‘Spadikam’, ‘Vaazha’ and beyond: Exploring father-son bonds in Malayalam cinema.
Malayalam cinema has often turned to family relationships to tell some of its most memorable stories to audiences. Father-son bond has remained one of the industry’s most explored themes. From classics like ‘Spadikam’ and ‘Kireedam’ to newer films such as ‘Falimy’ and ‘Vaazha’ Malayalam cinema has often shown its ability to depict the emotional complexities that exist between fathers and sons.
‘Kireedam’ remains a benchmark
‘Ninte achan aada parayunnath.. Kathi Thaazhe ideda.” (It’s your father asking, put your knife down), just this dialogue is enough to create the picture and the emotional bonding between a father and a son, portrayed by Thilakan and Mohanlal in the1989 film ‘Kireedam’ which continues to be regarded as one of Malayalam cinema’s most powerful emotional dramas. Directed by Sibi Malayil and written by A.K. Lohithadas, the film follows Sethumadhavan, a young man whose dreams collapse after an unexpected incident changes his future. The emotional core of the film lies in the relationship between Sethumadhavan and his father Achuthan Nair.
The casting story behind ‘Kireedam’
The film also carries an interesting story behind its casting. As reported by Maathrubhumi, according to director Sibi Malayil, Mohanlal initially postponed listening to the script because of his busy schedule. However, once Lohithadas narrated the story, the actor became deeply invested in it. By the end of the session, he reportedly asked, “When do we start this film?”
‘Pappayude Swantham Appoos’
Father-son relationships have been portrayed in many forms over the years. Fazil and Mammootty’s ‘Pappayude Swantham Appoos’ offered one of the most touching examples. The film follows Balachandran, a father struggling to reconnect with his son after a personal tragedy changes their lives. Mammootty’s performance and Ilaiyaraaja’s music also elevated the emotional element in the film.Decades later ‘Falimy’ approached a similar theme from a more contemporary perspective. Directed by Nithish Sahadev, the film stars Basil Joseph and Jagadish as a son and father who frequently clash because of their contrasting personalities.There is a memorable scene in the film where Basil Joseph’s character makes several attempts to call out to his father from behind. The moment carries emotional weight, as he shares a strained relationship with his father. A family trip becomes the main event for change. Although ‘Falimy’ is a fun film, there are several moments that showcase a strong father and son bonding.
‘Spadikam’ defined the father-son conflict genre
Few Malayalam films have explored father-son conflict as powerfully as ‘Spadikam’. Directed by Bhadran the 1995 classic remains one of the most celebrated films in the industry. Nobody can forget the iconic ‘Chacko Maash’ and ‘Aadu Thoma’ and their bond in this iconic actioner. Even decades after its release, ‘Spadikam’ continues to be referenced whenever discussions about father-son relationships in cinema arise.
‘Vaazha’ and its sequel connect with a new generation
Haashir’s ‘Vaazha 2’ introduced a younger generation of viewers to another relatable father-son story. While the sequel which was released recently, focused on friendships and youth culture, the relationship between Bijukuttan’s character and Vinayak’s character emerged as one of its emotional strengths.Bijukuttan on his father role in ‘Vaazha 2’Speaking about his role in ‘Vaazha 2’, Bijukuttan told On Manorama, “It was never about whether I could do it, but whether I could perform it well with the others.” Discussing the resemblance between him and Vinayak, he added, “When I first saw his photos, I didn’t really see the similarity,” before noting, “They kept telling me there wouldn’t be any issue, which makes me think they had this in mind from the beginning.”‘Drishyam 3′ actor Dinesh Prabhakar on Georgekutty‘s change in the filmOne of the most recent depictions of a father’s intense love towards his family is surely in Mohanlal’s ‘Drishyam’. The Jeethu Joseph thriller is about Georgekutty who will go to any extent to protect his family. In the second and third parts, the actor Dinesh Prabhakar played a pivotal role.In an exclusive chat with ETimes, Dinesh opened up about the second part of the film, “I wasn’t aware of how important the role would be. I simply approached it as another character and performed my part. It was only after watching the completed film that I realized the brilliance behind the character and its place in the story. That made me extremely happy.”Opening up on the third part, he added, “Later, when Drishyam 3 was announced, I had no idea whether my character would return or have any continuation in the story. “Towards the climax, Georgekutty goes even beyond the limit, which shows extreme love for his daughter. Opening up on this character shift, Dinesh told us, “Drishyam 3 is a movie with a lot of surprises. There are a lot of character developments in Drishyam 3. That is a completely writer’s and director’s choice.”From ‘Kireedam’ and ‘Pappayude Swantham Appoos’ to ‘Spadikam’, ‘Falimy’ and ‘Vaazha’, Malayalam cinema continues to present father-son relationships and it is also a theme that connects easily with the audiences. Go to Source
