Sammohanam (1994)

I should have known from the premise itself that this was not going to be necessarily "good", but I watched it anyway because I read on Wikipedia that Ilaiyaraaja waived his fees for this movie because he was that impressed with the storyline. While I do not regret watching Sammohanam, I can't say I enjoyed it either. Raaja's music was probably the highlight of the film, along with the ever-beautiful rural Kerala locations. Acting-wise, nothing touched me enough to leave an impact, barring the chemistry between Nedumudi Venu and Archana. Had the entire movie been a love story about them, I suppose I would have liked it more. Apart from this, the feminist undertones of Archana's character were interesting- had they been explored more in context of her identity as a tribal woman, this movie could have been a milestone in intersectional feminist politics. As it stands though, her position as a tribal woman is used as a mere plot device and the story doesn't really engage with it beyond the obvious exoticisation of her personality and character. Feels right in some places, but boring in most: a sentiment that holds true for the entire movie itself.