& An Ode To Konkona Sen Sharma
Mammootty's Abraham Ozler Act Puts The Spotlight On Impressive Cameos |
From Suresh Gopi in Innale to Dulquer Salmaan in Parava, Malayalam cinema certainly doesn't underestimate the impact of a great cameo, writes Neelima Menon. |
AN HOUR INTO Midhun Manuel’s Jayaram-starring murder mystery Abraham Ozler, the identity of the serial killer is about to be unveiled. It’s also the finest moment in the otherwise inertly paced film — a superb synchronisation of background music, choreography, and the impending entry. In hindsight, it is also counterproductive to the plot. Simply because when Mammootty (with long, tousled hair) strolls into the frame, the first emotion you feel is pure hysteria. Not, however, of the kind reserved for a murderer who is about to butcher his next victim — this frenzy is for the megastar’s much-anticipated entry. While the character is shorn of swag or glory, the tremendous screen presence of the actor alone ensures the thunderous applause from the audience. Serial killer Alexander, who is grappling with a traumatic past, is hardly a challenge for Mammootty; but the star pulls off the impossible: he rescues a middling narrative from plunging into further mediocrity with merely a 20-minute cameo. Although the actor has to utter awkwardly bombastic lines, he keeps us riveted to the screen. A few years ago a similar cameo turned out to be the only saving grace in period film Kayamkulam Kochunni (2018). When Mohanlal makes an entry on a horseback as the folklore warrior Ithikkara Pakki, he is literally and metaphorically rescuing the battered Kayamkulam Kochunni (and the film) from being bludgeoned. Pakki is a legendary thief who mentors Kochunni to better his robbery skills. Mohanlal with a twinkle in his eye and a vintage makeover was at his flamboyant best; the film roused at his entry and collapsed at his exit. |
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| Konkona Sen Sharma, How Do We Love Thee? Let Us Count The Ways |
KONKONA SEN SHARMA is everything. That’s it. That’s the thinkpiece. There’s nothing more to say. She is amazing. She is awesome. This writer has a massive crush on her. This writer would love to work with her and pick her inspiring and creative brain. The end. *** Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, let’s delve into why I believe Konkona could be India’s answer to Meryl Streep. Or Greta Gerwig. Or whatever the global equivalent of the goddess-of-performance-and-filmmaking is. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Konkona is how each of her characters strikes the delicate note between being an everywoman and possessing extraordinary quirks and features. Whether it’s the nuanced and vulnerable Meenakshi from Mr and Mrs Iyer, the ambitious Madhavi Sharma from Page 3 and Neha from Luck By Chance, the charming Aisha Banerjee from Wake Up Sid, or my absolute favourite — Bharti Mondol from Neeraj Ghaywan’s short film Geeli Pucchi — a character that deserves her own TV series. |
If there was ever a way to up this ante, Konkona decided to foray into direction with the delightfully unconventional film A Death In the Gunj: an atmospheric, innately psychological study of human behaviour. Her Lust Stories 2 segment, The Mirror, explored an area most Indian filmmakers would either completely shy away from, or sensationalise. It’s not easy to portray sexual desire and kink in an Indian context, and do so in an observant and mildly humorous way. But Konkona’s assured filmmaking has made a mark of its own. Her directorial voice is seemingly not intended to be inherently feminine, even though that may be the end result. She doesn’t show off the female gaze in her movies, but she teases it. She places it for audiences to savour bit by bit. I can safely say that I am an audience member for life. Whatever Sen Sharma puts out there, I will watch. Good, bad, ugly, monotonous — whatever it is, I am ready to feverishly absorb it. |
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