''Mini'' is a 1995 Indian

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...

-language film directed by

P. Chandrakumar P. Chandrakumar is an Indian film director, cinematographer, and film distributor who worked in Malayalam cinema. Early life Chandrakumar hails from Kollengode, Palakkad district in Kerala, India. He has a younger brother P. Sukumar. He was sc ...

, written by Iskantar Mirsa, and produced by

Madhu Madhu ( Sanskrit: ) is a word used in several Indo-Aryan languages meaning ''honey'' or '' sweet''. It is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European ''*médʰu'', whence English ''mead''. Metaphorical use ''Madhu'' has been used for millenni ...

. The film depicts the problem of

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...

through the determined efforts of a young girl to save her father from self-destruction. It stars Aarati Ghanashyam, Chandrahasan, Kuckoo Parameswaran, Babu G. Nair and Malini Nair in pivotal roles. It won the National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare. Aarati Ghanashyam won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist and Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Child Artist.

Plot

Mini is a 10-year-old school girl from a middle-class family whose father is a habitual drunkard who beats up his wife as a rule and throws tantrums into the early hours of the morning. The mother and daughter suffer in silence; but the neighbours find the daily antics a nuisance. Despite their vehement protests things go from bad to worse. Mini prays to god and wishes that her father stop drinking and turn over a new life. She goes to the temple but to no avail. She then learns about

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure ...

and his

hunger strike A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke a feeling of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most ...

. She goes on a hunger strike and when she collapses she is admitted to the hospital. Her father realises his fault and breaks down. He then promises never to touch alcohol again. Mini's non-violent approach brings her victory and joy.

Cast

Aarati Ghanashyam
as Mini * Chandrahasan as Mini's father * Kuckoo Parameswaran as Mini's mother * Babu G. Nair * Malini Nair * N Ramachandran Nair

References

1990s Malayalam-language films Films about alcoholism Best Film on Family Welfare National Film Award winners Films directed by P. Chandrakumar {{1990s-Malayalam-film-stub