Lekhayude Maranam Oru

Flashback aka Lekha’s Death a Flashback 1983 172’ col/scope Malayalam d/s K.G. George p David Kachapally, Innocent pc Sathru Intl. dial S.L. Puram Sadanandan lyr O.N.V. Kurup c Shaji N. Karun m M.B. Srinivasan lp Nalini, Gopi, Mammootty, Shubha, Jayashri, Jayachitra, Sharada, Nedumudi Venu, John Varghese, Adoor Bhawani, Thilakan, Venu Nagavalli, Innocent, Meena

Controversial film because of its alleged exploitation of the well-publicised suicide of the Tamil actress Shobha. When a poor Kerala family moves to Madras, their young daughter Shanthamma becomes the teenage film star Lekha (Nalini). However, the young girl hangs herself. The film recounts the events leading up to her decision, including a stint as a prostitute and the merciless exploitation she suffers from her alcoholic father (Varghese) and her pushy mother (Subha) as well as from her professional colleagues, esp. from her lover, the unhappily married Suresh (Gopi), a director of art-house films. The film depended heavily on the real-life events and characters to whom it alluded, while continuing the director’s fascination with the thriller format (Yavanika, 1982).

Film