''Mathilukal'' () is a 1990 Indian

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

-language film written, directed and produced by

Adoor Gopalakrishnan Adoor Gopalakrishnan (born 3 July 1941) is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer and is regarded as one of the most notable and renowned filmmakers in India. With the release of his first feature film '' Swayamvaram'' (1972), Go ...

based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (21 January 1908 – 5 July 1994), popularly referred to as Beypore Sulthan, was a writer of Malayalam literature. He was a writer, humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer, noted for his path-breaking, ...

.P.K.Ajith Kumar
"Romantic interlude"
''The Hindu''. 14 May 2010. The film focuses on the prison life of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and the love between him and Narayani, a female inmate of the prison, who remains unseen throughout the film.

Mammootty Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail (; born 7 September 1951), known mononymously by the hypocorism Mammootty (), is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema, Malayalam films. He has also appeared in Tamil l ...

plays the role of ''Vaikom Muhammad Basheer'' while

K. P. A. C. Lalitha Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K. P. A. C. Lalitha, was an Indian film and stage actress who worked primarily in Malyalam. She started her acting career with K. P. A. C., a theatre collective in Kayamkulam, Kerala. In a caree ...

gives voice to ''Narayani''. The film was screened at the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

. On the centenary of Indian cinema in April 2013, ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

'' included Mammootty's performance in the film on its list, "25 Greatest Acting Performances of Indian Cinema".

Plot

Vaikom Muhammed Basheer is imprisoned on charges of sedition. He is unlike the other prisoners, very inquisitive and armed with sardonic wit. Everyone takes a liking to him and even turns to him in times of distress. He strikes up a friendship with the Warden(Thilakan) and an enthusiastic jailor (Sreenath). Due to his unique charisma and popularity as an author, he is afforded privileges the other prisoners don't have. His written works are greatly appreciated by the policemen, who supply him papers to finish his work. One day, Basheer is informed that he will be released soon as all political prisoners are pardoned. But unexpectedly, Basheer's name was missing from the list. His enthusiasm and happiness takes a hit and he becomes filled with uneasiness and worry. Due to the eerie solitude of the prison complex, Basheer starts to get depressed, but the other inmates try to encourage him to accompany them in making a vegetable garden in front of the neighbouring women's prison compound. Bashir falls in love with a woman in the neighbouring prison compound. They are separated by a high wall, thus they never see each other and have to devise ingenious ways for communicating. They exchange gifts with each other by throwing the packages up high so that it crosses the wall. Narayani, Bashir's love is presented as a female voice and never appears in person in the film. Their exchanges are raw, unhinged, and unfiltered. Narayani then comes up with a plan for a meeting and they decide to meet at the hospital a few days later. But before that, Basheer is released, unexpectedly. For once, he does not want the freedom he had craved for. Bashir is released and isn't able to convey it to Narayani. Bashir helplessly looks at the walls and leaves the jail in tears.

Cast

* Murali as Basheer's childhood friend *

Ravi Vallathol Ravi Vallathol (25 November 1952 25 April 2020) was an Indian actor, mainly noted for his acting in many famous serials, including the first serial in Malayalam. Biography He was born as the son of famous Drama legend T. N. Gopinathan Nair ...

as Razaq *

Sreenath Sreenath (26 August 1956 – 23 April 2010) was an Indian film and television actor. He has acted in many Malayalam films, including ''Shalini Ente Koottukari'', ''Ithu Njangalude Katha'', ''Oru CBI Diary Kurippu'', and '' Kireedam''. Sreenat ...

as Aniyan, the friendly and enthusiastic young jailor *

Karamana Janardanan Nair Karamana Janardanan Nair (25 July 1936 – 24 April 2000) was a Malayalam film actor, who was active during the 1980s and 1990s. He was especially known for his character roles. He won wide acclaim especially for the role of the protagonis ...

as a prisoner *

Thilakan Palappurathu Kesavan Surendranatha Thilakan (15 July 1935 – 24 September 2012) was an Indian film and stage actor who appeared in over 200 Malayalam films. Thilakan was known for his elaborate method acting, realistic and spontaneous appearan ...

as Warden * M. R. Gopakumar as Prisoner *

Azeez Aziz ( ar, عزيز, , is an Arabic male name. The feminine form of both the adjective and the given name is Aziza. ''Aziz'' in Arabic is derived from the root ''ʕ-z-z'' with a meaning of "strong, powerful" and the adjective has acquired its m ...

as Inspector *

Babu Namboothiri Babu Namboothiri (born 12 August 1947) is a retired Chemistry Professor and Head Of Department of Deva Mata College Kuravilangad and an Indian film and TV actor who has starred in more than 100 Malayalam films and various serials. He is famou ...

as a political prisoner *

as Narayani (She doesn't appear in the film, but she voiced the female lead)

Awards

The film has won the following awards since its release: ; 1989

(

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

) * FIPRESCI Prize -

* UNICEF Award -

; 1989 National Film Awards (

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

) *

Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...

- Adoor Gopalakrishnan * Best Actor -

also for ''

Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha ''Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha'' () is a 1989 Indian Malayalam-language epic historical drama film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, and starring Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Balan K. Nair, Captain Raju and Madhavi. The film won ...

'' * Best Audiography - N. Harikumar * Best Regional Film (Malayalam) ; 1990

Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...

(

) * Best Story -

; 1990 Amiens International Film Festival (

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

) * OCIC Award -

; 2002 Aubervilliers International Children's Film Festival (

) * Best Film * Grand Prize for Best Director -

References

External links

*
Adoor's interview on ''Mathilukal''"33 years of ''Mathilukal'': Interview with Adoor Gopalakrishnan"
Radio Suno. (in Malayalam). May 2022. {{National Film Award Best Feature Film Malayalam 1989 films 1989 romantic drama films Films directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan Films set in the 1940s Films based on Indian novels 1980s Malayalam-language films Indian biographical drama films Films whose director won the Best Director National Film Award Films featuring a Best Actor National Award-winning performance Films scored by Vijaya Bhaskar Films that won the Best Audiography National Film Award Best Malayalam Feature Film National Film Award winners