Thaniyavartanam

How Superstition and Orthodoxy can Ruin a Person ! The Protagonist's Sterling Performance is the biggest highlight of the Movie. His minute emotions can be witnessed and will leave the spectators in tears !!

Just ...watch the film ...was really late to pick this movie and after watching the movie it easily on my list of one of the finest movie ever...think this movie climax inspired so many movies I think in film Nanda (Tamil) Director inspired by this movie climax ... Mammootty you can't describe how wonderfully he had done this character and also thilakan sir a ln absolute legend in acting he can pick from anywhere his acting skill is no match one of the finest actors the world has ever produced... script lohitadas sir who had also written so many path breaking movies in Malayalam.... Please watch it can assure you you won't be disappointed...

Thaniyavarthanam is an emotionally shattering experience that left me speechless. The film delves into themes often ignored-superstition, societal pressure, and the tragic downfall of a good man pushed into insanity. The narrative is haunting, with its exploration of how society perpetuates cycles of fear and madness, refusing to break free from them.

The final scenes are devastating, especially the ending, which starkly portrays the unending loop of societal madness. The title itself is a powerful reminder of this endless cycle that can only end if someone dares to break free.

Mammootty delivers an unparalleled performance, embodying the role with such depth and intensity that it is hard to imagine anyone else in his place. This is acting at its absolute peak. Thaniyavarthanam is not just a film; it is a piercing commentary on human behavior and a timeless masterpiece.

Thaniyavarthanam (1987) : Brief Review -

A path-breaking human drama that draws a fat twinge on the thin line between superstitious lunacy and literate sanity. A MASTERPIECE! Has anyone here seen Frank Capra Hollywood Classic 'Mr. Deeds Goes to Town' (1936)? A sane, kind hearted is conspired to declare mad by so called sane people and then he lectures people about sanity and insanity in the courtroom at the end. Thaniyavarthanam has got nothing to do with that film, that was a rom-com with happy ending and this is very serious affair with haunting climax. The film has truly changed the perspective of regional cinema with different motive especially for small industries. The film is about that thin line between sanity and insanity trapped in superstitions, rituals and beliefs of old generation. A school teacher living in a village belongs to a family with a history of lunatic males, and soon he falls prey despite being normal due to society misinterpreting his actions. There is a smart brain behind this writing. A. K. Lohithadas has certainly gone beyond mainstream thinking to fetch some mind-shattering stuff. The idea behind this film would have surrendered if it wasn't for the educated character. When we first realise about that mad man, we don't really care much because his character was never shown as sane one but when we see the sanest person in the whole film is being trapped, that hurts so bad. The casting is so amazing that it looked like that the entire cast unit was born to act in this film. Mammootty, Thilakan, Mukesh, Saritha, Parvathy and rest others, everybody just lived theirs character with that much needed intensity through their eyes, body language and expressions. Sibi Malayil is some genius when he is at director's chair, especially when he makes a human drama caught in moral conflicts. Thaniyavarthanam is just Fleckless.. Impeccable! MUST WATCH!

RATING - 9/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The golden era of Malayalam cinema ran from mid-1980s through early 1990s, during which we were rewarded with some of the greatest films by some of the greatest writers and directors. This heartbreaking drama is one of the best of that era.

Balan (Mammootty) is an educated school teacher who lives with his extended family including his paternal uncle who is believed to be mentally ill. The belief that this illness is hereditary and originated due to sins committed by their ancestors has kind of divided the family, but no one wants to be vocal about it except Gopi (Mukesh), Balan's kid brother. While Balan himself does not believe in these superstitions, he gives in to his family's requests of holding sacred events regularly at their house. Because, there are tons of problems associated with this issue, the biggest among them being his sister who has been denied matrimony a good number of times. However, when the uncle dies, a demand arises for the family's as well as the society's informal consensus as to who will step into the shoes of the symbol of lunacy since the illness is hereditary. Blaming himself for the death of his uncle, Balan is unable to completely mourn his death, causing others to immediately tag him as the successor, throwing his world upside down.

Balan's is a staple character of a Kerala household where he is regarded as the knowledgeable patriarch and who is the only sane person of the lot. And Lohithadas' story is based on uprooting his inherent reputation due to man-made madness. Idolaters are aplenty in this world and when these idols are blamed for perfectly normal happenings, things are going to worsen, as Balan experiences it the hard way. It is disheartening to see the downfall of a sane person only because the belief that something can go wrong due to a curse.

Mammooty is sharp in his approach, staying in his character all through the end. Supported by a well-directed cast, Sibi Malayil carves a fine outline to speak volumes about the madness that are superstitions and how they dictate our lives. The pace at which the final 20 minutes move has the ability to startle you, and you will be wondering for days about the ending and the meaning of life. Someone in here has rightly started their review with Franz Kafka's "The Trial", but I also want to add that there's a little bit of Camus here, too. All in all, the drama is an emotional power-ride of a film that demands appreciation.

BOTTOM LINE: Sibi Malayil's "Thaniyavartanam" is a perfect study of superstitions and their dire effects on perishable humans. Highly recommended!

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES