Vadakku Nooki Yanthram
Encyclopedia
Vadakkunokkiyantram is a 1989 Malayalam black comedy
film written and directed by Sreenivasan who also stars in the lead role. The film is about the marital discord caused by a husband's inferiority complex
.
It was remade in Tamil
as Dindigul Sarathy
and is being remade in Kannada as Nanjangudu Nanjunda.
). His insecurities are heightened by the fact that his wife is exceptionally beautiful. Initially he is overprotective of his wife, which worsens his relationship with his brother Prakashan(Baiju). He feels challenged by the charm and wit of his brother, which eventually leads to the eruption of a feud in the family. Dineshan gradually resorts to tactics which, he feels, will enable him to earn the respect and admiration of Shobha. He finds a new confidante in Thalakulam Sir (Innocent), who gives him reckless advice. He starts drinking, believing that it is a symbol of machismo. He memorizes jokes from a weekly magazine and monotonously delivers them to his wife, so as to appear witty. But all these attempts turn out to be pure antics and he makes a fool of himself. Shobha, an archetypal Indian wife, is very much devoted to her husband and cannot understand Dineshan's eccentric behaviour. He gradually becomes paranoid and starts suspecting his wife. He threatens the brother (Lalu Alex
) of Shobha's friend, whom he suspects of having an affair with her. Things spin out of his control when Shobha learns everything. He is even confined to a mental hospital following some incidents resulting from extreme paranoia, and after a brief treatment he appears to be a changed man. Dineshan wins his wife back from her parental home, assuring her of love and care. Now all seem to be fine with them, but again in the dead of the night when his wife is asleep he starts looking out suspiciously in his backyard for his wife's "secret lover", almost like a Hitchcock ending. Thus Dineshan lives up to the title of the movie,
"Vadakkunokkiyanthram" (compass
) and like a compass, whichever way his life turns, he remains oriented towards his inferiority complex
and suspicion.
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
film written and directed by Sreenivasan who also stars in the lead role. The film is about the marital discord caused by a husband's inferiority complex
Inferiority complex
An inferiority complex, in the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. Such feelings can arise from an imagined or actual inferiority in the afflicted person...
.
It was remade in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
as Dindigul Sarathy
Dindigul Sarathy
Dindigul Sarathy is a 2008 Indian Tamil language Drama film directed by Subramaniam Pillai starring Karunaas, Karthika, Livingston, Nassar, Saranya, Puja Bharati, M. S. Baskar, Periyar Dasan, Manobala, Mayilsamy and Shanumuga Rajan...
and is being remade in Kannada as Nanjangudu Nanjunda.
Plot
Thalathil Dineshan (Sreenivasan) is a man who is in charge of a printing press. He is burdened with insecurities about his lack of height and dark complexion. His life spirals out of control after his marriage to Shobha (ParvathyParvathy Jayaram
Ashwathy Kurup , better known by her stage name Parvathy, is an award-winning film actress from Kerala, India. Parvathy was a popular actress of Malayalam cinema industry and was active in films between 1986 and 1996. Her most notable works include "Amrutham Gamaya" ,"Oru Minnaminuginte Nurungu...
). His insecurities are heightened by the fact that his wife is exceptionally beautiful. Initially he is overprotective of his wife, which worsens his relationship with his brother Prakashan(Baiju). He feels challenged by the charm and wit of his brother, which eventually leads to the eruption of a feud in the family. Dineshan gradually resorts to tactics which, he feels, will enable him to earn the respect and admiration of Shobha. He finds a new confidante in Thalakulam Sir (Innocent), who gives him reckless advice. He starts drinking, believing that it is a symbol of machismo. He memorizes jokes from a weekly magazine and monotonously delivers them to his wife, so as to appear witty. But all these attempts turn out to be pure antics and he makes a fool of himself. Shobha, an archetypal Indian wife, is very much devoted to her husband and cannot understand Dineshan's eccentric behaviour. He gradually becomes paranoid and starts suspecting his wife. He threatens the brother (Lalu Alex
Lalu Alex
- Early life :Lalu Alex was born in a Jacobite Christian family in Piravom near Muvattupuzha, Kerala.-Career:He started his career as a supporting actor in early 1980s. He has started his career in supporting as well as in villanoeus roles in I. V...
) of Shobha's friend, whom he suspects of having an affair with her. Things spin out of his control when Shobha learns everything. He is even confined to a mental hospital following some incidents resulting from extreme paranoia, and after a brief treatment he appears to be a changed man. Dineshan wins his wife back from her parental home, assuring her of love and care. Now all seem to be fine with them, but again in the dead of the night when his wife is asleep he starts looking out suspiciously in his backyard for his wife's "secret lover", almost like a Hitchcock ending. Thus Dineshan lives up to the title of the movie,
"Vadakkunokkiyanthram" (compass
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
) and like a compass, whichever way his life turns, he remains oriented towards his inferiority complex
Inferiority complex
An inferiority complex, in the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. Such feelings can arise from an imagined or actual inferiority in the afflicted person...
and suspicion.
Cast
- Sreenivasan as Thalathil Dineshan
- ParvathyParvathy JayaramAshwathy Kurup , better known by her stage name Parvathy, is an award-winning film actress from Kerala, India. Parvathy was a popular actress of Malayalam cinema industry and was active in films between 1986 and 1996. Her most notable works include "Amrutham Gamaya" ,"Oru Minnaminuginte Nurungu...
as Shoba - Innocent as Thalakulam Sir
- K.P.A.C. Lalitha as Dineshan's Mother
- Baiju as Prakashan, Dineshan's brother
- Lalu AlexLalu Alex- Early life :Lalu Alex was born in a Jacobite Christian family in Piravom near Muvattupuzha, Kerala.-Career:He started his career as a supporting actor in early 1980s. He has started his career in supporting as well as in villanoeus roles in I. V...
as Capt. S. Balan - C.I. Paul as Raghavan Nair, Shoba's father
- Usha as Thankamani, Dineshan's sister
- Bobby KottarakkaraBobby KottarakkaraBobby Kottarakkara was a Malayalam film actor. He began his acting career on stage. He made his film debut with "Muchcheethukalikkaarante Makal". Bobby soon became a well known actor. He had performed in around 300 roles in a variety of films, some of which are such as Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu,...
as Sahadevan, worker at the press - JagadishJagadishP. V. Jagadish Kumar , popularly known as Jagadish, is a Malayalam film actor and script writer. He became popular through performances in films such as Mukhachitram, In Harihar Nagar, Godfather, Welcome to Kodaikanal, Thiruthalvaadi, Mantrikacheppu, and Hitler...
as Vinod Kumar Allappey - Nedumudi VenuNedumudi VenuNedumudi Venu is a popular Malayalam film actor from Kerala, India. He has also written screenplays and has directed one film.- Early life :...
as Doctor - LizyLizy (actress)Lissy Priyadarshan is a popular South Indian film actress of 1980s. She is popularly known by the mononym Lissy. Though, was a leading heroine in Malayalam, she had also acted in several Tamil and Telugu. She gave up acting after her marriage with famous film director Priyadarshan in 1990...
as Sarala, Shoba's friend - SankaradiSankaradiSankaradi was an Indian actor. He was a veteran Malayalam comedian and character artiste, who had over 700 Malayalam films to his credit....
as Thalathil Chanthu Nair, Dineshan's maternal uncle - MamukkoyaMamukkoyaMamukkoya is a popular Malayalam comedian actor. His unique usage of Mappila dialect and style marks his presence in the industry. He has acted in more than 450 Malayalam films and is the first winner of State award for Best Comedian in malayalam films, the category introduced in 2009- Career...
as Photographer - Oduvil UnnikrishnanOduvil UnnikrishnanOduvil Unnikrishnan was an award winning Malayalam movie actor known for his versatile acting skills, known for his portrayal of classical ancient aristocratic personalities in Malayalam cinema with his unique provincial linguistic style, expressions and dialect. He was noted as a serious as well...
as Policeman - SukumariSukumariSukumari is an Indian film actress who has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has been acting since she was 10 years old and has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be about two-thousand. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of...
as Shobha's Mother
Reception
The movie was a major hit in the box office. It has been rated as one of the most popular movies in Malayalam, evidenced by its repeated telecast by TV channels. The comedy scenes of this movie are also very popular, especially the scene where Dineshan tells Shoba the memorized jokes.Awards and recognitions
- Kerala State Film Award for Best FilmKerala State Film Award for Best FilmThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Film winners:- References :* * Specific...
- Kerala State Film Award for Best Music DirectorKerala State Film Award for Best Music DirectorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director winners:-Trivia:* In 1994, G. Devarajan returned all the awards won by him in protest against the jury who selected Berny-Ignatious for that year's award. According to Devarajan, none of the songs composed by the duo for Thenmavin Kombath were...
- JohnsonJohnson (composer)Johnson was an Indian film score composer and music director who has given music to some of the most important motion pictures of Malayalam cinema, including those for Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal, Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam, Vadakkunokkiyantram, Perumthachan, Amaram, Njan...
- Kerala State Film Award for Best Male Playback SingerKerala State Film Award for Best SingerThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer winners:-Best Classical Music Singer:-References:**Specific...
- M. G. SreekumarM. G. SreekumarM. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...
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