“You don’t know me. No one knows me. The truth is that I haven’t allowed anyone to know me.” Chandu’s lament is more than self-pity; it is the cry of a man crushed by love, betrayal, and the relentless hand of fate. The label of cheat and master of deceit lingers, like a stain upon the soul, unforgotten and ever present. Chandu Chekavar, the famed warrior of the Vadakkan Pattukalthe folk tales from Malabar, carried around that tag for centuries. In their magnum opus Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, MT and T Hariharan reimagined this lore into something deeply perceptive and human. MT’s script and dialogues earned the National Film Award for Best Screenplay, a testament to its poetic brilliance and moral complexity. His Chandu is no longer a villain but a tragic figure—a warrior whose greatest battles are fought within.
Mammootty breathes life into this creation with a performance that feels less like acting and more like soul-baring. His Chandu is a storm of contradictions: fierce in battle, yet fragile in emotion; capable of wielding steel but unable to resist the pull of unrequited love. Mammootty’s portrayal, which won him the National Award for Best Actor, is a study in intensity, finding poetry in every pause and power in every whispered line. His quiet despair as Unniyarcha marries another man is heartbreaking, his eyes saying everything that words cannot.
The film’s visual splendour is another triumph, with P Krishnamoorthy’s art and costume design, both of which won National Film Awards, recreating 16th-century Malabar in exquisite detail. From the grandeur of the kalari arenas to the intricacy of warrior attire, every frame is a work of art that complements the narrative’s emotional depth. Oru Vadakkan Veeragathawhich swept eight Kerala State Film Awards, is now being readied for a grand re-release in 4K restoration with Dolby Atmos sound, ensuring its timelessness resonates with a new generation of viewers.
Uttaram (1989)
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