It's been a while since I have been thinking about writing something. Months ago I watched an Adventure-Comedy-Drama film called Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum (Malayalam 2023). There's not too much to boast about that film, since it provided me with a rather average cinematic experience. But there's something noteworthy about how some of the male characters were portrayed. They were infused with subtle yet impactful elements that, in my opinion, can inspire the audience to adopt a more modern and progressive outlook.
How often do we see men cook passively and passionately as it's their duty?
Take Pachu’s father for instance, Pachu’s mother is abroad with his sister and his father manages his house to himself. He cooks, cleans, and does all the household work. What stands out as particularly impressive is that this isn't portrayed as an added difficulty or an exaggerated male trait, but rather as something inherently natural and ordinary.
Personally, I like to cook, I embrace cooking as it is an essential life skill. I was surprised often by the compliments I received for my below-average cooking skills. I bet none of my female friends are getting any compliments for their cooking skills as society considers it as their duty. From this broader viewpoint, the portrayal of the father character, skillfully brought to life by the renowned actor Mukesh, seamlessly complemented the contrasting message that the film aimed to convey to its audience.
Coming to Pachu’s Character,
Pachu is a hardworking business owner, working in a metro city away from his home. He is in his thirties, and after many years of hardship, Pachu’s business is now flourishing and he is now taking everything in a slow manner. Pachu is not an ideal human being, like all the male heroes in the cinemas. He has many flaws, He is selfish sometimes and does whatever it takes to survive. Pretty much like an ordinary middle-class human being.
Pachu has a hidden romantic history. But unlike typical heroes, he doesn't point fingers at his partner. Instead, he's come to understand that his possessiveness was wrong; love shouldn't be shown that way. In the era of teenagers and youngsters worshiping Arjun Reddy’s and Modern Induchoodans, Pachu is making his stand very clear. He even dares to interfere in his friend’s relationship as he feels a Deja Vu about the whole affair. Pachu’s role is played by none other than the versatile Fahad Fazil. During this time FaFa is at the top of his career in many languages including Tamil Telugu and Malayalam. But it seems this is a small but good and beautiful attempt by FaFa.
Talking about Riyas,
Riyas comes across as cold and distant. He's a perfectionist, incredibly wealthy, and owns lots of buildings in the busy Metro City. He's also well-involved in politics. It seems that Riyas is heartless sometimes but there is an instance he is breaking down to his mother. His unconditional love for his family is truly remarkable and goes beautifully with the script. Actor Vineth plays Riya’s role, I have a feeling that this role by Vineth is going to be remembered and cherished for years to come.
As mentioned in the introduction, this film doesn't particularly stand out, offering a fairly average cinematic experience. However, there are noteworthy aspects, such as the clever use of subtle cues that certain audiences will appreciate. These cues, like the dog whistles, convey specific messages that could be cherished by those who resonate with the positive impacts they bring forth.
Nicely written 👌
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