Cinematic images from decades back have often inadvertently served as historical references.
They throw light starkly on the changes that time has brought upon our familiar towns, on people’s attire and even in our language.
Recently, the screenshot of a scene from the 1987 film Thoovanathumbikal came to occupy the centre of the heated political debate over beef eating. In the scene, Mohanlal is standing in front of a banyan tree inside the Kerala Varma College in Thrissur.
In 2015, the location is unrecognisable with high metal railings around the tree and it being turned into a religious place. Last week, a beef fest organised at the college had become controversial after right wing groups opposed it over ‘hurt sentiments’. A lecturer who supported the fest also had to face their ire.
After this image, which seemed to disprove the claims of the right-wing student groups, was posted online by a former student, several old students of the college shared their memories of the collegeand the time they spent under the banyan tree, when there were no railings around it. They also supported Deepa Nisanth, the lecturer who said, “I strongly disagree with the opinion that educational institutions should be like temples.”
Whatever be the outcome of that debate, many seem to have gone back and watched Thoovanathumbikal once again to look for more clues to buttress their respective viewpoints. The film, directed by Padmarajan, has never really faded from public memory, with many new films still referencing scenes from it to get a few claps from the audience.
SRP
