{"id":428,"date":"2021-05-27T12:36:51","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T16:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totallyfilmi.toutes-directions.com\/totallyfilmi-wp\/?p=428"},"modified":"2021-05-27T12:36:53","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T16:36:53","slug":"chemmeen-dir-ramu-kariat-1965","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totallyfilmi.toutes-directions.com\/totallyfilmi-wp\/2021\/05\/27\/chemmeen-dir-ramu-kariat-1965\/","title":{"rendered":"Chemmeen (dir. Ramu Kariat, 1965)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This post first appeared on Totally Filmi on May 16, 2015.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post is part of the My Favorite Classic Movie Blogathon<\/strong> in celebration of <\/em>National Classic Movie Day<\/strong> (May 16th). Click here<\/a> to view the schedule listing all the great posts in this blogathon.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a moment in Kamal\u2019s 2013 film Celluloid<\/strong> when the noted film journalist Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan (Sreenivasan) is drinking a soda outside a shop.  On the radio, the news is shared that Ramu Kariat\u2019s film Chemmeen<\/strong> has just won the National Award for Best Feature Film.  Gopalakrishnan watches the figure of an elderly man walk away \u2013 a man who turns out to be J.C. Daniel, the long-forgotton director of the first Malayalam language film.  Gopalakrishnan later shares the news with Daniel and his wife Janet that Chemmeen<\/strong> has run for 100 days (even today, the number of days in a film\u2019s run is celebrated in Malayalam cinema) and has won awards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a moment that serves not only to root the film firmly in the mid-60s, but it also serves as a  poignant contrast with Daniel\u2019s situation \u2013 a man forgotten, his film lost, yet,  some 35 years later, Malayalam cinema finally makes its mark on a national stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chemmeen<\/strong>\u00a0was adapted from Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai\u2019s novel of the same name, which explored the folk myth amongst fishing communities in coastal Kerala that the fate of a fisherman depends on the chastity of his wife.\u00a0 Chembankunju (Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair) is a lower caste Hindu fisherman whose ambition is to own his own boat and net.\u00a0 His eldest daughter, Karuthamma (Sheela), is in love with a Muslim fish trader, Pareekutty (Madhu), and asks him to lend her father the money to purchase a boat.\u00a0 Pareekutty agrees, on the condition that Chembankunju give him his fishing haul until the amount of the loan is paid back.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"MadhuChemmeen\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Oh, Madhu.  So beautiful.  So pining.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The flush of success, however, turns Chembankunju\u2019s head, and he refuses to keep his promise to Pareekutty, becoming increasingly greedy and heartless not only to Pareekutty and his plight, but to others in the community as well.  He ignores the fact that his daughter is distraught at having asked Pareekutty to lend her father the money for a boat, that she is well aware that Pareekutty did it because of his love for her.  Even worse, when Karuthamma\u2019s mother Chakki discovers her relationship with Pareekutty, she warns her to keep her distance from him.  Everywhere, Karuthamma is reminded of the wrath of the sea goddess when it comes to unfaithful women who carry on affairs, especially with someone of a different faith \u2013 a wrath that can affect the entire community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worse still, Chembankunju decides to marry Karuthamma off, ignoring her wish to be with Pareekutty; his daughter cannot and will not be married to a Muslim.  Instead, he marries her to Palani (Sathyan), an orphan from another fishing community, whom he wants to live with his family so that he can take over the fishing business, and allow Chembankunju and Chakki to enjoy life.  Knowing she has no choice in this matter, Karuthamma agrees to the marriage, on the condition that she and her new husband will leave for his community immediately after the marriage.  When Chakki falls ill the day of the wedding, she insists that her daughter leave, knowing that it will be dangerous for her to stay where Pareekutty is.  Chambankunju is furious \u2013 he believes his daughter should stay and look after her mother \u2013 and he disowns Karuthamma.  Chakki eventually dies, and Chambankunju takes another wife, a widow with a son.  His actions result in Pareekutty going bankrupt; but in turn, his own luck turns, and he ends up bankrupt and alone just like Pareekutty, going mad in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sheela_Chemmeen\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I am like Sheela, always crying when I watch Chemmeen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karuthamma, meanwhile, makes the best of her situation, trying hard to be a dutiful and affectionate wife to Palani, eventually giving birth to a daughter.  The rumours of her relationship with Pareekutty, however, follow her to her new home.  First Karuthamma is ostracized by the other women in the community; eventually Palani is as well, when the other fishermen refuse to take him with them, likely fearing that his wife\u2019s supposed behaviour will cause their misfortune as well as his.  Karuthamma gives Palani her mangal sutra (wedding necklace) so that he will have enough money to buy his own boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One day, Palani heads out to sea alone, and is baiting a shark when he ends up caught in a whirlpool \u2013 not inconsequentially, it is at this time that Karuthamma and Pareekutty finally meet again, and embrace.   Palani disappears into the whirlpool.  Karuthamma and Pareekutty are found together, dead, on the seashore; near them is a baited shark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many reasons that Chemmeen remains a classic, from its beautiful cinematography (by Marcus Bartley and U. Rajagopal), to its luscious score, and its gorgeous music (with music by Salil Chowdury and lyrics by Vayalar) \u2013 not to mention editing by Hrishikesh Mukherjee (probably best known for his own films as a director).   Three of the films four songs feature K. J. Yesudas (who has won a National Award for his singing a record seven times, and whose son, Vijay Yesudas, is also a popular playback singer); the fourth, “Maanasa Maine Varoo”, features the Malayalam debut of playback singer Manna Dey (and is one of only two songs he ever sang for Malayalam movies), and although I adore all the music in the film, it\u2019s this song that tugs at my heart the most:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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