Kappela: Malayalam Movie Review

I am in awe of Malayalam cinema and the narratives coming out every year. Each year the themes get bolder, darker, better. Malayalam films are most definitely better than most of the Hindi films released in recent times. The industry has also introduced many great actors to the audience and they have been performing exceptionally well with decent fan following. 

One such talent is Roshan Matthew, who was also part of Choked, a film I recently reviewed (Am I a fan, well, maybe). I watched the film Kapella (directed by Musthafa) with brilliant performances by all the actors including Anna Ben and Sreenath Bhasi. What lies at the heart of this movie is the issue of unemployment in the country and the extent to which the youth of this country can go for a secure future. The issue of unemployment is quite real especially in the face of this pandemic and the fear of losing one's job is a nightmare for many. So, what role does morality play in the light of such a desperate situation? We have all dreamt of a comfortable life after slogging for years to attain a university degree. What happens when those dreams crumble? All of us have been told the dark tales of a 'cut-throat' competition in the outside world in our school days. What happens that appears to become a reality? How do we ensure that we survive in this world without getting our throats cut (literally!). The film tells you that you do not need to think much about the money but be content with how much ever you earn. This itself proves the extent of the rising unemployment issue; one needs to be satiated with their meagre salaries because at least they have a job. Although, the conflict in the film does not arise because of money, but because of morality.

                                              

The film functions as a darker cautionary tale, for women in particular, the kind that we have been told in childhood. If we try to be adventurous there is a "wolf" out there ready to cut our throat (literally!), that women need to be confined within the household to be safe from the possible predators out there waiting to "defile" (read: rape) us. Kappela has a similar undertone of a cautionary tale. Despite all its extravagance the film reflects on the innate patriarchy of the society, foregrounded through most of the films. Another film called Oru Vadakkan Selfie also had a similar theme. Why are so many of these narratives focusing on the vulnerability of women? A woman's vagina has been a tool to secure a community's honour, her family's honour. Historically, such tales function as fences have been to ensure that women are curtailed within the household for their own safety.

It has been a difficult journey for women to step out of their household, to claim the public spaces. But movies like these reinforce the idea that women need to be protected, by men, from potential rapists.  In one of the scenes the father is seen thrashing his younger daughter for being caught sitting behind a boy on his bicycle on her way back from school. It forewarns the protagonist of the consequences of her being found with another man. The film ends with the reassurance of the family members not knowing the details of the ghastly events that have taken place with Jessy (Anna Ben). Women, therefore, need to distinguish between the 'good' and the 'bad' masculine figures in their lives for their own safety. They must not confide in strangers unless they try to rescue you. 

It is clear that the mobile phones have created a lot of anxiety regarding a woman's body. The disgust with prostitution as a profession is so evident in the film. The promiscuous women is contrasted with the chaste, innocent protagonist heroine of the film. Prostitutes are treated as criminals- as the undesirable blot on society. They are seen as miscreants and portrayed as having a corrupting influence on other women around. 

A woman with passion is not appreciated in the society. With the advancement in technology an alarm has been raised on women's safety online. Hence, the Internet becomes a cause of many of these overwhelming anxieties. The film confirms this fear of trusting strangers in the virtual world. But is the online space unsafe only for women? What about the safety of men and queer individuals on the World Wide Web? Why are women the subject of these apprehensions. The world of the Internet makes everyone vulnerable. Perhaps, this can be linked to the inherent patriarchal mindset within the society which makes women the subject of larger uncertainties. What we need is moving away from such associations and empower women in the real sense of the word.