Spoilers ahead…
Read the full review on Film Companion, here: http://www.filmcompanion.in/kammara-sambhavam-movie-review-dileep-baradwaj-rangan/
Rathish Ambat’s Kammara Sambhavam (Kammara’s Event, a play on the title of the Kalidasa epic) begins and ends with a quote attributed to Napoléon: “History is a set of lies agreed upon.” Napoléon certainly popularised this adage, though he denied coining it — but in the context of this film, the (intended?) misattribution may be entirely appropriate. The story is about how history is nothing but a series of “lies,” and how these lies, over time, become calcified as “truth.” It sounds like a thesis topic for a philosophy major, but the film, slyly written by Murali Gopy, is pretty entertaining — even if it takes a while to get going, and a longer while for the whole picture to come together in our heads. At interval point, I was still unsure, but soon, Gopy’s design becomes clear. The first half is the (actual) history. The second half is the lie that becomes history.
The film begins in the present day, as liquor barons belonging to the Indian Liberation Party (Indian Libation Party may have sounded better, no?) express their frustration with the frequent bouts of prohibition. They hatch a crazy scheme. They will produce a movie about a long-forgotten Kerala hero — as in, a real-life hero, from the British era — and project the film’s protagonist as their party’s flag bearer, thus rebranding their identity in the eyes of the public. They approach a Tamil filmmaker named Pulikesi (Bobby Simha). Why Tamil? Because Malayali directors are too Left or Right. Is this a jibe about the strongly political leanings of Malayali filmmakers, or the perceived lack of politics in the Tamil filmmaking community? Questions like these are what make the film fun. Wait till you get to the digs on dynastic politics, about “Pappu” as well as his great-grandfather’s rumoured closeness with Lady Mountbatten.
The real-life hero, named Kammaran Nambiar and now aged 96, is played by Dileep (in top form). The actor playing Kammaran Nambiar on screen is… the actor Dileep. In other words, the off-screen Dileep plays himself on screen, an actor who plays a movie character based on Kammaran Nambiar, who’s played by… Dileep. And the meta games begin. Was Bobby Simha cast because he was in Jigarthanda, another movie about a man whose story makes it to screen as a series of “lies”? A similar case could be made for Siddarth (in the most forceful performance of his career), who plays Othenan Nambiar. The actor was not only in Jigarthanda, but also in Rang De Basanti, which was about… a movie being made about events from the British era.
Continued at the link above.
Copyright ©2018 Film Companion.
Baradwaj Rangan 
Rishikesh
April 15, 2018
I tried to make sense of the overtly dramatic second half, but still, I felt the makers were confused. Should we be taking it seriously or as a spoof. If it is the latter, then why bother with the authenticity. But truth is that cinema within cinema stuff alone could have made for another, more entertaining masala film.The first half too has its issues, the elaborate plan that Kammaran concocts doesn’t seem smart, cunning enough. Also the emotional beats fail to register…be it Kammaran’s pining for Bhanu or his anger towards Othenan. Only thing that comes through is Kammaran’s concern for his sister. Dileep was good in the first and Siddarth was effective in the second. But film was neither here nor there.
Murali Gopy is an interesting writer, in an industry which tries to go sneaky small, he is the only person who seem to aspire big. But he is not exploring the ambitious ideas adequately. Tiyyan , you ahted, too suffer the same issues. Kammaran was weaker in my opinion.
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Aman
April 15, 2018
Left and right in the context of Kerala is referring to CPIM led LDF and Congress led UDF ( Known as idathu paksham and valathu paksham), writer probably lamenting about the lack of his own tribe here. Same for all the jokes on pappu, Nehru- lady mount batten and pork-beef equivalence. I find Murali Gopy films overwrought, long drawn and mostly pretentious, more like a hard liner version of Ranjith. He is interesting as an actor and wrote some interesting bits in Ee Adutha Kalathu and Left Right Left.
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cesife
April 15, 2018
Kelu Nambiar (Murali Gopy) was othenan’s father .
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sri
April 15, 2018
I was getting bored of these back to back small realistic films in malayalam. Finally something big and entertaining with mass elements.. Excited to watch 😍
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MANK
April 16, 2018
I find Murali Gopy films overwrought, long drawn and mostly pretentious, more like a hard liner version of Ranjith
There is a big difference between Murali and Renjith. Renjith is mainly an ideator. with no cinematic sense. he has good ideas and some good intentions but very limited filmmaking skills. As you can see from the title of his films -indian rupee, new indian rupee, spirit, loham- , the ideas and intentions are right there in the title itself, (more like Bhandarkar, without his exploitative tendencies).his idea of covering up his filmmaking flaws is to go for overwrought intellectualism, especially in dialogues, which comes across as horribly pretentious. The sooner he quits directing , the better IMO.he should write (and produce) films for other directors
Murali , on the hand has a great sense of cinema. he is a very good screenplay writer.its just that he has developed a political consciousness in recent times that is heavily interfering in his writing.there are exactly 2 ways of doing political commentary in mainstream commercial cinema imo. one is the way Sreenivasan does it, finding comedy in all the absurdities of politics, the other what T.Damodaran did in tandem with IV Sasi, to tackle the issues head on in a masala universe.the other options are mainly in the art\parallel universe , the way directors like PA Backer or Lenin Rajendran do it. The problem with Murali is that he wants to do it all 3 ways in the same film. Thats what was wrong with Tiyaan.
i dont know how many have seen his first film Rasikan (with dileep) – both as a writer and actor- . its another superb meta masala film or rather a deconstruction of a masala film where he takes all the tropes of masala genre and subverts it, much much before maheshinte prathikaram.it was both very entertaining and a very solid effort at a new kind of cinema. The audience at the time was just not ready for that kind of film and it flopped badly.Hope with Kammarasambhavam , he gets the much deserved success
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Senthil S
April 16, 2018
Agree with MANK completely. It’s unfair to write off Murali Gopy as a preposterous writer based on one flop(Tiyaan). His other movies, including Rasikan, were interesting movies with sensitively written characters.
Ranjith also has his moments. Leela, Pranchiyettan, Indian Rupees, Njan. These are all very well written movies.
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Anu
April 16, 2018
Am i the only one who is bothered about the fact that Dileep continues to get roles and is lauded. This is a guy who is involved and has been arrested in the rape of an actress. In light of the recent protests in India, this is just awful.
I understand the debate between separation of art and the artist. I for one am unable to do that and seeing movies that involve him and reviewers lauding him just makes me depressed about the non-existent #metoo movement in India. Lord knows, India prob needs a moment of reckoning.
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Anu Warrier
April 16, 2018
Anu, another Anu here, who agrees with you wholeheartedly. I’m appalled by his continued existence in the professional sphere, and his success. Endorsed by the very same people who excoriate Salman Khan. Sauce for one gander should be sauce for another, no?
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Vivek narain
April 16, 2018
At mandelaeffect.com it became very apparent that history could have taken a beating by the effect, victors brahmins shills notwithstanding.
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Senthil S
April 16, 2018
@Anu(both of them)
IDK. I think the ostracization and pre-judgement of an individual who, is as yet still just an accused, an individual without any prior criminal history, an individual who was in jail for 3 months before a charge sheet was filed, is a bit dangerous. Innocent before proven guilty is a purely legal concept, but publicly shunning an individual whose case is not as clear cut as others(Sallu for example) is unhealthy.
Even then, I think his guilt or innocence is irrelevant within the context of film criticism. While the separation of art and artist isn’t entirely possible, viewing a film exclusively through that lens is pointless.
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Aman
April 16, 2018
@MANK Ranjith at least wrote some entertaining comedies that were good and cinematic as well, Renjith as a writer director on the other hand is big zero. Haven’t enjoyed anything by Murali Gopy, may be Ee Adutha Kaalathu is an exception. Gopy’s political consciousness is nothing new and he himself admitted that he used to go to shakhas and all as a kid. I would rate Ranjith over Murali Gopy purely on the basis that he wrote Pradeshika Varthakal, Peruvanapurathe Visheshangal, Nagarangalil Chennu Raparkam, Georgootty c/o Gerogotty, Johnny Walker and Devasuram. It’s unfair to call him as someone with no cinematic sense ( I am one of biggest detractors and always called him out once he started directing). T Damodaran on the other hand wrote some of the vicious savarna propaganda in films and Murali Gopy probably is a subtle version of him. Muali Gopy may have tried to hide his agenda though at times, but it always come out be it in person or in films.
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Vineet
April 17, 2018
@Aman “he himself admitted that he used to go to shakhas and all as a kid….
…Murali Gopy probably is a subtle version of him. Muali Gopy may have tried to hide his agenda though at times, but it always come out be it in person or in films.”
I see no problem in this. As a creative, it is quite natural to bring your own experience and perspective to your art form. I don’t see anyone complaining that American/European directors bringing their Christian themes into their film (say Scorsese).
I was born and brought in a Christian household. I’m a non-believer and I’m an atheist. But I enjoy a well-made film irrespective of its religious theme or tropes embedded in the story and narrative.
I remember listening to an interview of VK Murthy regarding about Pyaasa (Guru Dutt) where christian themes of death and resurrection of christ. I found it fascinating!
A shot from Pyaasa, where the poet returns:
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MANK
April 17, 2018
I would rate Ranjith over Murali Gopy purely on the basis that he wrote Pradeshika Varthakal, Peruvanapurathe Visheshangal, Nagarangalil Chennu Raparkam, Georgootty c/o Gerogotty, Johnny Walker and Devasuram
Aman ,Those films were in Renjith’s formative years and he was yet to find his voice.Not to take anything away from him, but i can feel the voice of Kamal or a viji thampi very clearly in those films. btw,Johnny walker was a terrible film no? Devasuram was the film with which he found his voice and there is no disputing the quality of the writing there, even though i believe IV sasi had a lot to do with how well that film turned out.
And if you are saying T Damodaran is a vicious propagator of savarna ideology, what about Aaram thampuran, Narasimham and Valiyettan, was there ever a more vicious propagator than Renjith. Nothing that TD wrote ever came close to this . As far as i remember, the 2 TD films with overt savarna ideology were Aryan & Adhwaitam, both directed by Priyadarshan . His IV Sasi films never had the kind of vicious ideology propagation as in the Renjith scripted Shaji Kailas directed films that came later
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sri
April 25, 2018
hi sir.. dont miss swathanthryam ardharathriyil… From team angamalydiaries.. Really good movie but will leave chennai theatres soon
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hari prasad
September 6, 2023
MANK , can you please elaborate on why do you think Rasikan is a superb deconstruction of a masala movie?
I’ve been listening to the excellent Vidyasagar soundtrack on loop all these weeks and I’m thinking of watching it.
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