Vanaprastham (1999) :
Brief Review -
A supreme legacy of Mohanlal blends mythology with an amazing art form but fails to condemn the infidelity. Vanaprastham is a rich experience overall, actually it is one step higher than what we deserve in late 90s and therefore it deserves that fan following. But the fact that the film being too specific about Mahabharata's ideology where having an sexual affair outside arrange-marriage is termed okay is totally absurd. I am shocked to see many critics and movie buffs not mentioning this ridiculous factor anywhere in their reviews. Additionally, it is linked to Mythology then i guess it deserves even more bashing than what I've just done. In a film we see an illicit relationship between a Kathakali dancer and a young woman from an upper caste family resulting in an illegitimate child. He faces hardships when she refuses to let him see their child and then seeks for ultimate salvation. Isn't it a big joke that he seeks salvation for his own mental peace and not for his sins? How ethical it was from the woman's side to hid the child from his father for her own mistakes and how etihical it was from his side to have this extramarital affair and not feeling sorry when he's living with his wife and a daughter? This part didn't make any sense to me even if i assume historical references of Arjuna and Abhimanyu. Come on, this was 1950s and you don't apply Mahabharata theories here. Thankfully, Vanaprastham is blessed by Mohanlal's legendary performance and Shaji Karun's skillful direction. These two overtake the weak writing and makes Vanaprastham an absolute cinematic experience of poetic proportions. Overal, Vanaprasthan has absurd theories to tell but Mohanlal's acting and Karun's direction have saved the ship from sinking. A very good attempt to bring new modulation in Indian Cinema of late 90s.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
