Padamudra

1988 144’ col Malayalam d/s R. Sukumaran pc Noble Pics. p Augustin Elanjipilli lyr Kuttappanakku Hari, Edamon Thankappan c Saloo George m Vidyadharan lp Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Seema, Urvashi, Sitara, Master Sreekumar

Existential fable designed to show off Mohanlal’s acting skills. He plays both a parttime theyyam dancer and travelling salesman as well as his guilt-ridden son. The son eventually ‘ascends’ into insanity. The film works with numerous allusions to both biblical and folk sources as it investigates the meaning of fatherhood, the youth’s main problem. Noted for George’s camerawork and for Mohanlal’s repeated efforts to extend his performative abilities to dance (cf. also Kamalathalam, 1992).

Film