madhu Muttom, for an interview, and told him his theory. It read, "After lunch, I laid out my theories to Madhu Muttom. He sat in silence, watching me for a long time, then asked if I would write about it. I nodded, unsure of myself. He then clasped my hands and murmured, 'Someone has understood me so deeply. I’m happy.'"

Watch the 4K Trailer of 'Manichitrathazhu':

In a separate post, Ravikumar also added how he had also met the film's director Fazil (father of actor Fahadh Faasil), and told him the same theories. Here's what happened, "Once, when I interviewed Fazil sir for a local channel in Alappuzha, I asked him whether Suresh Gopi knew about this deeper meaning. He smiled and shook his head, indicating that no one knew. Now, watch Manichitrathazhu once more. You will see the smile of both the scriptwriter and the director. It's a smile with a hidden depth, almost like one in sleep." However, we wonder if Fazil knew of this theory, then why would he link the song to Ganga's childhood and her fervent wait for her parents to come to her grandmother's house and take her away?

Manichitrathazhu, while enjoying its 4K release, is presently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. It had spawned multiple successful remakes in other languages, including Tamil (Chandramukhi), Kannada (Apthamitra), Bengali (Rajmohol) and Hindi (Bhool Bhulaiyaa). Priyadarshan, the director of the Hindi remake and who also served as a unit director in Manichitratazhu, later helmed a spinoff called Geethanjali in 2013, with Mohanlal returning as Dr Sunny Joseph in the lead, while Suresh Gopi had a cameo. The movie marked the lead debut of Keerthy Suresh. It was a disaster at the box office and was widely panned on release.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2024 06:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).