My dear Kuttappai...

My dear Kuttappai,

Me wants to see you, Kuttappai, your grandfather, Valiyappachhai and Ottal (The Trap), the Malayalam film about you and Valiyappachhai. Rama also liked it. She comes from Allapuzzha and knows Vembanadu kayal and Kumarakom and Kuttanad. Today me saw a white-fronted kingfisher at the Vazira temple pond in the morning in far away Mumbai and that's not the same as a white-fronted kingfisher on a bamboo pole in the deep waters of your kayal. Living in Vembadandu kayal with Valiappachhai, a kingfisher for you may be a laugh. Me knows nothing of birds, rice, fish, waters, wind, night skies, sunrise, stars having lived in cities with electricity, cars, mobiles.... Perhaps, Ottal is the Malayalam film in recent years from Kerala without bikes, sex, mobiles, cars ... and all that; it is of kayals to which me brother in law Hari Gopalakrishnan took us one entire day in a boat, a motorised boat. Me just got your letter written to Valiyappachhai. Me never had a grandfather like your Valiyappachhai. No grandfather stories. 'Aarengilum padichhittano kuyil padunnanuthu (Did a kuyil learn singing at a school?), you ask and the film director Jayaraj let goes. Me had read Vanka, the Chekov delight, on which Ottal is based. Me read it again. Me do not know whether we will ever meet. But its worth saying Hullo. When you grow up read Vanka with Valiyappachai. Vanka is the next best after living a childhood with a grandpa in the kayals. Do not know if this letter will reach as letters do not arrive at Kuttanad. Me have posted it with an address: Kuttappai, Kuttanadu, Vembanadu kayal.

Ottal is that sort of film, we saw on TV (Mami film festival). Jayaraj and cameraman, MJ Radhakrishnan are poets; no camera has shot Kuttanad as lyrically as MJ Radhakrishnan; possibly, Kuttanad looks better on films than live. Songs in simple lines evoke a simple life and me doubts whether all that will be lost. Perhaps, the film could have wound down with Valiyappachai furiously ploughing the waters in a country boat after handing over Kuttappai to a child recruit. The old man says wryly: 'Avan padikkan poi, jeevikkan padikkan poi (Gone to learn, learn living). Yes, Malayali imagination is alive. Perhaps, Jayaraj has placed Malayalam films beyond Adoor Gopalakrishnan. And that's something. Hugs for Ashanth K Sha as Kuttappai and Kumarakom Vasudevan as Valiyappachhai. Durga and Apu in Pather Panchali, Swami in Malgudi Days and Kuttappai in Ottal .... a legacy me has been lucky to witness. Now a request to Jayaraj: Camera track Ashanth K Sha... like Ray and Trauffat. Nanni (Grateful).