Akale (2004)

Director:

Shyamaprasad

Writers:

Shyamaprasad (writer)
Tennessee Williams (play)

Plot:

Human fragility inspired by "Glass Menagerie"; an Anglo-Indian family in northern Kerala. Neil, a middle-aged writer...

Plot Keywords:

Foreign Language Adaptation | Based On Play

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Prithviraj	...	Neil
Sheela	...	Margaret
Geethu Mohandas	...	Rose
Tom George	...	Fredy Evans

Country:

India

Language:

Malayalam

Color:

Color

Company:

Kolath Films

Movie Connections:

Features Sholay (1975)

Life is so fragile...like a droplet of water

Akale (Far off) is a dream-like study of human fragility inspired by Tennessee Williams', The Glass Menagerie; and set in northern Kerala in the turbulent 1970s. The film opens with Neil (played by Prithvi Raj), a middle-aged writer struggling to write his autobiography. His memories about his sister Rose (portrayed brilliantly by Geethu Mohandas), about her he had planned to pen a book, transport him into his past, to the shabby seaside house he had shared with his nagging mother Margaret and his sister Rose. Rose was a recluse due to a deformity in her leg. All three are desperate to escape their meager existence. Neil, in his youth is violent, lonely and ambitious and is tired of his drudgery to make a living and often finds an emotional shelter in cinemas. The whole family is dependent on his meager income.

The flash back about Neil's youth forms the major part of the movie. Margaret is eager to have Rose married. One day, Freddy, Neil's coworker is invited to his home to meet with Rose, so that it may proceed to a marriage. This was the custom in their community and in that evening, Rose and Freddy recollects that they had their schooling together and Rose is touched very remarkably by Freddy who encourages her to forget her deformity. This evening turns out to be very significant that everyone is heavily affected by the incidents.

There are some beautiful lines in the movie that provokes thought like how do we know that we are alive…and do anybody tell us that who we are…cinematography was of supreme elegance and it catches the mood perfectly. Sheela as Margaret delivers a very mediocre performance, as she always does but this character almost fit to her mannerisms and over acting. Geethu as Rose is perfect and Prithvi Raj looks unnatural as a middle-aged writer with his heavy make up but is almost perfect as the young Neil. Akale is an emotionally satisfying study of family, memory, and loss.