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Feminist Reading of Ramante Edhenthottam



                        Feminist Reading of ‘Ramante Edhenthottam’

Literature or film is a representation of an era. Recently we have seen many female oriented films in Malayalam industry. Apart from the title of a Female oriented movie Ranjith Sankar has directed ‘Ramante Edhenthottam’ which portrays the beauty of nature, moreover it dares to discuss in a society and industry that still finds salvation in everything masculine of ‘WHAT WOMEN DO NOT WANT’ the theme of the movie touches an issue that seems to be very important in the busy life style of these days. It is an approach towards a conventional marriage setup. The content also addresses the emotional vulnerabilities of its character. It is a story about how a languid indignant homemaker emerges as a confident woman who sets herself free, the film is a simple tale that many woman today would be able to connect with. The usual compromise formula that happens in most of the marriages gets criticized in this film and the film centers on an obedient wife and her profound transformation.


                                                The title of the movie creates the impression that the protagonist is a male but the centre of the movie is its leading lady ‘Malini’ played gracefully by Anu Sithara. A womanizing film producer facing financial crisis ,an alcoholic and an adamant chauvinist husband ‘Elvis’ is played by Joju George, the character of ‘Raman’ is a kind of charm ,silence and vibrancy the role of a healer or counselor is played by Kunchako Boban. He lives nearly an ascetic life and forms a bond with spiteful Malini
                                   

             Women’s self discovery journey by breaking the notions of patriarchy is beautifully portrayed in this film. The beauty of ‘Edenthottam’ is definitely a major part of the movie. It is there in the form of asking us to grow plants and save water but there isn’t a desperate focus on those things. The heart of the film is Malinis journey of self-transformation. Women whose dreams have been crushed and are victims of unequal marriages despite being talented are all around us. Respect, Dignity, Empathy and Love are the beautiful words one associates with championship glance around and it is very easy to see that all these are largely given by women to the men in their lives. Indeed its give and take, then live ‘Happily Ever after’. Malini is ‘happy’ with her believe in what she just said. Until she arrived at Eden she played her part of an unquestioning wife, hiding her inherent talents and taking care not to upset the concept of patriarchy. Something snaps in her ad some new windows open in her mind when she encounters Rama, who has a unique job of planting small forests within cities filled with glass buildings.

                                          Malini stopped her dancing since her wedding. Her dance like her tears in an aphrodisiac for Elvis. The power behind Malini was the friendship of Raman and the pleasing atmosphere of Edhenthottam . She never wished to have an Edhenthottam rather she wanted a dance school. Her passion towards dance made her free. A film producer with more of flops to his credit, Elvis claims that he is ‘Happily Married’. The ‘cool’ man says he wouldn’t mind his wife too trending the route if she wishes but after he discovered the relation of Malini and Raman, he critically breaks her self-esteem. The women in  Malini is not ready to lose her self-dignity by having a compromised life. This film reconstructs the concept that women have no freedom and they are always dependent.

                                    In today’s society Malini can be considered as an ideal woman who lives for herself and free from a miserable life. An emphatic ‘No’ makes Ramante Edenthottam noteworthy. Malini is human first and woman later when the time comes, she draws sustenance from her inner awakening. She is not judged not slut shamed not punished for disturbing the Nauseatingly familiar sense of male entitlement.        

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