Adoor's four stories, one theme

Auteur Adoor Gopalakrishan's fascination with Jnanpith award winning author Thakazhi Shivsankara Pillai continues in his new venture Oru Pennum Randaanum (A climate for crime). His previous film Naalu Pennungal (Four Women) had adapted four short stories of the writer concerning womanhood. Similarly, in his latest Malayalam film, he has transposed a set of four short stories by the writer on to the celluloid, but, the undercurrent or the theme this time is crime.

Shot in the typical style of the master with minimal dependence on technical gimmickry (we notice that even background music is sparsely used), giving ample scope to the actors to take their stories forward on their own steam.

Kallante Makan (The son of a thief) shows the anguish of a schoolboy who carries the stigma of being the son of a thief. His father Neelantan's (M R Gopakumar) efforts to reform himself go in vain when his neighbours file a complaint with the police that Neelatan being free poses a threat to the peace and tranquillity of the village.  He is just out of prison but the villagers want to put him behind the bars permanently. This story maybe underscoring the fact about how difficult it is to overcome the stigma and how reluctant is the society to give someone a second chance. The main attraction of this section happens to be the poignant performance by Master Amal Jose in the title role.

Niyamavum Neethiyum also known as The Police tells the story of two constables who turn a hapless rickshaw puller into a convict in an unsolved robbery case to save their jobs. Jagannathan and Nedumudi Venu are corrupt policemen on the verge of losing their jobs because they botched up a theft case by taking a bribe. They enter the local bar and drink beyond what they are capable of paying for. Suddenly they see a rich person trying to pay the bill in a drunken state (played by Krishnakumar), who has come to this place to buy a second hand cycle rickshaw, and, then how they make him involved falsely in the case is the crux. This story shows how people in power abuse the common man (who cannot raise his voice against injustice) to safeguard their position.

Oru Koottukaran (Two Men and A Woman): this is the most involving story of the lot. Krishnankutty (Sudheesh) has come to the city to study. His education is sponsored by his rich uncle, who wishes Krishnankutty to be his son-in-law. Here, Krishnankutty has an affair with his domestic help and impregnates her. Then he goes to his advocate friend played by Jagadeesh, seeking help to find ways to abort the child. They go to a quack, who quotes an exorbitant amount for the medicine, which makes him rethink his decision and by the end he is sure enough to marry her, whatever may come.

Pankiyamma (One Woman, Two Men), shows how a woman uses her charm on men to her advantage. Praveena plays the title role. She is a fabled character who made men fight among themselves to seek her attention. Her story of how she deceived her aging husband (Ravi Vallthol) and her secret lover (Manoj K Jayan) making criminals out of them and carving out a good life for herself while both the men in her life perish in prison, is narrated long after it has happened gives it a distant feel. It is the longest of four tales of this film. It is the only story with a slightly intriguing non-linear narrative where Praveena makes a mark.

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