Rajesh Komath
In Bramayugam, directed by Rahul Sadasivan and co-written with TD Ramakrishnan, Mammootty challenges Malayalam filmmakers to push boundaries. He portrays Koduman Potti, the last survivor of a crumbling mana, interacting with Arjun Ashokan’s Thevan, a low-caste singer seeking refuge. The storyline unfolds as Thevan discovers eerie secrets guarded by a Chaathan (demon). The film explores collaborative efforts to free the house. The film succeeds in creating a haunting atmosphere, with Shehnad Jalal’s camera work, Shafique Mohamed Ali’s editing, and Christo Xavier’s music. Mammootty’s captivating performance, Siddharth’s subtle portrayal, and Arjun Ashokan’s commendable acting contribute to the film’s success. The film utilizes metaphors, prompting viewers to reflect on narratives from epics like the Mahabharata. It draws on deeply rooted mythical and oral storytelling traditions, resonating more with the audience than visual character portrayals.
The Malayalam film Bramayugam (The Age of Madness), Rahul Sadasivan’s dark fantasy horror thriller,has recently hit the headlines. The film addresses the power structures of medieval Kerala, with a significant emphasis placed on the role of Brahmin and Chaathan. The Chaathan, as a subaltern entity, has historically challenged Brahminical knowledge and traditions of Sakthi (power). But hegemonic power of the Brahmins was rooted in the control of both material and supernatural forces, often exhibited before lower subjects to maintain social dominance and control. The film portrays a period wherein Brahminical families served as the nucleus of power, frequently employing violence and cruelty to assert dominance.
A language of subjugation towards lower castes was prevalent, ingraining them to accept their subordinate status, particularly in their interactions with Brahmins. Paanan (court singer) represents this sense of subordination through his physical and verbal expressions in the film. However, the child born from a Brahmin father and a sweeper’s mother harbours a desire for revenge while also inheriting a sense of superiority from his Brahmin lineage. He lays claim to ritualistic or tantric powers to confront the Brahmin antagonist, who openly insults and exploits subordinates for Brahminical needs and convenience.
The film’s central characters include the Yakshi, a Brahmin, a Paanan, and a subordinate Sudra Nayar. Through their interactions, the film explores the social and individual dynamics, behaviours, and relationships between these distinct social entities. Thus, the film serves to communicate caste norms and relations prevalent in 17th-century North Malabar.
Various myths surrounding Chaathan in Malayali and other South Indian social contexts contribute to the rich tapestry of cultural aesthetics. Chaathan’s incarnation as Varahi, his association with madness, affinity for Sakthi, women, liquor, and death, render him a mythical figure deeply embedded in the everyday reality of the people. One prevalent version of the Chaathan myth, as transmitted through oral traditions, suggests his origin as an adopted child of a Namboothiri family. However, as he matures, he exhibits preferences for behaviours and practices deemed non-Brahminical, such as consuming local liquor, socialising with lower castes, and consuming meat, contrary to the norms of Brahminical life. This deviation from Brahminical norms leads the Brahmin family to attempt to control and subsequently inflict cruelty upon him. Despite numerous attempts to eliminate Chaathan, he manifests in countless forms with formidable powers capable of destruction. Chaathan thus represents a subaltern subject and subjectivity, challenging dominant Brahminical narratives. However, Bramayukam seeks to depict Chaathan as residing within a deceased Brahmin body, acting through it. This portrayal suggests that while Chaathan may have dismantled Brahminical dominance, it persists through Brahmin bodies, perpetuating the tragic and traumatic experiences of lower castes.
A critique of this narrative arises from the portrayal of Chaathan, a lower-caste subject, and subjectivity, as more dangerous than the Namboothiris. This perspective inadvertently legitimises Brahminical subjectivity, undermining the subaltern resistance embodied by Chaathan.
The emergence of Chaathan as a figure questioning and potentially seeking to dismantle Brahmanism is rooted in the inhumane and cruel attitudes exhibited by Brahmins. However, the film suggests that Chaathan is portrayed as more problematic than Brahminism, effectively subverting the myth in favour of Brahminical dominance.
The film goes into power dynamics, caste hierarchies, and the mythical-mystical powers of the supernatural, drawing upon underlying mythological mentalities to advance its narrative. It combines tales and myths surrounding Brahmin incarnations aimed at subduing Kshatriyas and promoting Brahminical ideology. The invocation of the Parasurama myth, symbolising land reclamation for Brahmins and the erasure of Kshatriyas, is evident. However, the emergence of the Mozhaka (rat) vamsam, represented by a cook born of mixed Sudra and Namboothiri lineage, serves as a reaction to Brahminical dominance, potentially reinstating a savarna milieu within the cinematic experience of Malayalees.
The film portrays life as predetermined, where individuals lack the agency to alter or challenge the established order. Fate is depicted as more tangible than life itself. The condition of being born as a Panan or a Brahmin is presented as a fate within a world characterised by limitations on freedom, akin to playing a game of chess where individuals must navigate their lives within prescribed constraints. The film employs metaphors that lead viewers to contemplate narratives and contexts from epics such as the Mahabharata, tapping into the deeply ingrained mythical and oral storytelling traditions that resonate with the audience more than visual character portrayals.
The symbol of the ring is depicted as a manifestation of power, representing the destructive nature of human love and affection. Its transfer from individuals wielding Sakthi, knowledge, and power at a particular historical juncture signifies the emergence of new power dynamics over time. The film shows a fracture in the narrative, termed ‘Bramayugam,’ within the Kaliyuga, the age of the oppressed.
The cinematography effectively captures the nuances of nature, including ripples in streams and the sounds of rain, contributing to an immersive experience for the audience. The portrayal of sensory elements such as the taste of food, the intoxicated state of mind, and the raw beauty of the landscape adds a distinct atmosphere to the film. The auditory experience, particularly the depiction of heavy rain, enhances the audience’s engagement with the scenes. Despite the film’s graphical portrayal being in black and white, it does not impose limitations but facilitates a heightened sense of emotional impact within the narrative. However, the sudden introduction of a colonial white character and the killing of a prominent character may disrupt the smooth flow of the audience’s emotional engagement with the film. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Panan and Shudra Nayar characters could have been enhanced had they been portrayed by trained theatre actors. This could have resulted in a more compelling performance, generating a multiplier effect on the overall impact of the film.
Dr Rajesh Komath is an Associate Professor of the School of Social Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
