Angamaly Diaries (Malayalam, 2017)
Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery
Most people, I included, end up viewing this movie after watching Jallikatu. The director of the film belongs to the new generation of directors who are bold enough to challenge the traditional way of story-telling and are daring to show their visualisation of reality boldly. Lijo Jose Pellissery is known for his unconventional approach in directing, making films that are characterised by nonlinear storylines, the aestheticisation of violence, extended scenes of dialogue and very long takes. The other peculiar thing about this film is that the filmmakers decided to feature 86 debutants. Again like Jallikatu, there is so much chaos, so much activity, sometimes too much, but the story progresses seamlessly.
We all have seen many violent Indian movies which glorify violence, deify anti-heroes and depict an alternative universe where a lone downtrodden underdog brings down the whole corrupt system. Somehow, here the film depicts violence as a primal thing which is part and parcel of human living. The frequent screenshots of lumpy cut meat, slicing of pork and sizzling beef and pork curry may not be a vegetarian's idea of a wholesome meal. Still, the district of Angamaly in Kerala carries the enviable reputation of coming up with the most delicious of non-vegetarian meals. Their pork cuisines are something to die for, it seems. The past history that links them to Portuguese invasion, placement of the first Portuguese bishop in India, being the administrative headquarters of Syrian Christians and five centuries of tradition make them a strategic location to churn out a potpourri of European cookings flavoured with local ingredients. They are champions in tossing out mouthwatering dishes with yam, mango, jackfruit and beef. There is hardly any choice for vegetarians, Even their vegetables are cooked with meat as an addendum.
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Pork is the king of Angamaly's cuisine. Another speciality
is meat cooked with yam and jackfruit seed.
Credit: onmanorama.com |
The eminent 8th-century philosopher Adi Sankaracharya who singlehandedly consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta and unified thoughts in Hinduism is said to have been born nearby, in Kalady. Adi Sankaracharya is said to have travelled to all four corners of India and is said to have demarcated and unified all Hindus by engaging them in intellectual discourses. He is said to have propagated the idea that Atman, our inner self, is no different from Brahman, the Universal Consciousness. The world is, therefore, just an illusion. This is the basis of the Advaita School of Hinduism.
The movie is about a group of friends who decide to start a pork-selling business. The crux of the film is about the clash they have with a rival gang in having sole control of pork sales in that area. Along the way, we are feasted with extremely long shots as we follow the characters go about doing their daily duties of slaughtering pigs and slashing their enemies. The picturesque background and the excellent editing makes it a pleasure to watch despite the seemingly brutal theme.
Maybe the director is being cheeky here. Despite the sensitivities surrounding the different cultures in Kerala, he keeps on showing people mugshots of raw pork and beef repeatedly. As if to mock, the film ends with the call of azan as the protagonists relocate himself in Dubai!
