Beautiful (2011)

2011

Directed by: VK Prakash

Music: Ratheesh Vega

Starring: Jayasurya, Anoop Menon, Meghna Raj, 

Tiny Tom, Thesni Khan, Unni Menon, Nandu 

Malayalam cinema has been seeing a resurgence these past few years, with young directors/script writers pushing the envelope as far as plot ideas are concerned. Bio pics rub shoulders with period films, suspense thrillers walk abreast with slice-of-life films, relationships are viewed differently and while traditional structures are still in place, modern values are not looked down upon. The language of cinema is changing, and even though mindless entertainment is there for the asking, a lot more choices are suddenly available to the cinéaste who demands more from his movie-viewing experience. It helps that the young Turks coming in are not afraid to take chances, or roles that are not very 'heroic' on the face of it. [All this seems true for the leading men; for some reason, scripts with a strong feminist presence are still lacking, even though we have actresses who are not only competent enough, but are as willing to take on different (and often, controversial) roles as their male counterparts.]

I must say that I had had this DVD for some time, and only got around to watching it a couple of months ago. For some reason, the synopsis did not attract me; it seemed, as they would say here, the same old, same old - a tired script about a joyous quadriplegic and a morose, encumbered-by-the-cares-of-the-world 'friend' whose life changes because of his association with the man who has lost so much more. So it was with trepidation that I slipped this in on a depressing Sunday afternoon. [I was sure I was going to end up even more depressed after the film.]

Since I'm writing about it, you can rest assured that my worst fears were not  realised. Au contraire. This really is a film with a difference. It is made with sincerity and humour, is quite simple in what it sets out to achieve, and is drawn inside clear lines, even though some of the morality espoused is definitely non-traditional. Subtlety is a lost art, in my opinion, so it is refreshing to watch a film which does not insult your intelligence.

Stephen Louis (Jayasurya) is a quadriplegic, and has been one from birth. His doting father, a rich estate owner, insists on educating the boy and takes him wherever he thinks he can find a cure for his son. Nothing helps, and the father passes away, leaving his son bound to the wheelchair, and heir to his vast estates and immense wealth.

 

Stephen is stoic; in fact, he is quite cheerful about his circumstances. Surrounded by family members who cannot fathom what a man in his condition needs with all this wealth, and are quite willing to relieve him of some of the burden, Stephen is cynical about human relationships. Since there is nothing wrong with his intelligence, he takes care to keep all of them at bay, much to their chagrin, and indeed, anger. His only constant companions are his driver, Karunan (Unni Menon) and his manager, Kamalu (Nandu). They are intensely loyal to their employer, and are the only people, with the exception of his cousin, Alex (Tiny Tom), who actually care about Stephen and not his wealth.

John (Anoop Menon) makes his living by singing at a hotel; in another life, he headlines a band that is trying to make it big. John needs money, not just to realise his own dreams, but also for his sister's education. A chance encounter brings him in touch with Stephen, who wants him to come sing for him. John is initially reluctant, not wanting to be a rich man's hanger-on, but his straitened circumstances (and his friends' exhortations) make him change his mind. It is a quid-pro-quo situation; Stephen needs someone he can trust and with whom he can share his love of music; John needs the extremely generous salary that Stephen offers.

It's a strange friendship, but from the beginning, it's a friendship between equals.  John treats Stephen as a man like himself. Not even in his conversations does he underline Stephen's inability to do anything for himself. In a way, this does Stephen good. For the first time, he feels like an individual, a whole individual, not 'disabled'. 

Stephen is generous to a fault. Without a word to John, he reclaims his mortgaged motorbike; when the maidservant leaves, having stolen the contents of their safe, his initial reaction is not about the money, but the reason why she left - did she have any problems, he asks. 

It is Stephen's cousin, Alex who suggests a home nurse. After all, how long are they going to go through a revolving door of maid servants?  And so enters Anjali (Meghna Raj) into their lives, a young girl who has the responsibility of her family on her shoulders. 

The dynamic of the group changes, and events begin to move rather quickly from here onwards. John is central to these changes, and soon he is approached with a rather sinister offer. Does he take it? 

  

The climax is a revelation, the script taking a sudden turn into suspense, with red herrings merrily sprinkled across our path. What intrigued me is the way the characters are shown to have their own motivations, including the 'good guys' for doing what they did, or set out to do. Nothing is black and white here, and there are no apologies for the various shades of grey. What is more, the characters, like Stephen himself, are not asking for sympathy either. They are what they are, and consequences be damned. 

Stephen is not a very 'heroic' character, one who is soldiering on under a cruel fate. For one, while he is cheerful about his life, he is well aware that it is his wealth that allows him the freedom to be cheerful. In fact, he says as much to the TV interviewer who asks him the secret to his optimism. He does not seek any sympathy, but goes through life enjoying the things he can enjoy. He is also cynical about the sympathy that is showered on him - it lasts for only ten minutes, he says without rancour.

He is not beyond using his wealth to get what he wants - in this case, the best of medical care, the undying loyalty of his staff, even John. He, like other 'normal' beings, is also rather sexist at times. He is certainly voyeuristic, and, at least mentally, is not above feeling normal physical desire. One never quite forgets that he is a man. 

Stephen has a puckish sense of humour and the script and dialogues give him ample scope to actually be a character instead of a stereotype. This is definitely one of Jayasurya's triumphs as an actor. He has forever been cast as the young, clueless male in inane comedies, and he plumbs unexpected depths to turn in a fantastic performance here. 

Anoop Menon is a man of many talents. He writes scripts and lyrics, acts (very well), and at a pinch, can sing decently. What is more, he has a sense of cinema, and the intelligence to write scripts that are, to overuse the tired phrase, 'different'. I must admit to liking him a lot as an actor. [I first saw him in a full-fledged role in Thirakkatha (Screenplay) and found him amazing.] Now, when I know the script is by Anoop Menon, or even that he is acting in a film, there is a certain sense of anticipation, simply because he delights in writing scripts and choosing roles that are a definite challenge to what one might call 'middle-class morality' (with due apologies to Alfred Doolittle). In this film too, his characters mouth controversial lines about fidelity in marriage and about relationships in general. 

As John, the struggling singer who finds himself drawn in a curious friendship with a man who is his social and economic superior, Anoop offers a very restrained performance. He has his own past to overcome, and is unable, and in the end, unwilling to presume upon his friendship with Stephen. It is a fine line to walk, that of a friend who genuinely likes a wealthy man, and who gives no quarter where his affections are concerned, and a man who is unwilling to presume upon his friendship.

Meghna comes in as Anjali, the third angle to the triangle. John falls in love with her, while Stephen is definitely attracted to her. Who does she care for, if at all? She is attractive, sensuous, and very much a pragmatist. This is not a regular 'heroine's' role and Meghna plays her very well indeed. 

What prevented the film from degenerating into a melodrama about a love triangle, or becoming an Anand clone is the director's vision. Helped as he was by the script, it is still VK Prakash's competent hand at the helm that gave us a quirky film that cloaks its moral ambiguity in the persistent rain, probably the fourth character in the film. Yet the incessant rain is rather cheerful, and the whole palette of the movie is refreshed by its presence. 

 

It is seen lashing Stephen's mansion in the night, it is felt (Stephen enjoying the rains for the first time), it is lusted after (Anjali's rain-drenched form when she makes her first appearance on screen)... the camera follows the rain lovingly, chronicling the actions and reactions of the characters on screen.

There is a rich sensuousness about the film; in fact, one of the scenes which highlights this facet is one without any dialogue. The maid is cleaning his room, and Stephen's expressions reflect his desire; the director juxtaposes his face with a shot of the film he is watching on his television. There are no words spoken; indeed, there is no need.

 

The eroticism continues, in the camera lingering slowly over Anjali's form as she appears in front of them for the first time, in the sound of the shower as Anjali takes a bath - the sexual tension is heightened as both men react to the sound of the falling water and their own (suddenly vivid) imaginations. And this is where the film scores - there is not a single vulgar dialogue, there are no 'intimate' scenes, and yet, the actors' reactions reflect the mood. Much is implied, the dialogues being sparse, and gestures and actions convey feelings that do not need words. 

This was a film that used music, both background and songs, to highlight the emotions that were being played out on screen. Throw in much cross-referencing to other films, both classic and contemporary, to underscore what is happening on screen and you have a film that is eminently watchable. Finally, where Beautiful scores is in its ability to pull you into itself, and keep you hooked. [The last scene is a killer - the unexpected (black) humour in keeping with the rest of the film.]