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Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile
aka This Way Students aka Students Today 1971 174’ b&w Malayalam d John Abraham p Minnal pc Mehboob Prod. s M. Azad lyr Vyalar Rama Varma c Ramchandra m M.B. Srinivasan lp Adoor Bhasi, Manorama, S.V. Ranga Rao, Jayabharati, S.P. Pillai, M.R.R. Vasu, T.K. Balachandran, Paravoor Bharathan, Kuthiravattom Pappu, Philomina, Santha Devi
Abraham’s first feature is a politically pessimistic but ethically optimistic story advocating practical forms of solidarity with victimised or threatened colleagues. While playing football, some schoolboys break the statue of the school’s founder and the culprit, Raju, must pay for the damage or face expulsion. The boys get together and earn the money polishing boots, selling lottery tickets and so on. The school’s principal (Ranga Rao) is so impressed that he gets the management to repair the statue and spends the money paid by the boys on a school trip for them. Shortly afterwards, during another game of football, the ball hits and breaks the statue again. Apparently inspired by Louis Daquin’s Nous les gosses (1941).