''Chemmeen'' () is a 1966 Indian
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
-language
romance film
Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...
, based on the
novel of the same name by
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. It was adapted into a screenplay by
S. L. Puram Sadanandan, directed by
Ramu Kariat, and produced by Babu Ismail Sait under the banner Kanmani Films. The film stars
Sheela
Sheela Celine (born 24 March 1945) is an Indian actress and director who appears predominantly in Malayalam cinema. Paired with Prem Nazir, they hold the Guinness World Record for acting in the largest number of films (130) together as heroine ...
as Karuthamma,
Sathyan as Palani,
Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair as Chembankunju, and
Madhu
Madhu (Sanskrit: ) is a word used in several Indo-Aryan languages meaning ''honey'' or ''sweet''. It is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European language, Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/médʰu, ''*médʰu'', whenc ...
as Pareekutty. The film tells the story of a pre-marital and later extra-marital relationship between Karuthamma, the daughter of an ambitious fisherman, and Pareekutty, the son of an affluent trader.
The theme of the film is a popular legend among the fishermen communities along the coastal
Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
State in southern India regarding chastity. If a married fisher woman is faithless when her husband is out in the sea, the Sea Goddess (''Kadalamma'' literally meaning the Mother Sea) would consume him. It has cinematography by
Marcus Bartley and U. Rajagopal, and editing by
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee (30 September 1922 – 27 August 2006) was an Indian film director, editor and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. Popularly known as ''Hrishi-da'', he directed 42 films during his car ...
and
K. D. George. The original score and songs were composed by
Salil Chowdhury, with lyrics by
Vayalar, and songs featuring the voices of
K. J. Yesudas,
P. Leela,
Manna Dey and
Santha P. Nair.
The film was censored in late 1965 and got released on 19 August 1966. It received strongly positive critical reviews and was recognised as a technically and artistically brilliant film. This movie was a blockbuster and broke many records. It is usually cited as the first notable creative film in
South India and is one of the popular
cult
Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ...
classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...
s in Malayalam cinema. It was also the first South Indian film to win the
Indian President's
Gold Medal for the Best Film, which it did so in 1965. It was screened at various international film festivals and won awards at the
Cannes
Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
and
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
festivals. The film was included in the list of ''100 greatest Indian films'' by
IBN Live.
''Chemmeen'' was dubbed and released in Hindi as ''Chemmeen Lahren'' and in English as ''The Anger of the Sea''. A sequel, ''
Thirakalkkappuram'', was released in 1998.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20181016203230/https://www.filmcompanion.in/sandakozhi-2-Tamil-film-sequels-time-between-release]
Plot
Karuthamma is the daughter of an ambitious fisherman, Chembannkunju. She is in love with a young fish trader, Pareekutty. Chembankunju's only aim in life is to own a boat and net. Pareekutty finances Chembankunju to realise this dream. This is on a condition that the haul by the boat will be sold only to him. Karuthamma's mother Chakki learns of her daughter's affair with Pareekutty, and reminds her daughter about the life they lead within the boundaries of strict social tradition and warns her to keep away from such a relationship. The fisherfolks believe that a fisherwoman has to lead a life within the boundaries of strict social traditions.
Karuthamma sacrifices her love for Pareekutty and marries Palani, an orphan discovered by Chembankunju in the course of one of his fishing expeditions. Following the marriage, Karuthamma accompanies her husband to his village, despite her mother's sudden illness and her father's requests to stay. In his fury, Chembankunju disowns her. On acquiring a boat and a net and subsequently adding one more, Chembankunju becomes more greedy and heartless. With his dishonesty, he drives Pareekutty to bankruptcy. After the death of his wife, Chembankunju marries Pappikunju, the widow of the man from whom he had bought his first boat. Panchami, Chembankunju's younger daughter, hates her stepmother and her son and constantly taunts them. Pappikunju's son, unable to bear the constant humiliation by Panchami, decides to leave in search of a better life. Emotionally blackmailed by her son, Pappikunju steals money from Chembankunju's savings and gives it to her son. Panchami finds this out and informs Chembankunju. He ousts Pappikunju from their home, and turns mad due to the setbacks faced in his life. Alarmed by her father's madness, Panchami leaves home to join Karuthamma.
Meanwhile, Karuthamma has endeavoured to be a good wife and mother, but scandal about her old love for Pareekutty spreads in the village. Palani's friends ostracise him and refuse to take him fishing with them. Supported by Karuthamma, Palani starts to go fishing in a single-man boat. They slowly prosper and become parents to a daughter. Palani initially trusts his wife, but due to the constant vile talk by the villagers, seeds of doubt start to get sown in his mind. One day, when he hears Karuthamma enquiring about Pareekkutty to Panchami, he confronts her, and accuses Karuthamma of cheating and leaves in the night to go on his fishing expedition. By a stroke of fate, Karuthamma and Pareekutty meet that night and their old love is awakened. Palani, at sea alone and baiting a shark, is caught in a huge whirlpool and is swallowed by the sea. Next morning, Karuthamma and Parekutty, are also found dead hand in hand, washed ashore. At a distance, there lies the body of the shark which was baited by Palani.
Cast
Production
Development
Kariat bought the rights from Thakazhi for 8000, a comparatively large sum for a Malayalam novel then.
With adapting the novel, Ramu Kariat was taking a big risk as everybody in the film circle was almost certain that the film would be no patch on the novel. The project was bankrolled by Babu Ismail Sait under the banner Kanmani Films. Once Ramu Kariat had decided to make a film based on the novel, he approached several people including the
Kerala State Government for funds to produce the film. On one of these journeys, he met Babu Ismail Sait (Kanmani Babu). Then in his early twenties, Kanmani Babu agreed to finance the film.
Filming
Although the novel was set in the coastal area of
Alappuzha, The film was shot from
Nattika beach in Thrissur and
Varkala Beach in
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...
. Ramu Kariat wanted to shoot the film in the exact locations mentioned in Thakazhi's novel. But some people at Purakkad demanded rent for their boats, forcing Kariat to shift the location to Nattika, a place he was familiar with.
In the 40th anniversary of the release of the film, Madhu described how the fisherfolk of Nattika cooperated by offering their homes and clothing for the filming. He also described how Sathyan escaped being drowned in the sea during the shooting.
After the outdoor shoot was done cinematographer Marcus Bartley had to leave as he had to complete a Dilip Kumar film and U. Rajagopal gave the finishing touches to the film.
Soundtrack
The music was composed by
Salil Chowdhary and the lyrics were written by
Vayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma (25 March 1928 – 27 October 1975), also known as Rama Varma Vayalar and simply Vayalar, and was an Indian poet and lyricist of Malayalam literature, Malayalam language. He was known for his poems, including ''Sargasangeetham ...
. ''Chemmeen'' marked Salil Chowdhary's debut in South Indian music.
Awards
*
National Film Award for Best Feature Film
*
Filmfare Award for Best Film - Malayalam won by ''Hasam Ismail'' (1966)
* Certificate of Merit at the
Chicago International Film Festival
* Gold Medal at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
for Best Cinematography –
Marcus Bartley
Controversy
In 2017, the fishermen community boycotted the
Golden jubilee celebrations of the film, conducted by the
State government
A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonom ...
. The Akhila Kerala Deevara Sabha, an association of fisherfolk, alleged that the movie is the origin for all the insults that the community has faced over the years. Dheevara Sabha general secretary and ex-
MLA V. Dinakaran told ''
The News Minute'' that Malayalam cinema and serials for the last many decades have intentionally portrayed fisherfolk as "uncultured". Further stating “I was in college when I watched ''Chemmeen''. I was shocked to see how the movie projected false stories of our community.”
Legacy
''Chemeen'' is regarded as a
classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...
in
Indian cinema
The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on p ...
and has achieved
cult
Cults are social groups which have unusual, and often extreme, religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals. Extreme devotion to a particular person, object, or goal is another characteristic often ascribed to cults. The term ...
status in Malayalam cinema; one of Kariat's most celebrated films, regarded by critics as a masterpiece of
Malayalam cinema
Malayalam cinema, also referred to as Mollywood, is a segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to producing films in the Malayalam, Malayalam language, primarily spoken in Kerala and the Lakshadweep islands. It encompasses both th ...
, credited with simultaneously helping to popularize
South Indian cinema
Cinema of South India, refers to the cinema of the four major film industries in South India; primarily engaged in making feature films in the four major Dravidian languages of the region, namely Telugu cinema, Telugu, Tamil Cinema, Tamil, Ma ...
in the
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and influencing later South Indian films. It became the first South Indian film to win
President's Gold Medal for the Best Film.
The film also became the first Indian film to win the Certificate of Merit at the
Chicago International Film Festival and the Gold Medal at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
.
The
Kerala State government conducted the golden jubilee celebrations of ''Chemmeen'' on 8 April 2017 in
Alappuzha.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Pinarayi Vijayan (; born 24 May 1945) is an Indian politician who has served as the List of chief ministers of Kerala, Chief Minister of Kerala since 25 May 2016. A member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), politburo ...
had inaugurated the event.
In March 2019, C. S. Venkiteswaran of ''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...
'' wrote, "Omnipotent and omnipresent like the sea is the presence of the milieu; never before has the life of fisherfolk in all its beauty and misery been portrayed more vividly in Malayalam cinema. Even when they bicker and fight, they readily share all the sorrows and celebrations of life." He further writes, "''Chemmeen'' worked with the most elemental in individual and society, communal and personal life, human emotions and yearnings, which may be the reason why it still holds its mercurial charm."
In September 2020,
Anna M. M. Vetticad of ''Firstpost'' wrote, "Ramu Kariat's ''Chemmeen'' gave me my maiden memory of being mesmerized by the visual aspect of the audiovisual media.
In February 2022, Piyush Roy of ''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...
'' called ''Chemmen'' "A highpoint of Malayalam cinema" and called it "a fine artistic work of human passion." and praised its soundtrack in particular, which Roy felt was the highpoint of the film. He writes, "The high point of ''Chemmeen'', however, is its music that brings together a talented pool of music-makers from north and south. Bollywood music director Salil Chowdhury weaves a timeless score, as he captures the unique sounds of the kaleidoscopic setting."
In 2013, in an online poll conducted by ''
CNN-IBN'' on their website as part of the 100 years celebration of
Indian cinema
The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on p ...
, ''Chemmeen'' came 23rd in the poll for finding the "greatest Indian film ever".
["'Mayabazar' is India's greatest film ever: IBNLive poll"](_blank)
. IBN Live. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.["100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time"](_blank)
IBN Live. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.["IBNLive Poll: Vote for India's greatest film of all time"](_blank)
IBN Live. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013. In 2017,
Kamal Haasan
Parthasarathy Srinivasan (born 7 November 1954), known professionally as Kamal Haasan, is an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. Considered as one of the most accomplished actors of Indian Cinema, Haas ...
included the film in his list of 70 favorite movies, stating "Chemeen ceased to be a Malayalam film, it became the pride of south India, a national film. It's a grown-up love story. The music by Salil Chowdhury, the editing by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the direction by Ramu Kariat...today it looks like a simple film. But it's stunning." In 2005,
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Viswanathan (; born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor and filmmaker who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema, Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically appeared in Tamil cinema, Tamil, Hin ...
listed ''Chemeen'' in his list of top ten best Indian films of all time, stating "''Chemmeen'' is a classic. Even today, its charm has not diminished." In 2016, on the occasion of India celebrating its
70th Independence day, news agency ''
NDTV
New Delhi Television Ltd is an Indian news media company focusing on broadcast and digital news publication. It was founded in 1984 by economist Prannoy Roy and journalist Radhika Roy.
NDTV began as a production house for news segments, ...
'' compiled a list called "70 Years, 70 Great Films" and ''Chemmen'' was among the four Malayalam films that found place in the list.
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
*
{{Filmfare Award for Best Film – Malayalam
1960s Indian films
1960s Malayalam-language films
Best Feature Film National Film Award winners
Films based on Malayalam novels
Films directed by Ramu Kariat
Films scored by Salil Chowdhury
Films shot in Thrissur
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