Sandesham

1991 146’ col Malayalam d Sathyan Andhikkad pc Evershine Prod. s Srinivasan lyr Kaithapram c Vipin Mohan m Johnson lp Thilakan, Jayaram, Srinivasan, Siddique, Madhu, Kaviyoor Ponnamma

Popular social satire by the leading Malayalam genre practitioners addressing political parties and slogan-shouting activists. Having retired as a stationmaster in Tamil Nadu, the hero (Thilakan) returns to Kerala after 30 years to find his two unemployed sons (Srinivasan and Jayaram) have become full-time hangers-on in opposing political parties, asserting their strident political rhetoric both in and out of the house. The two sons try in vain to put ‘service before self’ until their harassed father, on the verge of ruin, makes them see sense. The positive contrast is provided by the enterprising and prudent agricultural officer (Siddique) who marries their sister and represents the film’s plea on behalf of apolitical, small businesses. The typically hilarious dialogue by Srinivasan bolsters this message.

Film