Makal movie review: Meera Jasmine and Jayaram’s warmth keeps this simplistic family saga afloat

Language: Malayalam 

Long-distance marriages and the generation gap are bedfellows in this latest offering by one of Malayalam cinema’s most celebrated filmmakers.

Sathyan Anthikad’s Makal (Daughter), written by Iqbal Kuttippuram, features all the sweetness that Anthikad is known for, but sometimes this quality rises above the danger mark, threatening to submerge the reality that the story is set in. The film is simplistic to a considerable extent. It seems to lean towards a conservative view in certain areas, but does so subtly, such that it cannot be concluded with finality whether it is taking a stand. Yet, it also enters some thorny areas. It’s touch and go, but Anthikad pulls it off by the skin of his teeth, benefiting greatly from Meera Jasmine and Jayaram’s genial presence and on-screen equation with Devika Sanjay who stars as their makal in Makal.  

Meera’s character Juliet has single-handedly brought up her child, Aparna (Devika), in Kerala while her husband, Nandan (Jayaram), has been working in West Asia.

Theirs is the story of scores of Malayali families for decades now, but it is also distinctive.

Juliet a.k.a. Julie is Christian and Nandan is Hindu. There is love all around here, but more complexity than is evident from a mere surface viewing of the scenario. For one, Julie has a tricky relationship with her sibling Bobby (Siddique). And though she clearly adores Nandan, she has also become accustomed to being on her own with her girl. Her attachment to her freedom does not in any way indicate disaffection with her spouse.

Bobby is often condescending towards Julie and her marriage. His attitude is related to class snobbery, not religion. Nandan himself has his own set of issues, one in particular to do with his faith, but they are made more palatable by Jayaram’s Mr Nice Guy demeanour in the part.  

Makal is about what happens when distance is taken out of the central trio’s living arrangement then re-introduced into it, leaving Nandan with the challenge of simultaneously deepening his bond with Aparna and learning to deal with teenaged rebellion from the girl who is unused to his constant presence in the house.  

When the going is good, it is because of the endearing cast and the enduring charm of Anthikad’s observational, slice-of-life approach to filmmaking. Makal struggles, however, when an episode with a mysterious stranger is thrust into the clash between Nandan and Aparna, and presented in a manner that does not fit the rest of the narrative.    

This is not the only half-baked aspect of the film. Julie at one point says that no one understands how hard it is to be what she calls a “Gulf wife”, but we never fully experience what those hardships were for her.

Makal is also in questionable territory when it pointedly shows a woman being belittled for being a stay-at-home wife and mother although it is far more common for women to be belittled for having careers.

This is not to suggest that the former does not ever happen, but that the latter is still the norm, and the decision to emphasise one reflects a somewhat coloured view of progressiveness in the matter of women’s rights. Even when Julie takes up a job, she seems to do so more to impress others than for self-fulfilment.  

While on the subject of gender, do note that Malayalam cinema’s idea of age-appropriate casting for Jayaram’s spouse is a woman star who is almost two decades his junior, and a similar gap separates Meera and Siddique. Even supposedly progressive Indian filmmakers are largely disinterested in casting women in their late 50s and 60s as protagonists, while men do not face a cut-off at all. The talented and gorgeous Meera Jasmine herself deserves far more lead roles than she has played so far. Ditto for women of Jayaram’s vintage.  

Aparna’s relaxed relationship with Julie and her exasperation with Nandan are both credible. Bizarrely though, Julie in passing links the father-daughter tensions to the girl’s menstrual cycle instead of the generation gap that it is. Huh? So if Aparna were replaced with a son, he, umm, would, umm, get along perfectly with conservative, overly watchful Daddy? Seriously?

Far better handled is the young man played by Naslen K. Gafoor who is smitten by Aparna and sets out to impress her family. The scenes involving him are highly entertaining. Thankfully his courtship of Aparna is not allowed to cross a line into stalking and harassment.

At a very early age, Naslen has already notched up a filmography of impressive performances, including #Home and Kuruthi just last year. Devika Sanjay, who made a mark in Anthikad’s 2018 film Njan Prakashan , is also first rate here as a daughter who is fond of her parent yet frustrated with him. The two youngsters are excellent in an all-round excellent cast.  

Meera neatly embodies Julie’s internal conflicts, although at the halfway mark, the narrative shifts too far away from her. Jayaram is nicest to watch in this film in scenes of conflict. Their warm presence keeps Makal afloat even when the writing falters.  

Rating: 2.5 (out of 5 stars) 

Makal is in theatres across India

Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic. She specialises in the intersection of cinema with feminist and other socio-political concerns. Twitter: @annavetticad, Instagram: @annammvetticad, Facebook: AnnaMMVetticadOfficial 

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