Swayamvaram
Encyclopedia
Swayamvaram is a 1972 Malayalam feature film
co-written and directed
by Adoor Gopalakrishnan
starring Madhu
and Sharada
in the lead roles. Notable smaller roles are filled by Thikkurisi Sukumaran Nair, Adoor Bhavani
, Bharath Gopi
, and K. P. A. C. Lalitha
. The film was produced by the Chitralekha Film Co-operative with credit from the Film Finance Corporation (FFC). It was Chitralekha's first feature film production. It features an original score by M. B. Sreenivasan
, cinematography by Mankada Ravi Varma
, editing by Ramesan, art direction by Devadathan, and sound mixing by P. Devadas.
Swayamvaram was Adoor Gopalakrishnan's debut feature film. It also was the film debut of the now-prominent Malayalam actor Bharath Gopi. The film depicts the life of a couple—-Vishwam (Madhu
) and Sita (Sharada
)—-whose idealism is at loggerheads with the realities of the workaday world around them. The title is an allusion to the ancient Indian practice of a girl of marriageable age choosing a husband from among a list of suitors. It portrays the middle class angst of the post-Nehruvian society and the transition of Kerala
's middle class into a modernist society. Although the economic and social crises of the middle class are pervasive in the film, the emphasis is on the existential problems at an ontological plane.
Writer-director K. P. Kumaran
co-scripted the film with Adoor. It took Adoor seven years to get the project rolling when his initial proposal for a loan was turned down by the Film Finance Corporation. Adoor initially wanted fresh faces for the lead roles, but later chose stalwarts Sharada and Madhu. In addition to five and a half years of pre-production, another one and a half years was required to finish the film, as Adoor ran out of money.
Swayamvaram received wide critical acclaim. Critics consider it as a classic neorealistic
film. It pioneered the new wave cinema movement in India and introduced the viewer to a hitherto-unknown technique of using film as more than just a story-telling device. It was the first Indian film to use sound as a leitmotif
. The film was shown at a number of film festivals around the world. It won four National Film Awards
including for Best Film
, Best Director
and Best Actress
(Sharada).
They settle in a big city. The early days are happy, but soon they run short of money. Vishwam, an aspiring writer looking for employment, can't publish his novel (titled Nirvriti, meaning 'ecstasy'). The chatter at the publisher's office makes it evident that only the established and famous matter in the world. It is an elite club; the doors are closed to upcoming writers like Vishwam. Sita's ornaments are sold; they change residence from a good hotel to an ordinary one, and then to a dilapidated house in a none-too-respectable locality.
Vishwam takes a job as a college teacher. The school is a sinking ship and its proprietor a failed and bitter businessman. Vishwam next becomes a clerk in a timber shop, taking the place of a dismissed employee. Vishwam and Sita try to set up a happy home. Around there are good neighbours and bad ones; helpers and exploiters. Soon their dream fade as they struggle on precariously. There are many hardships, but big compensations of love. Vishwam suddenly dies, and Sita and her baby are left behind to face the myriad problems of life. The film ends with unanswered questions.
under the title On Own Will. Other translations of the title have been used, such as By Choice, Her Own Choice, Marriage by Choice, Betrothal by Choice, The Betrothal, and The Selection. The title refers to the ancient Indian practice of a girl of marriageable age choosing a husband from among a list of suitors.
in the U.S. to Nagisa Oshima
in Japan. Adoor realized that movies could transcend mass entertainment to become art. After leaving the institute in 1965, Adoor returned home and formed the state's pioneering film society, the Chitralekha Film Cooperative, with his classmates. He spent the rest of the 1960s studying avant-garde world cinema and learning the mechanics of filmmaking, from sound recording to accounting.
Adoor had to wait for almost seven years after graduation to start producing his first feature film after his proposal for a loan was turned down by the Film Finance Corporation. He had submitted a script,Kamuki, to the Film Finance Corporation, but they were not willing to finance it. Later, under changed circumstances, he submitted the script of Swayamvaram and it was accepted. The loan allowed was for one and a half lakh rupees. The film was produced by Chitralekha Film Co-operative, Kerala's first Film Co-operative Society for film production. Adoor took an active part in the constitution of the production company. Swayamvaram was Chitralekha's first feature film production.
, one of the most successful actress of her time, to do the female lead. She was acting in commercial films when Adoor asked her to act in Swayamvaram, and was initially afraid to commit herself to an art film. But when Adoor narrated her the complete story at Prasad Studios in Chennai
, she readily agreed. Then Adoor felt he couldn't cast a novice opposite her, so he invited Madhu
. Madhu was an old friend of Adoor, and he had expressed a wish to act in one of Adoor's films. By the time Adoor was back from the Institute, Madhu was already a star. Madhu says: "When Gopalakrishnan narrated the story of Swayamvaram, I knew it was going to be different." So, he had no hesitation in agreeing. Madhu said in an interview, "I sometimes wish Prem Nazir
had acted in Adoor's Swayamvaram. He might have won a Bharath award. But he was very busy those days."
Adoor included mainstream actors such as Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
to match the cast of central characters. When asked about the problems a novice like Adoor faced in directing the 'stars', he said, "Many people had asked me at that time, 'will a senior actor like Thikurissi obey you?' But actually I faced no such problem. First of all as professionals they know what is required of them. And then they cannot refuse to do what I instruct them to do. They are acting to me and not to an audience. Moreover, from my experience in theatre I already knew how to deal with actors. I would tell them what to do. If they are not able to follow, I will show them how to do it. Once they are convinced that you know what you are saying, they will follow your instructions."
Prominent Malayalam actor Bharath Gopi
made his debut in Swayamvaram, doing a minor role as the dismissed factory worker. Gopi was a noted stage actor before Adoor cast him in Swayamvaram. From theatre, his interest turned to cinema through the Chitraleka Film Society, co-founded by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Gopi would later play the lead role in Adoor's Kodiyettam
, which made his reputation as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema. K. P. A. C. Lalitha
, who would later play notable characters in many Adoor films, played a small role in Swayamvaram. Celebrated Malayalam litterateur Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair
played the role of an editor in the film. According to Adoor, "to act as one self" on screen is the most difficult task, "but Vaikom played the role with ease".
co-scripted the film with Adoor. It took more than one and a half years to finish the whole film, as Adoor ran out of money. Adoor was reticent about the film's commercial aspects. Madhu says: "Though he had to face a lot of financial difficulties, Gopalakrishnan never talked about budget. In fact, budget was the last thing in his mind. He was the first filmmaker in Kerala who made a film without thinking about its commercial aspects at all. He made Swayamvaram from his heart without thinking about anything else. He was not bothered about releasing the film, he was not bothered about how the audience would react and he was not even bothered about box office reaction. Such trivialities did not occupy his mind." The film was shot in two schedules, though Adoor wanted it done in a single schedule. The delay was due to scheduling conflicts of the actress Sharada. She was working in several films at that time, so Adoor had to arrange the schedule to suit her convenience. Before shooting commenced, Adoor had long discussions with his crew about how he would shoot the film and how the characters should behave. Because Adoor had a clear vision about his characters, he did not stop until he got what he had in mind; he was ready to go for any number of retakes. Every shot and every action of Swayamvaram was culled from real life.
Swayamvaram marked the beginning of a collaboration between Adoor Gopalakrishnan and cinematographer Mankada Ravi Varma
. When Adoor saw Olavum Theeravum
, Varma's second film as a cinematographer, he decided that when he made a film, it was Varma who would shoot it. When he was ready to make Swayamvaram, he asked Varma whether he would do the cinematography. Varma actually had no intention to shoot another feature film after Olavum Theeravum, but he couldn't say no to Adoor. Varma says it was the "extensive" and "very well written" script that forced him not to reject the film. Ramesan edited the film. Sound mixing was done by Devadas.
wrote a cover story in his magazine Sameeksha and organized a seminar on the film in Madras. A number of intellectuals and writers took part in it; Adoor had invited all the film people in Madras. After the screening, noted film experts like P. Bhaskaran
and Balu Mahendra
were highly excited and deeply touched by the film. Mahendra came and hugged Adoor and said, "You saved us". When it was screened in Trivandrum, many people came and said that they had the same feeling as watching an 'English movie'. Adoor believes that it "may be because of the theme and treatment, or because of the careful use of sound and economy of story telling."
The film received little critical response in Kerala. Adoor says, "I think it was more of a question of insensitivity rather than personal enmity. Or, may be, powers-that-be in certain quarters felt threatened." However, some noted critics like Murkoth Kunjappa and T. M. P. Nedungadi praised the movie. There was a good write up by Nedungadi, who asked, "Swayamvaram over, what next in Malayalam cinema?"
Swayamvaram was the first Malayalam film to be screened at many major international film festivals. It was in the competition section of the Moscow International Film Festival
. It was greatly liked by all but did not win the prize.
Noted critic and film director Vijayakrishnan
felt that Devadas's sound mixing work was one of the major attractions of the film. Considerable use of natural sound, apart from background music, was new for Malayalam cinema.
Being the debut film of the director, one may find traces of some influences of other directors are evident in Swayamvaram. Some critics have pointed out its resemblance to Ritwik Ghatak's Subarnarekha
. In that film also there is love and an elopement to the city. But Swayamvaram is more about the trip. And its treatment is entirely different. Swayamvaram was also influenced by the neorealism
in Satyajit Ray
films.
Cast performances were also praised by critics. Noted director Mrinal Sen
, who was one of the jury members at the National Awards committee, appreciated Sharada saying "You were so natural while lifting and carrying that pot full of water", citing a scene from the film in which Sharada's character was pregnant and was to lift a pot full of water and carry it to the house. He also complimented her for the scene in a bus. There were no conversations in the scene; Vishwam and Sita just had to look at each other. Sharada says that Adoor had to explain too much to get that right expressions. Bharath Gopi
was there only for a couple of minutes but the impact of his frustrated face was so strong that he was immediately noticed. The film was also a turning point in Madhu's career even though he had acted in several memorable Malayalam films, including the landmark film, Ramu Kariat's Chemmeen
, before Swayamvaram happened.
Although most of the reviews were positive, some film experts were critical about the film. Amaresh Datta, in his book The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature, said: "Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Swayamvaram was released during the early seventies. It was then that Malayalam film goers had the feeling of being witness to true cinema. Swayamvaram heralded the second phase in the development of Malayalam cinema, a more illuminating phase than the first one. But it would be preposterous to describe it as the last word or as a classic. It was the same old love story without any freshness added. The development of the story lacked credibility. Blindly following the neo-realistic style, the film was ripe with sentimentalism which fatally affected its novelty and excellence." Poet and journalist C. P. Surendran called film "disturbing" in one of his article criticising Adoor Gopalakrishnan and his films. Shyam Benegal
, film director and a well-known admirer of Adoor films, says that he was not particularly pleased with Swayamvaram.
Swayamvaram paved the way to divide Malayalam films into three categories, the so-called uncompromising Art films, the 'compromise films' aiming at commercial success while maintaining a good deal of artistic qualities, and the commercial films aimed at box office success.
Through Swayamvaram, Adoor Gopalakrishnan became the first Indian director to use sound as a leitmotif
(a recurring musical theme). The film was a new experience for Indian cinema-goers; it used ample natural sounds and a minimalistic background score. Adoor says: "Sound is as important as the visual in films. I am very particular about the sound factor. In fact, I always have a separate script ready just for sound. Mostly, I will be a part of the process. I have uniquely used many sounds to convey a message or any idea. Only a close scrutiny will make you hear the sound. Like some scenes in Mukhamukham".
, Swayamvaram won awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Cinematographer. However, the Kerala State Film Award
committee rejected the film and chose some industry favourites. The committee members, according to film historians, didn't want to encourage a film-school-trained director and a film produced by a cooperative. The national panel overruled the regional committee, and Swayamvaram was given four major national awards.
1973 Moscow International Film Festival
(Russia
)
1973 National Film Awards
(India
)
1973 Kerala State Film Awards (India
)
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
co-written and directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Moutatthu "Adoor" Gopalakrishnan Unnithan is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had a major role in revolutionizing Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of India.. Adoor's first film Swayamvaram pioneered the new wave cinema...
starring Madhu
Madhu (actor)
Madhavan Nair , commonly known by his stage name Madhu is an actor in Malayalam cinema. He was a prominent lead actor during the 60s and 70s. He has also directed and produced films, and at one time he owned Uma film studio.-Early life:...
and Sharada
Sharada (actress)
Sharada is a three time national award winning South Indian actress and Indian Parliament member. She originally hails from Andhra Pradesh. She has achieved success through Malayalam movies. Initially she did many supporting roles in Telugu films and later on moved to Malayalam film industry and...
in the lead roles. Notable smaller roles are filled by Thikkurisi Sukumaran Nair, Adoor Bhavani
Adoor Bhavani
Adoor Bhavani was an Indian actress in Malayalam movies, best-known for her appearance in the National Award-winning film Chemmeen , directed by Ramu Kariat. She had acted in about 450 films, including Mudiyanaya Puthran, Thulabharam, Kallichellamma, and Anubhavangal Paalichakal. Her last film...
, Bharath Gopi
Bharath Gopi
V. Gopinathan Nair, popularly known as Bharath Gopi was an Indian film actor, producer, and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala....
, and K. P. A. C. Lalitha
K. P. A. C. Lalitha
Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K.P.A.C. Lalitha, is a National Award winning Indian film and stage actress. She was the wife of late filmmaker Bharathan.-Biography:...
. The film was produced by the Chitralekha Film Co-operative with credit from the Film Finance Corporation (FFC). It was Chitralekha's first feature film production. It features an original score by M. B. Sreenivasan
M. B. Sreenivasan
M. B. Sreenivasan , or MBS, as he was popularly called, was a famous South Indian music director who worked mainly in the Malayalam and Tamil film industries.-Biography:...
, cinematography by Mankada Ravi Varma
Mankada Ravi Varma
Ravi Varma , better known by his stage name Mankada Ravi Varma, was an Indian Malayalam cinematographer and director. He is exclusively known for his association with renowned film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He has associated with other major directors such as G. Aravindan and P. N. Menon. He has...
, editing by Ramesan, art direction by Devadathan, and sound mixing by P. Devadas.
Swayamvaram was Adoor Gopalakrishnan's debut feature film. It also was the film debut of the now-prominent Malayalam actor Bharath Gopi. The film depicts the life of a couple—-Vishwam (Madhu
Madhu (actor)
Madhavan Nair , commonly known by his stage name Madhu is an actor in Malayalam cinema. He was a prominent lead actor during the 60s and 70s. He has also directed and produced films, and at one time he owned Uma film studio.-Early life:...
) and Sita (Sharada
Sharada (actress)
Sharada is a three time national award winning South Indian actress and Indian Parliament member. She originally hails from Andhra Pradesh. She has achieved success through Malayalam movies. Initially she did many supporting roles in Telugu films and later on moved to Malayalam film industry and...
)—-whose idealism is at loggerheads with the realities of the workaday world around them. The title is an allusion to the ancient Indian practice of a girl of marriageable age choosing a husband from among a list of suitors. It portrays the middle class angst of the post-Nehruvian society and the transition of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
's middle class into a modernist society. Although the economic and social crises of the middle class are pervasive in the film, the emphasis is on the existential problems at an ontological plane.
Writer-director K. P. Kumaran
K. P. Kumaran
K. P. Kumaran is a Malayalam film maker. He co-authored the script of Swayamvaram directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Kumaran's first directorial venture was Athithi. His major films include Rugmini , Thenthulli, Laxmivijayam and Thottam...
co-scripted the film with Adoor. It took Adoor seven years to get the project rolling when his initial proposal for a loan was turned down by the Film Finance Corporation. Adoor initially wanted fresh faces for the lead roles, but later chose stalwarts Sharada and Madhu. In addition to five and a half years of pre-production, another one and a half years was required to finish the film, as Adoor ran out of money.
Swayamvaram received wide critical acclaim. Critics consider it as a classic neorealistic
Neorealism (art)
In art, neorealism was established by the ex-Camden Town Group painters Charles Ginner and Harold Gilman at the beginning of World War I. They set out to explore the spirit of their age through the shapes and colours of daily life...
film. It pioneered the new wave cinema movement in India and introduced the viewer to a hitherto-unknown technique of using film as more than just a story-telling device. It was the first Indian film to use sound as a leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
. The film was shown at a number of film festivals around the world. It won four National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
including for Best Film
National Film Award for Best Film
The National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
, Best Director
National Film Award for Best Directing
The National Film Award for Best Direction winners are given below. Satyajit Ray has been awarded the maximum number of times in this category....
and Best Actress
National Film Award for Best Actress
The National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
(Sharada).
Plot
The film begins with a bus journey. Vishwam {Madhu} and Sita {Saradha} , it is the most important journey in their life: they have cut themselves off from their family, and intend run away to a new place to fend for themselves.They settle in a big city. The early days are happy, but soon they run short of money. Vishwam, an aspiring writer looking for employment, can't publish his novel (titled Nirvriti, meaning 'ecstasy'). The chatter at the publisher's office makes it evident that only the established and famous matter in the world. It is an elite club; the doors are closed to upcoming writers like Vishwam. Sita's ornaments are sold; they change residence from a good hotel to an ordinary one, and then to a dilapidated house in a none-too-respectable locality.
Vishwam takes a job as a college teacher. The school is a sinking ship and its proprietor a failed and bitter businessman. Vishwam next becomes a clerk in a timber shop, taking the place of a dismissed employee. Vishwam and Sita try to set up a happy home. Around there are good neighbours and bad ones; helpers and exploiters. Soon their dream fade as they struggle on precariously. There are many hardships, but big compensations of love. Vishwam suddenly dies, and Sita and her baby are left behind to face the myriad problems of life. The film ends with unanswered questions.
Cast
- MadhuMadhu (actor)Madhavan Nair , commonly known by his stage name Madhu is an actor in Malayalam cinema. He was a prominent lead actor during the 60s and 70s. He has also directed and produced films, and at one time he owned Uma film studio.-Early life:...
as Vishwam - SharadaSharada (actress)Sharada is a three time national award winning South Indian actress and Indian Parliament member. She originally hails from Andhra Pradesh. She has achieved success through Malayalam movies. Initially she did many supporting roles in Telugu films and later on moved to Malayalam film industry and...
as Sita - Thikkurissy Sukumaran NairThikkurissy Sukumaran NairThikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India....
- Adoor BhavaniAdoor BhavaniAdoor Bhavani was an Indian actress in Malayalam movies, best-known for her appearance in the National Award-winning film Chemmeen , directed by Ramu Kariat. She had acted in about 450 films, including Mudiyanaya Puthran, Thulabharam, Kallichellamma, and Anubhavangal Paalichakal. Her last film...
- K. P. A. C. LalithaK. P. A. C. LalithaMaheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K.P.A.C. Lalitha, is a National Award winning Indian film and stage actress. She was the wife of late filmmaker Bharathan.-Biography:...
- Vaikom Chandrasekharan NairVaikom Chandrasekharan NairVaikom Chandrasekharan Nair , popularly known as Vaikom, was an Indian writer and journalist who wrote primarily in Malayalam. He was born in Vaikom, a viilage in Kottayam district of Kerala.-Career:...
as an editor - G. Shankara Pillai
- Artist Valiyathan
- Father Ayyaneth
- Kumar
- Professor Chandrasekharan Nair
- Advocate Sadasivan
- Kallada Vasudevan
- Vakkom Vijayan
- P. K. Venukuttan NairP. K. Venukuttan NairA leading theatre personality and actor in Malayalam.He is a revered figure in the theatre circles in Kerala and a film actor of yesteryears. Nair was the vice-president of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and member of the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Akademi...
- Karamana Janardanan NairKaramana Janardanan NairKaramana Janardanan Nair was one of the most famous Malayalam film actors during the 80s and 90s. He won wide acclaim especially for the role of the protagonist in Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Elippathayam. He is best remembered for his roles in Agnidevan and in Sphadikam . His last role was as Fr....
- Rajasekharan
- B. K. Nair
- Bharath GopiBharath GopiV. Gopinathan Nair, popularly known as Bharath Gopi was an Indian film actor, producer, and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala....
as the dismissed employee - P. C. Soman
- Poojappura Somasekharan Nair
- Ramchand
- Bhaskaran
- Madhavan Vaidyan
- Kuruppu
- Sobha
- Prasannan
- Divakaran Nair
- Thampi
- Devan
- P. M. Nath
Title
The title of the film in English is One's Own Choice. The film was shown at the Moscow International Film FestivalMoscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
under the title On Own Will. Other translations of the title have been used, such as By Choice, Her Own Choice, Marriage by Choice, Betrothal by Choice, The Betrothal, and The Selection. The title refers to the ancient Indian practice of a girl of marriageable age choosing a husband from among a list of suitors.
Development
Adoor was planning to study drama, but instead entered the Pune Film Institute in 1962, believing that writing for films couldn't be too different from writing for the stage. The New Wave movement was revolutionizing cinema around the globe and inspiring new directors, from Martin ScorseseMartin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
in the U.S. to Nagisa Oshima
Nagisa Oshima
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. After graduating from Kyoto University he was hired by Shochiku Ltd. and quickly progressed to directing his own movies, making his debut feature A Town of Love and Hope in 1959....
in Japan. Adoor realized that movies could transcend mass entertainment to become art. After leaving the institute in 1965, Adoor returned home and formed the state's pioneering film society, the Chitralekha Film Cooperative, with his classmates. He spent the rest of the 1960s studying avant-garde world cinema and learning the mechanics of filmmaking, from sound recording to accounting.
Adoor had to wait for almost seven years after graduation to start producing his first feature film after his proposal for a loan was turned down by the Film Finance Corporation. He had submitted a script,Kamuki, to the Film Finance Corporation, but they were not willing to finance it. Later, under changed circumstances, he submitted the script of Swayamvaram and it was accepted. The loan allowed was for one and a half lakh rupees. The film was produced by Chitralekha Film Co-operative, Kerala's first Film Co-operative Society for film production. Adoor took an active part in the constitution of the production company. Swayamvaram was Chitralekha's first feature film production.
Casting
Adoor wanted fresh faces for both the lead roles. He wrote to the heads of colleges and universities, but there was no response. Later he decided upon SharadaSharada (actress)
Sharada is a three time national award winning South Indian actress and Indian Parliament member. She originally hails from Andhra Pradesh. She has achieved success through Malayalam movies. Initially she did many supporting roles in Telugu films and later on moved to Malayalam film industry and...
, one of the most successful actress of her time, to do the female lead. She was acting in commercial films when Adoor asked her to act in Swayamvaram, and was initially afraid to commit herself to an art film. But when Adoor narrated her the complete story at Prasad Studios in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, she readily agreed. Then Adoor felt he couldn't cast a novice opposite her, so he invited Madhu
Madhu (actor)
Madhavan Nair , commonly known by his stage name Madhu is an actor in Malayalam cinema. He was a prominent lead actor during the 60s and 70s. He has also directed and produced films, and at one time he owned Uma film studio.-Early life:...
. Madhu was an old friend of Adoor, and he had expressed a wish to act in one of Adoor's films. By the time Adoor was back from the Institute, Madhu was already a star. Madhu says: "When Gopalakrishnan narrated the story of Swayamvaram, I knew it was going to be different." So, he had no hesitation in agreeing. Madhu said in an interview, "I sometimes wish Prem Nazir
Prem Nazir
Abdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
had acted in Adoor's Swayamvaram. He might have won a Bharath award. But he was very busy those days."
Adoor included mainstream actors such as Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India....
to match the cast of central characters. When asked about the problems a novice like Adoor faced in directing the 'stars', he said, "Many people had asked me at that time, 'will a senior actor like Thikurissi obey you?' But actually I faced no such problem. First of all as professionals they know what is required of them. And then they cannot refuse to do what I instruct them to do. They are acting to me and not to an audience. Moreover, from my experience in theatre I already knew how to deal with actors. I would tell them what to do. If they are not able to follow, I will show them how to do it. Once they are convinced that you know what you are saying, they will follow your instructions."
Prominent Malayalam actor Bharath Gopi
Bharath Gopi
V. Gopinathan Nair, popularly known as Bharath Gopi was an Indian film actor, producer, and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala....
made his debut in Swayamvaram, doing a minor role as the dismissed factory worker. Gopi was a noted stage actor before Adoor cast him in Swayamvaram. From theatre, his interest turned to cinema through the Chitraleka Film Society, co-founded by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Gopi would later play the lead role in Adoor's Kodiyettam
Kodiyettam
Kodiyettam is a 1977 Indian feature film production written and directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. It is in Malayalam. The film notably does not feature any kind of film score.-Plot:...
, which made his reputation as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema. K. P. A. C. Lalitha
K. P. A. C. Lalitha
Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K.P.A.C. Lalitha, is a National Award winning Indian film and stage actress. She was the wife of late filmmaker Bharathan.-Biography:...
, who would later play notable characters in many Adoor films, played a small role in Swayamvaram. Celebrated Malayalam litterateur Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair
Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair
Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair , popularly known as Vaikom, was an Indian writer and journalist who wrote primarily in Malayalam. He was born in Vaikom, a viilage in Kottayam district of Kerala.-Career:...
played the role of an editor in the film. According to Adoor, "to act as one self" on screen is the most difficult task, "but Vaikom played the role with ease".
Filming
Writer-director K. P. KumaranK. P. Kumaran
K. P. Kumaran is a Malayalam film maker. He co-authored the script of Swayamvaram directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Kumaran's first directorial venture was Athithi. His major films include Rugmini , Thenthulli, Laxmivijayam and Thottam...
co-scripted the film with Adoor. It took more than one and a half years to finish the whole film, as Adoor ran out of money. Adoor was reticent about the film's commercial aspects. Madhu says: "Though he had to face a lot of financial difficulties, Gopalakrishnan never talked about budget. In fact, budget was the last thing in his mind. He was the first filmmaker in Kerala who made a film without thinking about its commercial aspects at all. He made Swayamvaram from his heart without thinking about anything else. He was not bothered about releasing the film, he was not bothered about how the audience would react and he was not even bothered about box office reaction. Such trivialities did not occupy his mind." The film was shot in two schedules, though Adoor wanted it done in a single schedule. The delay was due to scheduling conflicts of the actress Sharada. She was working in several films at that time, so Adoor had to arrange the schedule to suit her convenience. Before shooting commenced, Adoor had long discussions with his crew about how he would shoot the film and how the characters should behave. Because Adoor had a clear vision about his characters, he did not stop until he got what he had in mind; he was ready to go for any number of retakes. Every shot and every action of Swayamvaram was culled from real life.
Swayamvaram marked the beginning of a collaboration between Adoor Gopalakrishnan and cinematographer Mankada Ravi Varma
Mankada Ravi Varma
Ravi Varma , better known by his stage name Mankada Ravi Varma, was an Indian Malayalam cinematographer and director. He is exclusively known for his association with renowned film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He has associated with other major directors such as G. Aravindan and P. N. Menon. He has...
. When Adoor saw Olavum Theeravum
Olavum Theeravum
Olavum Theeravum is a 1970 Malayalam film directed by P. N. Menon. It has been credited with helping to bring about a "flowering of art-house films that have today become the defining quality of Malayalam cinema", with being Malayalam cinema's "breakthrough into realism", and as "a watershed in the...
, Varma's second film as a cinematographer, he decided that when he made a film, it was Varma who would shoot it. When he was ready to make Swayamvaram, he asked Varma whether he would do the cinematography. Varma actually had no intention to shoot another feature film after Olavum Theeravum, but he couldn't say no to Adoor. Varma says it was the "extensive" and "very well written" script that forced him not to reject the film. Ramesan edited the film. Sound mixing was done by Devadas.
Critical
Previews of the film were held at various places, where it received an extraordinary reception from critics and audiences. Noted writer and thinker M. GovindanM. Govindan
M.Govindan was a famous writer and cultural activist of Kerala. India.He was born in Ponnani in Malappuram district on September 18, 1919. He joined the freedom struggle while studying in high school class and could not complete his studies. He went to Madras and settled there. In 1944 he joined...
wrote a cover story in his magazine Sameeksha and organized a seminar on the film in Madras. A number of intellectuals and writers took part in it; Adoor had invited all the film people in Madras. After the screening, noted film experts like P. Bhaskaran
P. Bhaskaran
Pulloottupadathu Bhaskara Menon , better known as P. Bhaskaran, was a famous Malayalam poet and lyricist of Malayalam film songs. He penned more than 3000 songs for about 250 films. He also directed 44 Malayalam feature films and 3 documentaries, produced 6 feature films and acted in several movies...
and Balu Mahendra
Balu Mahendra
Balanathan "Balu" Mahendran is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer widely regarded as part of the first in a wave of directors and screenwriters from the Chennai film industry who revitalised Tamil cinema...
were highly excited and deeply touched by the film. Mahendra came and hugged Adoor and said, "You saved us". When it was screened in Trivandrum, many people came and said that they had the same feeling as watching an 'English movie'. Adoor believes that it "may be because of the theme and treatment, or because of the careful use of sound and economy of story telling."
The film received little critical response in Kerala. Adoor says, "I think it was more of a question of insensitivity rather than personal enmity. Or, may be, powers-that-be in certain quarters felt threatened." However, some noted critics like Murkoth Kunjappa and T. M. P. Nedungadi praised the movie. There was a good write up by Nedungadi, who asked, "Swayamvaram over, what next in Malayalam cinema?"
Swayamvaram was the first Malayalam film to be screened at many major international film festivals. It was in the competition section of the Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
. It was greatly liked by all but did not win the prize.
Noted critic and film director Vijayakrishnan
Vijayakrishnan
Vijayakrishnan was born in 1952 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He is a well-known film critic as well as a film director who also writes stories and movie reviews. Vijayakrishnan has received eight State Awards, one National Award, and two Critics Awards, among many others...
felt that Devadas's sound mixing work was one of the major attractions of the film. Considerable use of natural sound, apart from background music, was new for Malayalam cinema.
Being the debut film of the director, one may find traces of some influences of other directors are evident in Swayamvaram. Some critics have pointed out its resemblance to Ritwik Ghatak's Subarnarekha
Subarnarekha (film)
Subarnarekha is an Indian Bengali film directed by Ritwik Ghatak. It was produced in 1962 but was not released until 1965. It was part of the trilogy, Meghe Dhaka Tara , Komal Gandhar , and Subarnarekha , all dealing with the aftermath of the Partition of India in 1947 and the refugees coping with...
. In that film also there is love and an elopement to the city. But Swayamvaram is more about the trip. And its treatment is entirely different. Swayamvaram was also influenced by the neorealism
Neorealism (art)
In art, neorealism was established by the ex-Camden Town Group painters Charles Ginner and Harold Gilman at the beginning of World War I. They set out to explore the spirit of their age through the shapes and colours of daily life...
in Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
films.
Cast performances were also praised by critics. Noted director Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen
Mrinal Sen is a Bengali Indian filmmaker. He was born on 14 May 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh in a Hindu family. After finishing his high school there, he left home to come to Calcutta as a student and studied physics at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the...
, who was one of the jury members at the National Awards committee, appreciated Sharada saying "You were so natural while lifting and carrying that pot full of water", citing a scene from the film in which Sharada's character was pregnant and was to lift a pot full of water and carry it to the house. He also complimented her for the scene in a bus. There were no conversations in the scene; Vishwam and Sita just had to look at each other. Sharada says that Adoor had to explain too much to get that right expressions. Bharath Gopi
Bharath Gopi
V. Gopinathan Nair, popularly known as Bharath Gopi was an Indian film actor, producer, and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala....
was there only for a couple of minutes but the impact of his frustrated face was so strong that he was immediately noticed. The film was also a turning point in Madhu's career even though he had acted in several memorable Malayalam films, including the landmark film, Ramu Kariat's Chemmeen
Chemmeen
Chemmeen is a 1965 Malayalam romantic drama film based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai and directed by Ramu Kariat from a screenplay by S. L...
, before Swayamvaram happened.
Although most of the reviews were positive, some film experts were critical about the film. Amaresh Datta, in his book The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature, said: "Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Swayamvaram was released during the early seventies. It was then that Malayalam film goers had the feeling of being witness to true cinema. Swayamvaram heralded the second phase in the development of Malayalam cinema, a more illuminating phase than the first one. But it would be preposterous to describe it as the last word or as a classic. It was the same old love story without any freshness added. The development of the story lacked credibility. Blindly following the neo-realistic style, the film was ripe with sentimentalism which fatally affected its novelty and excellence." Poet and journalist C. P. Surendran called film "disturbing" in one of his article criticising Adoor Gopalakrishnan and his films. Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
, film director and a well-known admirer of Adoor films, says that he was not particularly pleased with Swayamvaram.
Theatrical
Very few of the FFC-funded films were released in theatres, and if at all they were released, not many were successful at the box office. The film had a lukewarm initial theatrical response. Adoor was told that "If only he had some songs in it, it would have done well". After the announcement of national film awards, the film was re-released in theatres. Now the things changed and the film ran well. Probably for the first time in the history of FFC, the whole amount of loan was repaid.Legacy
Swayamvaram pioneered the new wave cinema movement in Malayalam and Indian cinema. It introduced the viewer to a hitherto-unknown technique of using film as more than just a mere story-telling device. It was a departure from films laden with the usual ingredients of melodrama, slapstick comedy, music, and dance. It marked a transition in the Malayalam film aesthetic, as it was the first to break with social realism in an attempt to come to terms with the disillusionment in ideologies. Swayamvaram laid its emphasis on the cinema rather than the story. So far as Malayalam cinema was concerned, it was an inevitable development. The impulses aroused by Swayamvaram were more important than the film itself. It helped film-goers to acquire a new awareness about the art of the cinema.Swayamvaram paved the way to divide Malayalam films into three categories, the so-called uncompromising Art films, the 'compromise films' aiming at commercial success while maintaining a good deal of artistic qualities, and the commercial films aimed at box office success.
Through Swayamvaram, Adoor Gopalakrishnan became the first Indian director to use sound as a leitmotif
Leitmotif
A leitmotif , sometimes written leit-motif, is a musical term , referring to a recurring theme, associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical idea of idée fixe...
(a recurring musical theme). The film was a new experience for Indian cinema-goers; it used ample natural sounds and a minimalistic background score. Adoor says: "Sound is as important as the visual in films. I am very particular about the sound factor. In fact, I always have a separate script ready just for sound. Mostly, I will be a part of the process. I have uniquely used many sounds to convey a message or any idea. Only a close scrutiny will make you hear the sound. Like some scenes in Mukhamukham".
Accolades
At the annual National Film AwardsNational Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
, Swayamvaram won awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Cinematographer. However, the Kerala State Film Award
Kerala State Film Award
The Kerala State Film Awards are the most prestigious film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy since 1998 on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala, India....
committee rejected the film and chose some industry favourites. The committee members, according to film historians, didn't want to encourage a film-school-trained director and a film produced by a cooperative. The national panel overruled the regional committee, and Swayamvaram was given four major national awards.
1973 Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
(Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
)
- Nominated – Golden Prize – Adoor GopalakrishnanAdoor GopalakrishnanMoutatthu "Adoor" Gopalakrishnan Unnithan is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had a major role in revolutionizing Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of India.. Adoor's first film Swayamvaram pioneered the new wave cinema...
1973 National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
(India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)
- Won – Golden Lotus Award – National Film Award for Best FilmNational Film Award for Best FilmThe National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
- Won – Golden Lotus Award – National Film Award for Best DirectorNational Film Award for Best DirectingThe National Film Award for Best Direction winners are given below. Satyajit Ray has been awarded the maximum number of times in this category....
– Adoor GopalakrishnanAdoor GopalakrishnanMoutatthu "Adoor" Gopalakrishnan Unnithan is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had a major role in revolutionizing Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of India.. Adoor's first film Swayamvaram pioneered the new wave cinema... - Won – Silver Lotus Award – National Film Award for Best ActressNational Film Award for Best ActressThe National Film Award for Best Actress is an honor presented annually at the National Film Awards of India to an actress who has delivered the best performance in a leading role within the Indian film industry...
– SharadaSharada (actress)Sharada is a three time national award winning South Indian actress and Indian Parliament member. She originally hails from Andhra Pradesh. She has achieved success through Malayalam movies. Initially she did many supporting roles in Telugu films and later on moved to Malayalam film industry and... - Won – Silver Lotus Award – National Film Award for Best CinematographyNational Film Award for Best CinematographyThe National Film Award for Best Cinematography are given annually. The only female who has won this award is Anjuli Shukla, who won the award for her debut film, Kutty Srank . The most time winners are Santosh Sivan & K.K. Mahajan - 4 awards each for best cinematography category....
– Mankada Ravi VarmaMankada Ravi VarmaRavi Varma , better known by his stage name Mankada Ravi Varma, was an Indian Malayalam cinematographer and director. He is exclusively known for his association with renowned film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He has associated with other major directors such as G. Aravindan and P. N. Menon. He has...
1973 Kerala State Film Awards (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)
- Won – Kerala State Film Award for Best PhotographyKerala State Film Award for Best PhotographyThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematographer winners:-References:**...
(Black-and-white) – Mankada Ravi VarmaMankada Ravi VarmaRavi Varma , better known by his stage name Mankada Ravi Varma, was an Indian Malayalam cinematographer and director. He is exclusively known for his association with renowned film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan. He has associated with other major directors such as G. Aravindan and P. N. Menon. He has... - Won – Kerala State Film Award for Best Art DirectionKerala State Film Award for Best Art DirectorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Art Director winners:-References:**...
– Devadathan