Meleparambil Aanveedu (1993)

I had been warned beforehand that the director of this movie is a hardcore sanghi, but sheesh. Even if I hadn't known, it wouldn't have been too hard to guess. The movie had an extremely dismissive treatment of its women characters, and moreover, it was justified within the universe in which it was set. It made the "happy ending" slightly less happy for me, and I wondered what kind of life Pavizham (Shobana) would lead henceforth- especially considering how it was established that it was Hari's (Jayaram) father who was majorly responsible for the mess, and yet, there was not a single moment of introspection, let alone an acknowledgement of how toxic he was even in the most superficial terms. 

However, despite all of this, I have to admit (a little shamefacedly, to be honest) that I did enjoy watching this film. It was quite entertaining when it wasn't being messy, and there were moments that made me laugh out loud. The Shobana-Jayaram pairing is too cute and funny and adorable, and combined with the songs picturised on them, made for a very wholesome experience. Plus, Pavizham was such a cutie, especially in the Pollachi bits. I loved seeing Shobana in all her comic glory, and credits to the costumes department for giving her such an A1 wardrobe throughout the movie. Jagathy Sreekumar was hilarious as always- the man is literally a guarantee for at least a few laughs, no matter what movie you're watching. What an icon. 

In conclusion, insufferable male pride can ruin everything; thank you Rajasenan for delivering us this lesson completely unintentionally. Your services will never be forgotten. 

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