Nadodikkattu (1987)

It will never cease to amaze me just how brilliant a performer Shobana is. She didn't exactly have a long role here (I think she entered somewhere around the one-hour mark) but for me, she definitely stole the show. Her character Radha not just acts as the moral backbone for Dasan (Mohanlal) but also makes him realise his deep-seated psychological issues in a way that doesn't take away from her own personality and identity, which is the case with... well... most women who aid in men's transformations in films written by men. I'm not saying Radha is the best-written female character or anything, but considering she's from 1987 and she still feels fresh and relevant in 2021, it's either that she's very remarkable or that society (men) still don't know how to write women properly. And honestly, I think it's 80% the latter and 20% the former reason.

Coming to Nadodikkattu though, I can't remember the last time I laughed so much, from start to finish, in a Malayalam movie. It has aged very well, especially since a lot of the issues that were plaguing society back then remain relevant today, like unemployment, migration, land encroachment, etc. There were hardly any cringe or boring moments, which was surprising in itself, considering my previous experiences with Sathyan Anthikkad movies. Maybe the man deserves some rights after all. I was quite sceptical about watching Nadodikkattu too honestly, but it turned out to be such a hilarious and interesting experience. Intensely deserving of its status as a classic in Malayalam cinema, methinks. I know a lot of people can't get over Mohanlal and Sreenivasan's amazing comic timing, and rightfully so because both of them gave it their all here, but for me the person who won me over with his comedy has got to be Thilakan sir. I was in splits during so many of his scenes, it was priceless. My favourite scene was the moment Lalettan and Sreenivasettan start realising that they're not in Dubai- "Idi Gulf alla! Idi Gulf alla!!!!" Comic genius right there- you'll know it when you see it.

In conclusion, as my bestie once said, I can sleep peacefully knowing that I stan such an incredibly powerful woman that nothing can stop her from commanding rent-free space in my head, not even badly written roles, and definitely not powerfully written roles that ideally should have been longer, but I'll take what I can get. Shobana rocks!! And I might be warming up to Mohanlal after all, who even knows. B.Com first class graduate for life.