In a scene from Pavithram, Mohanlal doesn’t know how to make his baby sister stop crying. When Innocent tells some foolish idea, Mohanlal asks KPAC Lalitha to hold the baby and goes on to fight with him. He then finds the baby has stopped crying. When he turns , he notices KPAC Lalitha has started breastfeeding her. He takes few steps forward, open his mouth to tell something but no words come out. KPAC Lalitha looks back but doesn’t tell anything too. There are no words spoken here. What you have here instead is a beautiful background score that makes sure your emotions are still stirred.
There are different reasons in a movie that sets a huge repeat value for you. There are movies that you love for the actors and their performances. There are movies that you watch again for the craft of directors. Some movies you re-visit for their captivating story. Some others for the exquisite visuals . Pavithram is one movie which I go back to just for the beautiful piece of music that plays in the background during its finest scenes.
Mohanlal, Thilakan, Nedumudi Venu, Innocent, Sreenivasan ,Sobhana, KPAC Lalitha, Srividya – Pavithram had a battalion of hugely talented actors and actresses. Mohanlal was especially brilliant. The only reason you do not find his “Chettachan” among his finest characters is because his career is richly packed with many superlative performances. It had a heartwarming story of a brother who sacrificed his love and life to take care of his younger sister when his mother passed away and father went missing. Santosh Sivan’s camera work ,as it is the case with all movies he had worked on, makes sure Pavithram never looks dated even after so many years. But still I visit Pavithram for its background score , the output of a fabulous work by Sharreth
It amazes me that a music director and his work behind the scenes could elevate multifold what happens on the screen. For a music director who has given some of Malayalam’s best music albums in Kshanakathu and Pavithram, Sharreth has never got his deserved due in the industry and it remains a big mystery to me ! Here are some of the moments where his music combine with the excellent scenes to make sure they stay with us forever
….When his baby sister calls Mohanlal ‘ Chettachan’ for the first time.
….When Mohanlal decides to leave his job and Shobana to take care of his sister
…. The one I mentioned in the beginning when Mohanlal finds that his baby sister stopped crying because KPAC Lalitha started breastfeeding her ( This still remains one of my most favorite scenes ever in Malayalam)
….When he drops his sister at college hostel parting away from her for the first time
…. When Mohanlal waits outside Sreenivasan’s home without entering for his sister’s birthday and reminds him it is also their Mother’s death anniversary.
…..When he finds her in front of a toddy shop and hits her badly
…..In the climax when he asks a small kid where is Meenakshi as Vinduja and KPAC Lalitha burst out crying on the other side.
Here’s a version of that heart-stirring tune which I am talking about :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01FdH7f9aWw
