How 1974's Malayalam film 'Chattakkari' defined love and longing in 1970s

Watching a Bollywood romantic - not romcom, please - movie is these days is about as exciting as a coloring by the numbers book. By the time the lead pair meet up on the screen, you can possibly guess how the rest of the narrative pans out. And if you are a fanatic Indian movie viewer, these days, you can even guess what the screen lovers will be saying - a good 5-10 minutes before they actually do. Most of the times. Word for word.

That being the case, for detoxifying most movies watched these days, it’s best to go into the past. Like ‘Julie’, the 1975 Hindi movie with an all-time memorable soundtrack. Or go for ‘Chattakkari’, the 1974 Malayalam film on which ‘Julie’ is based. (Please, refrain from going anywhere near the 2012 ‘Chattakkari’ remake. Some good things should never have a second life…) Malayalam movies had before 1974 plenty of movies about love and loss, and everything in between. But in Chattakari, all those emotions were transposed into an environment never shown before - an Anglo-Indian family and of Julie, the main character portrayed by the fresh-faced effervescence of Lakshmi.

In fact, it would rank among the most vivid portrayals by a female lead in a Malayalam movie of the 1970s. It was a pity that the role opposite her went to Mohan, in a performance so wooden that the actual furnishings shown in the background had more life to them.

What redeems Mohan’s showing is he lip syncs to one of Yesudas’ never to be forgotten melodies - ‘Mandasameeranil’. Plus, of course, ‘Julie I Love You’ track.

But the standout had to be Lakshmi - in a script that revolved around her, this was as definitive a piece of of acting as any. She brought out all the highs and foolhardiness associated with a first love. And finding her worth, with or without being hooked to a man.

Not least, she made every Kerala twenty-something man of that generation wish/pray to have someone just like her in their neighborhoods… ‘Julie’ truly cast such a spell.