THE ROLE OF NIRUPAMA RAJEEV
in How Old Are You? (2014)
had curious parallels to Warrier’s life. It
marked her return to films after a 14-year
hiatus that coincided with the end of her
marriage to fellow actor Dileep amid an
intense media circus. Public perception, at
least to begin with, cast her in an unkind
light, based on factors such as their
daughter choosing to live with Dileep after
her parents’ divorce. The discourse
continued in this vein until Dileep’s 2016
wedding to longtime co-star Kavya Madhavan,
and close on its heels, the 2017 actress
assault case in which he is still
embroiled.
In How Old Are You? Warrier’s
character is a government employee in her
30s, constantly condescended to by her
husband and teenage daughter. She brushes it
all off, until a former classmate helps her
realise that her identity isn’t tied in with
the people who surround her. Nirupama
understands that she has to advocate for
herself, and the moment she decides to take
charge of her life, things begin to change.
It seemed like a meta moment for Warrier,
who like her onscreen character, was
rediscovering the long-buried individual
within.
The critical and commercial success of
How Old Are You? Opened the
floodgates and Warrier was awash in
author-backed roles. This was a new
phenomenon in the largely male-dominated
Malayalam cinema: the resurgence of a female
actor after a two-decade gap and still
having the wherewithal to call the shots.
(Tamil cinema witnessed this with
Nayanthara.) It was also a matter of the
right time: Malayalam cinema was becoming
more receptive to new ideas, subverting
cliches and challenging hyper-masculine
narratives. If Warrier picked films with the
same caution she exhibited in her first
innings, this time round, the focus on her
was greater.
In Aashiq Abu’s Rani Padmini
(2015), she played a gentle homemaker
settled in Punjab who shrugs off her own
timidity and the machinations of a scheming
mother-in-law to go in search of her
indecisive spouse (an off-road racing
enthusiast). Her understated histrionics
worked magic in C/O Saira Bhanu
(2017), in which she portrays a post-woman
with an adopted son. While Warrier’s
filmography at this time had several
missteps (Jo and the Boy, Vettah, Aami,
Mohanlal, Karinkunnam 6’s) the
actor found her rhythm in Udaharanam
Sujatha, an official remake of
Nil Battey Sannata, in which she
played the single parent of a defiant
teenager who disregards her mother’s efforts
to educate her. Warrier brings a sublime
integrity to Sujatha, a domestic worker,
reflecting the struggles of a mother, who is
determined not to see her daughter follow
her path. In the middling Odiyan,
Warrier’s Prabha was the sole redeeming
factor. In 2019’s Lucifer, Warrier
was Priyadarshini Ramdas — the volatile
remnant of a political lineage, who hates
her father’s adopted son. After Madhuri in
Prathi Poovankozhi, Lucifer is easily one of
her most searing acts; a scene in which
Priyadarshini confronts her second husband
about molesting her daughter is easily one
of Warrier’s finest performances, revealing
a hitherto unseen facet of her craft.
Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, Meri
Awaaz Suno and Lalitham
Sundaram were shallow outings for
Warrier, but the actor has always thrived in
realistic, rustic spaces that tap primeval
emotions in her characters. We saw this
during the first spectacular stretch in her
filmography — from Eee Puzhayum Kadannu,
Kaliyattam, Aaraam Thampuran,
Kanmadam to Kannezhuthi Pottum
Thottu. Put her in an ordinary,
relatable role and Warrier’s naturalism
shines. Even in the immensely forgettable
Jack N Jill, if at all there is
some relief, it is whenever Warrier breaks
into a graceful stunt sequence, bedecked in
all her ornamental finery.
At the age of 43, Warrier has a ways yet to
go. And examining her oeuvre closely reveals
a curious contradiction: while she has
prioritised well-etched characters, she has
rarely challenged the status quo for women
on celluloid. The talented journalist Devika
Shankar, who cuts a cop down to size in
public finds herself reduced to a weepy mess
halfway through in Pathram (1999);
the spunky, mischievous Unnimaya — after her
initial chutzpah — nearly prostrates before
the hero in Aaraam Thampuran.
Meanwhile, Bhanumathi, who supports her
family in Kanmadam, allows the hero
to break through her defenses with a kiss.
And the plucky Abhirami is forcefully
married against her wishes in Summer in
Bethlehem (1998). Even in
Lucifer, her character eventually
is putty in the hands of Mohanlal’s Stephen
Nedumpally.
Considering the discourse around female
representation on celluloid, it would be
interesting to see Warrier explore
characters beyond the binaries. More so, as
the OTT space has opened up such
wide-ranging possibilities that actors of
Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, Shefali Shah,
Juhi Chawla, Raveena Tandon, Konkona Sen
Sharma and Pooja Bhatt’s calibre have been
able to diversify their repertoire and
traverse untapped terrain. It would be
fascinating to see Warrier delve into a
flawed, morally grey character as well.
Today, Manju Warrier is both a superstar and
a flourishing brand. All that is required
now, is for her to stop playing safe.
***
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