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This year's retrospective is a return to unvarnished, passionate filmmaking of G.Aravindan who been honored with so many superlatives and hyperboles in books and retrospectives. Of the richest and most interesting collections of the Library of Congress are two films ‘Kanchan Sita’ (Golden Sita) and ‘Thampu’ (The Circus Tent). The directness, clarity and accuracy of his films enable the viewer to both reflect on the universality of the subject matter and relate this to his or her own human attitudes. Aravindan kept changing his cinematic forms consistently during his film career spanning almost fifteen years from his first film ‘Uttarayanam’ (1974) to his last film ‘Vasthuhara’ (1990). He successfully went beyond the limits and styles of filmmaking created by the new wave filmmakers of that time. This journey towards new facets of narrative included current incidents, history, myths and traditional stories. He also occasionally directed music for other filmmakers while actively participating in theatre movements in Kerala.
Born in Kottayam, Kerala Aravindan was a director, painter and cartoonist with a distinct style. He was well known to the readers of Kerala through his cartoon serial ‘Cheriya Manushyarum Valya Lokavum’ (Small Men and the Big World), which appeared in the ‘Mathrubhoomi’ journal during the early 1960s, even before he started with films. These activities fed his interest in films and in the process he surrounded himself with a valuable group of young, talented graduates of Film Institutes. From his very first film Aravindan's main concern has been basic human values. His films show a rare intimacy with landscape and nature. He believed in planning everything before starting the film and also, that the subject should dictate the style of a film. In 1974, Aravindan made ‘Uttarayanam’, a realistic film about a young boy whose father was killed in the independence movement of 1942. This influenced the parallel cinema movement in Kerala to a great extent. `Uttarayanam’ won the State film awards for best film, cinematography and screenplay. It also won the award for the best film about history of Indian Independence, during the 25th anniversary of Indian Independence. After three years Aravindan made his second film `Kanchana Seeta,’ the film was a celluloid adaptation of a play by Sreekantan Nair which won him the National Film award for best director in 1977. ‘ Thampu’ made in 1978 is a lyrical film that chronicles three days when a circus visits a small village in Kerala and the ripples it creates in a small village. `Thampu’ won Aravindan the National and State film awards for the best director. `Kummatty’ (1979) was one of the most imaginative in the children's film genre. `Kummatty’ is Aravindan’s personal favourite film, which won the State award for best children's film. `Estheppan’ (1979) is a magical search into the roots of a legendary character in a fishing village which won the State Film award for best film. `Pokkuveyil’ (1981) is a journey through the complex labyrinths of a young artist's mindscapes, going through a phase of alienation where he imaginatively uses poetry, long takes and elevating music. This won Aravindan the State Film award for best director. ‘Chidambaram’ (1985) is a deeply symbolic exploration of the man-woman attraction leading to betrayal and eventually to the purgatory of guilt. The film tries to find out whether the morals inflicted by the society on an individual would come in terms with his natural instincts. `Chidambaram’ won the National Film award for best film and the State Film awards for the best film and director in 1985. Set in a remote part of Travancore Cochin, ‘Oridathu’ tells the story of a village where electricity arrives for the first time. The film depicts the narrow mindedness and hypocrisies of village lives with humour. `Oridathu’ won him the National Film award for best director and State Film award for best film and director in 1986. ‘Marattam’ (1988) is about the identification of an actor with his role. Here three different plots of the same event reveal and remain unsolved. Each version is accompanied by different styles of folk-music of Kerala, `Thampuran Pattu,’ `Pulluvan Pattu’ and `Ayappan Pattu.’ His last film `Vasthuhara’ (1990) is set in the city of Calcutta, `Vasthuhara’ is a story of dispossessed people who lost their land, wealth and identity. `Vasthuhara’ won the State Film awards for best film and director in 1990.
He was a recipient of the National Film Award the Golden Lotus Award as Best Director thrice (1978,1979,1987). His film `Chidambaram’ (1986) received the National Award for the Best Film.
His films are known for their distinctive look, sparse naturalism, silences and long shots with darker shades of grey in black & white films. The work of Arvindan stimulated an enthusiastic interest in cinema within Kerala. A keen sense of observation and an abiding love for music are apparent in all his films. Arvindan’s films must be seen again and again to discover the new layers of meaning each time you see it.
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