''Yaathrayude Anthyam'' is a 1989 Malayalam-language

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

co-written and directed by K. G. George for

Doordarshan Doordarshan (), abbreviated as DD, is India's State-owned enterprise, state-owned public broadcasting, public television broadcaster. Established by the Government of India on 15 September 1959, it is owned by the Ministry of Information and B ...

. The film stars

Murali Murali may refer to: People Mononyms *Murali (Malayalam actor) (1954–2009), name of Malayalam film actor Muraleedharan Pillai, who appeared in ''Neythukaran'' and ''Aadhaaram'' *Murali (Tamil actor) (1964–2010), Tamil actor who appeared ...

as a reputed writer. The film depicts his intellectual and emotional relationship with an intellectual (

M.G. Soman M. G. Soman (28 October 1941 – 12 December 1997) was an Indian actor and former Indian Air Force officer who appeared in Malayalam films. He was one among the leading star actors doing hero roles in Malayalam Cinema during the late 1970s and ...

) who leads the life of a simple farmer in a remote village, and his worries about his widowed daughter (Annamma Abraham) who has a five-year-old girl child.The story is entirely based on these relationships. The story unfolds through the writer's bus journey to visit him. This film was never released in theaters. The film is based on the short story, "Kottayam Manathavadi", by

Parappurath Kizhakkepainummoodu Easo Mathai, better known by his pen name Parappurath (1924–1981), was an Indian novelist, short story writer and screenwriter who wrote in the Malayalam language. His body of work comprises 20 novels, 14 short story antho ...

Plot

VKV sets out for an overnight journey to meet his friend Abraham following the receipt of a telegram from Abraham's side. Perplexed on why such a telegram was sent instead of a letter, VKV recounts their relationship and how they inspired each other, throughout the journey. The journey focuses on the lives of fellow travelers also. An NRI in the bus, a wedding party etc. At the fag end of the journey, VKV sees the man sitting next to him, bride's father die. VKV reaches his destination only to find Abraham's dead body. Abraham's daughter tells VKV that her father was waiting for him on his dead bed and said VKV would be travelling in bus and will see him die while travelling. VKV gets shocked. Abraham in one of their old discussions had said life is a repetition of the set of same images, though the characters essentially only the people change.

Cast

as Writer VKV *

as Abraham *

Karamana Janardhanan Nair Karamana Janardanan Nair (25 July 1936 – 24 April 2000) was a Malayalam film actor, who was active during the 1980s and 1990s. He was especially known for his character roles. He won wide acclaim especially for the role of the protagonis ...

as Kariyachan * Annamma Abraham as Abraham's daughter Susanna * Asha Jayaram as Molly * Shyama as Molykutty's sister * Aliyar as Man in the bus *

Kaveri The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery) is a Rivers of India, major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari River, Godavari and Krishna River, Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin i ...

as Child in the bus

Critical response

For ''plumeriamovies,'' Arjun Anand wrote, ''Yaathrayude Anthyam'' is the most simplest film of the writer, it almost feels like a stretched out slice-of-life episode. But the filmmaking is quietly engaging. Death is a very melodramatic subject. If his contemporaries, Padmarajan in his ''

Moonnam Pakkam ''Moonnam Pakkam'' () is a 1988 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Padmarajan. It stars Jayaram and Thilakan, along with Kirti Singh, Jagathi Sreekumar, Rahman, Ashokan, Ajayan and Surasu in supporting roles. Kirti ...

'', Lohithadas in ''

Bharatham ''Bharatham'' is a 1991 Indian Malayalam-language musical drama film written by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil. It stars Mohanlal, Urvashi, Nedumudi Venu, Lakshmi, and Murali. The film was produced by Mohanlal through his pro ...

'' or Dennis Joseph in ''

Akashadoothu ''Akashadoothu'' is a 1993 Indian Malayalam family drama film directed by Sibi Malayil and written by Dennis Joseph, with Madhavi and Murali in the lead roles. The film tells the tale of a woman suffering from leukemia. The plot of the film wa ...

'' among others, treated death and grief with melodrama and exuberant poignance, KG George's take on the subject―just like any other work of his―is subdued, objective and intellectual. The profoundness in his writing is not literary like MT/Lohi, it's rather rational.

References

External links

* Writing his tribute to KG George, Sajesh Mohan of '' Onmanorama'' wrote In Yathrayude Anthyam, George trains the camera on actor Murali's face for an extended period, yet it never fails to captivate the viewers. That's the confidence they both had in their craft and in each other. The filmmaker maintains this rhythm until the writer's journey culminates beside the mortal remains of his mentor. George maintained this rhythm in all his films, even when they varied in genre. The bold filmmaker had immense confidence in his actors, technicians, and himself. And that's what makes his films stay fresh even after years.{{Cite web , title=KG George's 'Yathrayude Anthyam' is a starting point to embark on a serious cinema journey , url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2023/09/25/kg-george-malayalam-filmmaker-yathrayude-anthyam-movie.html , access-date=2023-09-25 , website=OnManorama 1990s Malayalam-language films Films directed by K. G. George