the great indian kitchen movie review 123telugu

Saturday , 20 April 2024

HT తెలుగు వివరాలు

The Great Indian Kitchen Review: ది గ్రేట్ ఇండియ‌న్ కిచెన్ మూవీ రివ్యూ - ఐశ్వ‌ర్య రాజేష్ సినిమా ఎలా ఉందంటే

The Great Indian Kitchen Review: ఐశ్వ‌ర్య‌రాజేష్‌, రాహుల్ ర‌వీంద్ర‌న్ ప్ర‌ధాన పాత్ర‌ల్లో న‌టించిన సినిమా ది గ్రేట్ ఇండియ‌న్ కిచెన్‌. మ‌ల‌యాళ రీమేక్‌గా తెర‌కెక్కిన ఈ సినిమా జీ5 ఓటీటీలో రిలీజైంది.

The Great Indian Kitchen Review: 2021లో మ‌ల‌యాళంలో రూపొందిన ది గ్రేట్ ఇండియ‌న్ కిచెన్ సినిమా విమ‌ర్శ‌కుల ప్ర‌శంస‌ల‌ను అందుకున్న‌ది. ఈసినిమాను అదే పేరుతో త‌మిళంలో ఐశ్వ‌ర్య‌రాజేష్(Aishwarya Rajesh) హీరోయిన్‌గా ఈ ఏడాది రీమేక్ చేశారు. ఈ సినిమాకు క‌ణ్ణ‌న్ ద‌ర్శ‌క‌త్వం వ‌హించాడు. రాహుల్ ర‌వీంద్ర‌న్(Rahul Ravindran) కీల‌క పాత్ర పోషించాడు. ఇటీవ‌ల జీ5 (Zee5 OTT) ద్వారా ఓటీటీ ప్రేక్ష‌కుల ముందుకొచ్చిన ఈ సినిమా ఎలా ఉందంటే...

The Great Indian Kitchen Story -వంటింటి క‌థ‌...

ఐశ్వ‌ర్య‌రాజేష్ క్లాసిక‌ల్ డ్యాన్స్ నేర్చుకుంటుంది. డ్యాన్స్ టీచ‌ర్‌గా ప‌నిచేయాల‌ని క‌ల‌లు కంటుంది. ఆమెకు ఓ స్కూల్‌లో టీచ‌ర్‌గా ప‌నిచేసే రాహుల్ ర‌వీంద్ర‌న్‌తో పెళ్ల‌వుతుంది. రాహుల్ ర‌వీంద్ర‌న్ ఫ్యామిలీ సంప్ర‌దాయాల‌కు ఎక్కువ‌గా ప‌ట్టింపునిస్తుంటారు. ఆడ‌వాళ్లు ఇంటికే ప‌రిమితం కావాల‌ని న‌మ్ముతుంటారు.

ఇంటి ప‌నులు చేయ‌డ‌మే ఆడ‌వాళ్ల బాధ్య‌త అని రాహుల్ ర‌వీంద్ర‌న్‌తో పాటు అత‌డి తండ్రి చెబుతుంటారు. ఎన్నో క‌ల‌ల‌తో కొత్త జీవితాన్ని మొద‌లుపెట్టిన ఐశ్వ‌ర్య‌రాజేష్ అత్తింటి క‌ట్టుబాట్ల కార‌ణంగా వంటింటికే ప‌రిమిత‌మ‌వుతుంది.

కాలం చెల్లిన భ‌ర్త ఆలోచ‌న విధానాల వ‌ల్ల‌ ఐశ్వ‌ర్య‌రాజేష్ ఎలాంటి సంఘ‌ర్ష‌ణ‌ను ఎదుర్కొన్న‌ది? భ‌ర్త‌, మామ‌ల‌కు ఆమె ఎలా బుద్దిచెప్పింది? త‌న క‌ల‌ల సాకారం కోసం ఐశ్వ‌ర్య రాజేష్ తీసుకున్న నిర్ణ‌య‌మేమిట‌న్న‌దే(The Great Indian Kitchen Review) ది గ్రేట్ ఇండియ‌న్ కిచెన్ క‌థ‌.

హోమ్ మినిస్ట‌ర్‌...

ఆడ‌వాళ్ల‌ను హోమ్ మినిస్ట‌ర్ అని పిలుస్తుంటారు. కుటుంబ బాధ్య‌త‌ల్నిఆడ‌వాళ్ల‌కు అప్ప‌చెప్పి వారిని ఇంటికే ప‌రిమితం చేయ‌డమే హోమ్ మినిస్ట‌ర్ అంటే అర్థ‌మా అని ద‌ర్శ‌కుడు క‌ణ్ణ‌న్ సూటిగా ఈ సినిమా ద్వారా స‌మాజాన్ని ప్ర‌శ్నించారు.

ఉద్యోగాలు చేయ‌డం మ‌గ‌వాళ్ల బాధ్య‌త ఇంటిని చ‌క్క‌దిద్ద‌డం ఆడ‌వాళ్ల ప‌ని అంటూ స‌మాజంలో పేరుకుపోయిన పురాత‌న‌ క‌ట్టుబాట్లు సంప్ర‌దాయాల కార‌ణంగా మ‌హిళ‌లు ఎలాంటి వివ‌క్ష‌ను ఎదుర్కొంటున్నారో(The Great Indian Kitchen Review) ఈ సినిమాలో ఆలోచ‌నాత్మ‌కంగా చూపించారు.

కాలం మారుతోన్న కొంద‌రు మాత్రం ఇప్ప‌టికీ ఈ క‌ట్టుబాట్ల పేరుతో మ‌హిళ‌ల క‌ల‌ల్ని ఎలా కాల‌రాస్తున్నారో సందేశాత్మ‌కంగా ఆవిష్క‌రించారు. వంట‌గ‌ది నుంచే మ‌హిళ‌ల‌పై వివ‌క్ష మొద‌ల‌వుతుంద‌నే పాయింట్‌ను చ‌ర్చిస్తూ సినిమాను రూపొందించారు.

క‌ల‌లో కూడా...

రాహుల్ ర‌వీంద్ర‌న్‌, ఐశ్వ‌ర్య‌రాజేష్ పెళ్లిచూపుల‌తో ఈసినిమా మొద‌ల‌వుతుంది. పెళ్లి చేసుకొని అత్తారింట్లో అడుగుపెట్టిన ఐశ్వ‌ర్య‌రాజేష్‌ భ‌ర్త తో పాటు మామ‌కు వండిపెడుతూ వంటింటికే ఎలా ప‌రిమిత‌మైంద‌న్న‌ది చూపిస్తూ క థ‌ను ముందుకు న‌డిపించారు ద‌ర్శ‌కుడు.

చివ‌ర‌కు క‌ల‌లో కూడా వంటిల్లే క‌నిపించేంత‌గా అదే ఆమె లోకంగా ఎలా మారిపోయిందో రియ‌లిస్టిక్‌గా చూపించారు. వంటింటి బంధిఖానా నుంచి బ‌య‌ట‌ప‌డ‌టానికి దారితీసిన స‌న్నివేశాల్ని వాస్త‌విక కోణంలో స్క్రీన్‌పై ప్ర‌జెంట్ చేసిన‌ విధానం బాగుంది.ఈ సినిమాలో హీరోహీరోయిన్ల‌తో పాటు మిగిలిన పాత్ర‌ల‌కు పేర్లు పెట్ట‌లేదు డైరెక్ట‌ర్‌.

అదే మైన‌స్‌...

సినిమా మొత్తం వంటింటికే ప‌రిమితం కావ‌డం సినిమాకు మైన‌స్‌గా మారింది. చూపించిన సీన్స్‌నే మ‌ళ్లీ మ‌ళ్లీ చూపిస్తూ బోర్ కొట్టించారు. భార్య‌ను భ‌ర్త ద్వేషించే సీన్స్‌లో కొన్ని కావాల‌నే క్రియేట్ చేసిన‌ట్లుగా ఉన్నాయి.

రియ‌లిస్టిక్ యాక్టింగ్‌...

ఇంటి బాధ్య‌త‌ల పేరుతో అనుక్ష‌ణం వివ‌క్ష‌కు లోన‌య్యే యువ‌తిగా ఐశ్వ‌ర్య రాజేష్ న‌ట‌న బాగుంది. త‌న క‌ల‌ల‌కు వాస్త‌వ జీవితానికి మ‌ధ్య నిరంత‌రం సంఘ‌ర్ష‌ణ‌ను ఎదుర్కొనే పాత్ర‌లో ఎమోష‌న్స్ ప‌డించిన తీరు మోప్పిస్తుంది. మూఢ‌న‌మ్మ‌కాల్ని, ఆచారాల్ని పాటించే ఉన్న‌త విద్యావంతుడైన భ‌ర్త‌గా రాహుల్ ర‌వీంద్ర‌న్ క‌నిపించాడు. వీరిద్ద‌రి పాత్ర‌ల నేప‌థ్యంలోనే ఈసినిమా సాగుతుంది.

The Great Indian Kitchen Review:-మంచి సందేశం...

ది గ్రేట్ ఇండియ‌న్ కిచెన్ చ‌క్క‌టి సందేశంతో రూపొందిన సినిమా. మ‌ల‌యాళ సినిమాను సీన్ టూ సీన్ కాపీ చేయ‌డం వ‌ల్ల క‌మ‌ర్షియాలిటీ దూరంగా సాగిన ఫీలింగ్ క‌లుగుతుంది. కానీ సినిమాలో చ‌ర్చించిన అంశం మాత్రం ఆలోచ‌న‌ను రేకెత్తిస్తుంది.

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దేశవ్యాప్తంగా చర్చ రేపుతున్న ‘గ్రేట్‌ ఇండియన్‌ కిచెన్‌’ రివ్యూ.

వంట ఎవరిది? ఈ ఆదిమ ప్రశ్నకు సమాధానంగా పురుషుడు అనాదిగా స్త్రీ వైపు వేలు చూపిస్తూ వచ్చాడు. స్త్రీ ఇంట్లో ఉండాలి. ఉత్తినే ఉండకూడదు.. వంట చేస్తూ ఉండాలి. పురుషుడు ఇంటికొచ్చే వేళకు ఆమె భోజనం సిద్ధం చేయాలి. పురుషుడు కూడా తెలివైనవాడు. అందుకు బదులుగా ఆమెకు ఒక నగ చేయిస్తాడు. ఒక చీర కొనిపెడతాడు. ‘నేనేమైనా వంట గదిలోకి వస్తున్నానా? అక్కడి పెత్తనమంతా నీదేగా’ అని ఇంట్లో మూలగా ఉండే వంట గదిని ఆమెకు రాసిస్తాడు. ఆ పనిలో ఎప్పటికీ సాయం చేయడు. అది తన పని కాదు. అది ఆమెదే.

కిచెన్‌ కే సైడ్‌ ఎఫెక్ట్స్‌ వంట అంటే కేవలం వంటేనా? పొయ్యి మీద నుంచి దించడమేనా? కాదు... కాదు.. వంట అంటే కప్‌బోర్డ్‌లో సరుకులు ఉన్నాయో లేవో చూసుకుంటూ ఉండాలి.. ఫ్రిజ్‌లో పాలున్నాయో లేవో చూసుకుంటూ ఉండాలి... గిన్నెలు శుభ్రంగా ఉన్నాయో లేవో చూసుకుంటూ ఉండాలి... మిగిలినవి పారబోయకుండా వాటిని మళ్లీ ఎలా వాడాలా చూసుకుంటూ వుండాలి... మూడు పూట్లా తిన్నాక పడే ముప్పై అంట్లను తిరిగి తోమితోమి మర్నాటికి సిద్ధం చేసుకుంటూ ఉండాలి... ఇంట్లో వాళ్లకు ఏం కావాలన్నా మనమే వొండాలి. మనకు ఏం కావాలన్నా మనమే వొండిపెట్టుకోవాలి. ఇంతా అయ్యాకా? ‘ఇంకొంచెం ఉడకనివ్వాల్సింది’... ‘కొంచెం కారం తక్కువైంది’.. ‘మా అమ్మైతే ఇలా చచ్చినా చేయదు’... ‘ఏనాడు సరిగ్గా వొండావు కనుక’... ‘ఒక్క కూరే తగలడ్డావేం’.. ఇలాంటి మాటలు వినాలి. వినాలి. వినాలి. వింటూ ఉండటమేనా పని.

ది గ్రేట్‌ ఇండియన్‌ కిచెన్‌ ‘నేను వినను’ అనుకుంది ఆ ఇంటి కోడలు. ‘నేను వినదలుచుకోలేదు’ అని కూడా అనుకుంటుంది గట్టిగా ఆ సినిమాలో. చదువుకున్న అమ్మాయి తను. డాన్సర్‌. సరే అందరూ పెళ్లి చేసుకోవాల్సిందే కనుక పెళ్లి చేసుకుంది. పెళ్లి ఎందుకు చేసుకుంది. జీవించడానికి. జీవితంలో వంట ఉంటుందని ఆమెకు కూడా తెలుసు. కాని అతనికి మాత్రం వంట మధ్య ఆమె ఉంటుంది. ఉదయం లేస్తే మావగారికి, భర్త గారికి వొండి వొండి ఆమెకు సరిపోతూ ఉంటుంది. మామగారు కట్టెల మీద ఉడికించిన అన్నాన్నే తింటారు. భర్త గారు మధ్యాహ్నం మిగిలిన అన్నం ఉందిరా మగడా అంటే ‘రాత్రయితే నేను చపాతీయే తింటాను’ అంటాడు.

మిక్సీలో పచ్చడి వేయకూడదట. రోటి పచ్చడి చేయాలట. రాత్రి మిగిలిన కూరను పొద్దునకు వేడి చేసి పెట్టకూడదట. ఫ్రెష్‌గా చేయాలట. అంట్లు సింకులో ఇన్నిన్ని. దానికి లీకేజీ ప్రాబ్లమ్‌. ‘ప్లంబర్‌ని పిలువు తండ్రీ’ అని భర్తతో అంటే అదేమైనా పెద్ద సమస్యా పట్టించుకోవడానికి? ఆమెకు కలలో, శృంగారం లో కూడా అంట్లే గుర్తుకొస్తుంటాయి. ఇంట్లో అత్తగారు లేరా? ఉంది. ఆమె చేసి చేసి చేసి సున్నమై ఉంది. ఆమెను వొదులుతారా? కూతురు కడుపు తో ఉంటే అల్లుడిగారికి అన్నీ వొండి పెట్టడానికి పిలిపిస్తారు. ప్రతి ఇంట్లో పొయ్యి మండుతూ ఉండాలి. ఇల్లాలి చెమట కారుతూ ఉండాలి. ఎంత కాలం?

ప్రతిఘటన ఇంతలో భర్త, మామగారు అయ్యప్ప మాల వేస్తారు. ఆ మాల వేసినప్పటి నుంచి ఆమెకు టెన్షన్‌. ఎదురు పడకూడదు. పొరపాటున కూడా భర్తను తాకకూడదు. బహిష్టు అయితే గదిలో దాక్కుని ఉండాలి. స్త్రీల గర్భం నుంచే లోపలి మలినాన్ని చీల్చుకునే పుడతారు అందరూ. కాని ఆమెకు మలినం ఉండే రోజులను లెక్కగడతారు. ఉన్న ఇద్దరికి వొండలేక కోడలు సతమతమవుతుంటే ఈ అయ్యప్ప భక్తుల రాకపోకలు, పూజలు దానికి సంబంధించిన వంట చాకిరి... ఆమె విసిగిపోతుంది.

నిజమే. ఇంట్లో పనులు చేయదగ్గ శక్తి ఉంటే చేయొచ్చు. కాని ఆ పనిలో భాగస్వామ్యం అక్కర్లేదా? తోడు అక్కర్లేదా? ఏం చేస్తావులే.. ఈ పూటకు రెస్ట్‌ తీసుకో అనే మాట అక్కర్లేదా... ఎలాగోలా వండుతున్నావో అదే పదివేలు అనే కృతజ్ఞత అక్కర్లేదా? లోకంలో వంట మనిషితో మర్యాదగా వ్యవహరిస్తారు జనం ఎక్కడ మానేస్తుందో అని. ఈమె కోడలు? ఎక్కడకు పారిపోతుంది? తాగిన టీ కప్పు అయినా కడిగి పెట్టరా గాడిదా అని భర్త గురించి ఆమె మనుసులో అనుకుంటూ ఉంటుందో లేదోకాని ప్రేక్షకులకు అనిపిస్తూ ఉంటుంది. చివరకు ఆమె క్లయిమాక్స్‌లో తీవ్రంగా విసిగిపోతుంది. భర్త మీద, మామగారి మీద మురికి నీళ్లు పోసి ఆ ఇంటి నుంచి శాశ్వతంగా బయటపడుతుంది.

ఇది ఈ సమస్యకు పరిష్కారమా? అంటే కాకపోవచ్చు. ఇది ఈ సమస్యను ముఖాన గుద్ది చూపిన ఒక ప్రతిఘటన అనుకోవాలి. తెలుగు సాహిత్యంలో ఎన్నో కథలు వంట బాధతో అల్లాడే స్త్రీల వ్యధను చెప్పాలి. ఇవాళ ‘ది గ్రేట్‌ ఇండియన్‌ కిచెన్‌’ చాలా శక్తిమంతంగా స్త్రీ వేదనను చూపింది. వంటలో ఉండే శ్రమ, వొత్తిడి, పురుషుడి యజమాని పాత్ర ఎంత అమానమీయమైనవో ఈ సినిమా చూపుతుంది. ఇంట్లో స్త్రీ పురుషులు ఇద్దరూ ఉన్నప్పుడు వంట పని స్త్రీది మాత్రమే ఎలా అవుతుంది? వంట మీద వ్యతిరేకత కాదు ఈ సినిమా. వంటకు సంబంధించిన శ్రమలో విభజన, మానవీయత అవసరం గురించి మాట్లాడటమే ఈ సినిమా.

కట్టెల పొయ్యి వెళ్లి గ్యాస్‌ స్టౌ వచ్చి ఉండొచ్చు. కాని ఏ ఇంటిలో అయినా స్త్రీ ఆ గ్యాస్‌ స్టౌ ఎదుట రోజూ ఎన్ని గంటలు నిలుచుంటున్నదో లెక్క వేసుకుంటే అలా నిలుచోబెట్టడం ఎంత న్యాయమైన పనో ఆలోచించాల్సిన అవసరం అందరికీ ఉంది. సినిమా క్లయిమాక్స్‌లో ‘ఏరా.. నీ నీళ్లు నువ్వు తాగలేవా’ అని తమ్ముణ్ణి తిడుతుంది అక్క, అత్తారింటి నుంచి పారిపోయి వచ్చాక, వాడు చెల్లెల్ని నీళ్లు అడుగుతుంటే. ఇంట్లో ఉండే అబ్బాయిలకు ముందు నుంచి ఈ సంస్కారం నేర్పిస్తే వంట గదులు ఇద్దరూ కలిసి పని చేసే గదులు అవుతాయి. ఆ రోజు రావాలని హెచ్చరించే సినిమా ‘ది గ్రేట్‌ ఇండియన్‌ కిచెన్‌’.

ది గ్రేట్‌ ఇండియన్‌ కిచెన్‌ జనవరి 15న ‘నీస్ట్రీమ్‌’ అనే ఓటిటి ప్లాట్‌ఫామ్‌ ద్వారా విడుదలైన మలయాళ సినిమా ‘ది గ్రేట్‌ ఇండియన్‌ కిచెన్‌’. జో బేబీ దీని దర్శకుడు. నిమిష సజయన్, సూరజ్‌ వంజర మూడు నటించారు. సినిమా అంతా కేవలం ఒక ఇంట్లో జరుగుతుంది. దాదాపుగా ఇన్‌డోర్‌లో ఎక్కువగా కిచెన్‌లో జరుగుతుంది. క్లయిమాక్స్‌లో మాత్రమే ఒక్కసారి ఔట్‌డోర్‌ కనిపిస్తుంది. దర్శకుడు ఈ సినిమాలో స్త్రీలు వంట చేయడానికి పడే శ్రమను వారి అప్రమత్తతను శక్తిమంతంగా చూపిస్తాడు. వండకపోయినా కనీసం టేబుల్‌ మేనర్స్‌ కూడా పాటించని మగవాళ్లను ఈసడించుకునేలా చేస్తాడు. తిన్నాక మిగిలిన దానిని డస్ట్‌బిన్‌లో వేసి కంచం శుభ్రం చేసి పెట్టే పని కూడా చేయని మగవారు ఉంటే ఆ ఇంటి ఆడవాళ్లు ఆ రోతను ఎలా భరిస్తూ వెళతాడో చూపిస్తాడు. వంట పనిని ఆడవాళ్లకు అప్పజెప్పడంలో ఏ కులమూ ఏ మతమూ వెనుకాడలేదు. ఫలానా మతంలోకి మారితే వంట పని ఉండదు అనంటే ఈ దేశంలో బహుశా ప్రపంచమంతా ఆ మతంలోకి ఆడవారు మారిపోతారని నిర్వివాదాంశంగా చెప్పవచ్చు. వంట గురించి స్త్రీల మొత్తుకోళ్లు సాగుతూనే ఉంటాయి. ఇది మాత్రం మాడుకోలు. అంటే మగవారి మాడును పగలగొట్టిన సినిమా అని మాత్రం చెప్పక తప్పదు.

– సాక్షి ఫ్యామిలీ

సంబంధిత వార్తలు

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The Great Indian Kitchen movie review: Startling, scathing, stunning take-down of patriarchy and its eternal sidekick, religion

I went into The Great Indian Kitchen expecting a pleasurable food flick, and sat in its thrall for 1 hour 40 minutes watching an unparalleled gem.

Language: Malayalam

She chops, slices, dices and grinds. She cooks, washes, wipes, sweeps and swabs.   

Meanwhile, he does yoga before breakfast and office. In another part of the house, her father-in-law waits for a woman of the house to put toothpaste on his toothbrush and bring it to him while he sits relaxing or reading the newspaper on the porch.   

As the men exercise their bodies and minds, she picks up the trail of garbage they leave in their wake.

She takes out the trash. She keeps out the holy lamp. She is the first to wake up and the last to bed, there to be raped by him to whom she is legally and socially bound.

Writer-director Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen aka    Mahaththaya Bharatiya Adukkala is a Great Indian Film that captures an under-discussed horrific reality with astonishing accuracy, by merely replicating on screen what happens in millions of Indian households. It is in Malayalam, but the title reminds us that patriarchy knows no state borders. The characters have no names because they are you and I and everyone around.   

(Minor spoilers in this paragraph) A wife leaving her husband’s shoes out for him to step into as he leaves the house, a man cooking one meal and leaving a mess behind for women to clean up while lauding himself for having given those women a break – these are not mere fictional scenes in a film, these are snapshots from homes we inhabit or have visited ,  where women’s hard labour is romanticised as a mark of a devi -like unlimited capacity for love and sacrifice in a pre-emptive bid to demonise women who break free. (Spoiler alert ends)

I went into The Great Indian Kitchen expecting a pleasurable food flick, and sat in its thrall for 1 hour 40 minutes watching an unparalleled gem.   

It could have been called Portrait of a Wife as Cook, Cleaner, All-round Housemaid and Sex Slave , but that would not fully capture what this extraordinary film conveys.

There is no story to tell, so here is a precis of the first 9 minutes. Nimisha Sajayan plays a dancer in The Great Indian Kitchen . The film opens with her family preparing for a pennu kaanal (a potential groom coming to see a girl for an arranged marriage). Suraj Venjaramoodu’s character arrives. He is the prospective husband. We have seen her house and family, but are told nothing about him, his occupation or financial background in those early scenes except for snatches of a fleeting conversation implying that he is from the sort of family that is considered ‘prestigious’.   

Formalities are completed, rituals are done and dusted, and soon the new bride arrives in her new home, where her routine as a wife and daughter-in-law sets in.

I have seen Jeo Baby’s last film, Kunju Daivam ( The Little God , 2018), which earned Adish Praveen the National Film Award for Best Child Artist. It was sweet and clever for a while, but the storytelling lacked polish and it didn’t come together for me. Nothing in Kunju Daivam prepared me for the utter brilliance, the acute power of observation, the subtlety and finesse of The Great Indian Kitchen . Note the song sung with the closing credits, the lyrics brimming with literary tropes that have long been summoned to glorify women and thus keep them enchained.   

Sajayan here lives up to the formidable reputation she has built for herself in her brief career. From her debut in Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (2017) to Eeda (2018), Chola (2020) and a bunch of other films, her strength has been the ability to immerse herself so completely in a role that it becomes near-impossible to believe she is not that very person in real life. In The Great Indian Kitchen she flows through the veins and breathes through every cell of the unnamed Wife.   

Venjaramoodu, her senior co-star from Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum , displays remarkable artistic intelligence by playing The Great Indian Kitchen ’s Husband not as an overtly repulsive fellow but as a seemingly diffident Everyman with a nice-guy demeanour whose regressive attitudes stress the fact that villains are usually the regular chap next door.   

Jeo Baby has done well to pack his uniformly flawless supporting cast with unfamiliar faces – Sidhartha Siva is the only ‘star’ among them. The rest are theatre actors from Kozhikode who come across as real people plucked out of real life for the film.

The understatedness of their acting is complemented by every technical department, from supervising sound designer Tony Babu’s finely detailed palette of swishes, trickles, bubbling oils and human mouths chomping down food, to DoP Salu K Thomas’s shooting of the leading lady’s dimly lit marital prison until that glorious finale with its explosion of brightness and light. The editor, Francies Louis, ensures that every single shot in the film counts. And costume designer Dhanya Balakrishnan dresses the characters in outfits that provide a range of insights into Malayali culture, until that luscious closing scene in which she gets to give her imagination free rein. Even the subtitles are top-notch.

The only scene lacking subtlety in The Great Indian Kitchen involves a telephone conversation between the female lead and her friend. No other point in the film is put across with so much underlining.   

Jeo Baby weaves the Sabarimala Temple’s refusal to allow menstruating women near the deity so smoothly into his story that it is hard to tell when it begins. This film is unlike Lal Jose’s comparatively bland Nalpathiyonnu (41) , which used Sabarimala as a hook but was hesitant to make any contentious statement about it.   

It should be a matter of pride for the Malayalam film industry aka Mollywood that within a span of a year it has given us stinging critiques of both Hinduism (this film) and Christianity (Midhun Manuel Thomas’s Anjaam Pathiraa ) in the state. There are many such Malayalam films and no space here for an exhaustive list. At a time when Muslims are being demonised across India, offering a balanced, fair critique of Islam is trickier because the community is on edge and liberal filmmakers might fear that their works will be misused by anti-Muslim elements, but Mollywood has shown the intellect, sensitivity and courage to do even this. In a post-9/11 scenario, for instance, producer Aryadan Shoukath and director T.V. Chandran made Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam (2003), skewering a reprehensible Muslim social practice.   

The uniqueness of Kerala society as compared to other Indian states lends itself to such cinema – Hindus account for approximately 55 per cent of Kerala’s population , Muslims about 27 per cent while Christians are a little above 18 per cent. This means that though Muslims and Christians are a minority, their percentage is still large enough versus the national 14.2 per cent Muslims and 2.3 per cent Christians to ensure that neither community has a justifiable reason to feel insecure in Kerala.   

Among many memorable elements in The Great Indian Kitchen is that moment when a woman weaponises a man’s conviction that menstruation makes her impure. Take that, misogyny!   

That said, the film does marginally falter in its conversation on periods. Of course it is despicable that a woman is seen as a pollutant when she is menstruating, but The Great Indian Kitchen misses a crucial nuance: unlike this film’s heroine, many women suffer from pain or extreme discomfort in addition to heavy bleeding, and enforced segregation in homes that consider them dirty at this time of the month is, ironically, the only reason why they get the rest they so desperately need.   

In a Mollywood that tends to normalise domestic violence (recent examples being Aadya Rathri and Ayyappanum Koshiyum ), The Great Indian Kitchen illustrates how horrendous realities can be portrayed without being casual about them. ( Minor spoiler ahead ) It also shows layering among progressives exemplified by a Hindu man who has no qualms about eating beef in his house but has no reservations either about his wife serving food to family and guests as he sits around being served.   

(Minor spoilers in this paragraph) Unlike many films that let men off lightly for patriarchy by emphasising women who buy into patriarchy and perpetuate it, The Great Indian Kitchen has the intellectual depth to portray a range of women, from victims to rebels, from enablers of patriarchy to allies of other women. My favourite supporting character in the film has barely any minutes on screen, but a key argument is driven home through her: contrary to social and cinematic stereotypes, the mother-in-law (a wonderful Ajitha VM) symbolises female solidarity and shared suffering here – Aparna Sen’s Paromitar Ek Din (Bengali, 2000) devoted its entire length to this theme; The Great Indian Kitchen does it with brief conversations and by showing the senior lady slaving away in the posh house of her well-off married daughter who is nearing the end of a pregnancy. This also brings up another facet of Indian society – family support – that is romanticised endlessly while its exploitative aspects are ignored: that Indian families walk the extra mile to support each other is great, but that’s no reason to ignore the uncomfortable truth that this culture is routinely misused to take advantage of considerate relatives. (Spoiler alert ends)

The director’s commitment to his theme is best illustrated by his decision to begin and end with shots of Sajayan. Even Take Off – one of the best Malayalam films of the past decade – veered from its course (as so many women-focused films do) by ending on Fahadh Faasil’s voice and image though it told the story of Parvathy’s character.

The Great Indian Kitchen is a startling, scathing, stunning take-down of patriarchy and its eternal sidekick, religion. That Jeo Baby achieves so much with the simplest of stories, one that has been staring us all in the face all our lives, is what makes it such a work of genius.   

Rating : 4.5 out of 5 stars

This review was published in January 2021 when The Great Indian Kitchen became available on the Malayalam-only streaming service Neestream. The film is now also on Amazon Prime Video.

(All images from the film’s trailer )

RELATED LINK:  

Jeo Baby Director’s Cut: On The Great Indian Kitchen, piracy, censorship, Sabarimala and a fear of right-wingers among TV channels

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The Great Indian Kitchen review: Powerful film on patriarchy and men-governed traditions

The great indian kitchen has to be the most powerful film on patriarchy in recent years and it makes for a very important watch. its lead actor nimisha sajayan is unbelievably convincing..

The Great Indian Kitchen

Director : Jeo Baby

Cast : Nimisha Sajayan, Suraj Venjaramoodu

Films that question patriarchy are often criticized because they’re mostly made by men, and it is argued that rarely do they do justice to the subject. Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen is an exception, and one that questions the deep-rootedness of patriarchy in our society as realistically as possible without any gimmicks. Without picking sides, the film quietly, in the most harrowing fashion, gives us a glimpse into the life of a married woman in India and her role in the kitchen. With each shot, the film makes one squirm in his seat while asking questions such as how we treat women in our homes.

The film opens with the shot of Nimisha in a dance class. We see that she’s happy, and that it’s something that brings her joy, which is evident from the smile on her face. These opening shots are cut with shots of food being prepared at Nimisha’s house as the family is getting ready to host the groom’s family. A couple of scenes later, she’s married and we see her in her husband’s home. As she gets used to the traditions of the family, her life unfolds in the kitchen. What is eventually made to look like a household chore (which it isn’t) slowly turns into a nightmare, a grind that she can’t escape from. As she tries to grapple with the situation while trying to be the ideal wife and daughter-in-law, she starts to suffocate with nobody to her rescue.

Every time the movie shifts the camera on a female character, we see her in the kitchen or attending to the men in the house. While the women toil and break their backs in the kitchen, the men are lazing around, scrolling through videos on whatsapp and leaving behind food waste on the dining table for the women to clean. The film’s most beautiful but haunting shots take place in the kitchen. As the camera zooms in on the food being prepared, all one could think of is how lip-smackingly delicious it could taste. But as the camera pans on the women who are making those dishes, working in the most horrible conditions, it’s a stark reminder of the reality and how patriarchy has enslaved women.

A lot of scenes take place in the kitchen. This is just to drive home the point that we have normalised women being in the kitchen, like it’s no big deal. Scenes are cut back and forth from kitchen to the bedroom. In one beautiful scene, Nimisha tells her husband that she’d really appreciate some foreplay when they get intimate. The husband mocks at her knowledge about foreplay and behaves as though it’s a crime for women to seek all that. There’s a hard-hitting subplot about menstruation and we see how the family treats Nimisha during this phase. While the men in the house prepare themselves for a trip to Sabarimala and talk about purity; nobody is bothered about the women who slog to keep everything clean. In another powerful scene, the father-in-law tells Nimisha to drop her idea of applying for a job because he feels the job women do in the house is far more superior to what bureaucrats and ministers do.

Also read: Here’s a glimpse of Anushka Sharma-Virat Kohli's Mumbai home as they welcome their baby girl

Nimisha Sajayan is unbelievably convincing as the wife who struggles to adjust to the life dictated by men in her family. Her character and performance are so relatable and you’d wonder if anyone else could’ve played her part more aptly. As much as the film talks about patriarchy, it’s also about those oppressed women who never question these men governed traditions.

The Great Indian Kitchen has to be the most powerful film on patriarchy in recent years and it makes for a very important watch.

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'The Great Indian Kitchen' movie review: A well-intentioned, functional remake

Retelling stories is an art in itself. We see how folklore has a way of being retold multiple times across generations to drive home various pressing themes sugarcoated in a fantastical premise. But then, some concerns need to be told in a rooted premise to usher a change among the discerning audience. Some of these stories need to be told again and again, in as many languages as possible because of the core premise.

Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen (TGIK) was one such Malayalam film that came right at the time the world was witnessing the 4th wave of feminism. The film spoke about the sad state of affairs in our homes. Considering the unfortunate universality of the theme, it is heartening that filmmaker Kannan decided to remake this film in Tamil, and cast Aishwarya Rajesh and Rahul Ravindran in the remake.

TGIK revolves around a newly married couple — a Bharathanatyam dancer, and a sociology teacher. The story unfolds with Aishwarya’s character going through the grim reality of being a “home administer” and spending most of the time cooking and cleaning the mess on the dining table, floor, and the clogged sink. At a point, her hands start to stink due to repeated cleaning of the clogged sink. The remake retains the crux and genuine intentions of the original.

The sounds of chopping vegetables, cooking, and washing reverberate monotony that eventually suffocates the audience. However, this Tamil adaptation relies heavily on background score to enhance laboured performances. In this scene-to-scene adaptation, several crucial instances try to convey the underlying politics of these scenarios. However, the staging of these scenes and performances lacks a sense of organic flow. The central characters try hard to do justice to their roles, but unfortunately, it doesn’t match or come close to the finesse of the original’s cast. The pregnant pauses that made the audiences squirm were a miss in the adaptation. In the end, the layered emotions portrayed by Nimisha were replaced with just anger by Aishwarya.  

The decision to recreate a kitchen that is almost similar to the one seen in the original didn’t really work because it felt artificial. However, such foibles can be overlooked, to an extent, as the film definitely has good intentions. TGIK has found a Tamil voice through Kannan. Did it ring loud, and clear? Probably not. But as the credits roll, TGIK reiterates that a woman breaking out of patriarchy and making the people who thrive in the system get a liberal dose of the daily muck of an oppressive ‘natural order’ will always be satisfying.

The Great Indian Kitchen

Director: R Kannan Cast: Aishwarya Rajesh, Rahul Ravindran, Poster Nandakumar, Kalairani, and Yogi B abu

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The Great Indian Kitchen

Post her marriage, a woman tries to fit into the conventional mould that society has prescribed for married women. But somewhere along the way, she starts feeling that this is not the life s... Read all Post her marriage, a woman tries to fit into the conventional mould that society has prescribed for married women. But somewhere along the way, she starts feeling that this is not the life she wants. Post her marriage, a woman tries to fit into the conventional mould that society has prescribed for married women. But somewhere along the way, she starts feeling that this is not the life she wants.

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Review: “The Great Indian Kitchen” Showcases the Subtle Suffering of Women in Indian Households

The Great Indian Kitchen highlights the subtle suppression of women as a practice carried out in their own homes and even perpetuated by other women.

By Anuj Chakrapani , 7 Mar 21 23:55 GMT

The flashes of delectable cuisine at the start of Malayalam filmmaker Jeo Baby ’s The Great Indian Kitchen , are reminiscent of other movies where food forms a central theme to the plot. Unlike those films, this movie’s attention quickly shifts away from the entrees and the side dishes, and onto the ladies in this traditional Indian household dealing with a stacked sink and rotten leftovers every single day. With a backdrop that millions relate to, The Great Indian Kitchen highlights the suppression of women as a practice systematically carried out and handed from one generation to another, bringing to light an undeniable truth about the ingrained bias against them prevalent in traditional Indian households.

The wife in The Great Indian Kitchen has a seemingly simple goal: all she yearns for is an equitable relationship, one that lets her share a meal with her partner within the confines of her home. We aren’t told her name, for this is the story of the quintessential Indian housewife.

Silent Abuse

The movie is set in a picturesque town in the southern Indian state of Kerala and starts at the wedding of a couple ( Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu ). In what she thinks is a bonding exercise with her newly adopted family, the wife lends a helping hand to her mother-in-law with her chores in the kitchen. unaware that the husbands demonstrate a callous and condescending attitude towards their wives. Relegating their spouses to thankless servants, they tacitly have the women do things like carry their footwear when they head out. It is one of many duties that the submissive women perform without questioning — a subtle form of slavery to the untrained eye. The movie depicts this unique form of domestic abuse, one that involves no explicit cruelty. They don’t raise their voice, nor lift an arm, but inflict an equally deep wound. When the workhorse at the center of this family, the mother-in-law, has to leave town for a family commitment, the mantle of head servant now falls on the wife. That’s when the cracks begin to appear — literally and figuratively.

It isn’t only the subject matter of The Great Indian Kitchen that makes it powerful. Director Baby uniquely immerses the audience in the wife’s pain through the imagery of the film. Take for instance the scene in which the wife stands at the doorstep of the kitchen, and stares at it a tad longer than usual. In an earlier life, she was a dancer. Now she’s a housewife forced into a different kind of dance where she juggles pots and pans, while dealing with a broken drain pipe. The pipe becomes emblematic of the fissure in her relationship with her husband, unraveling like their relationship, and ignored by him until the end. Sajayan enacts the wife’s pain beautifully; it’s wordlessly clear that she wants to run away from this mess, or even just get a day off.  With such nuanced performances and little background music, the movie soaks us in the atmosphere, and sets up a telepathic connection between the viewers and its characters.

Perpetuated by Generations

After praying for a day off, the wife finally gets it, just not in the way she wanted.  In fact she gets an entire week off from the kitchen when she gets her menstrual period. Sadly for her, it opens up a wholly different level of torture, as she is banished to being an untouchable. Ironically, it isn’t a man that treats her the worst during this time. Her aunt-in-law is unflinching in her restrictions on the wife, even subjecting her to solitary confinement. Interestingly, her restrictive behavior doesn’t stem from hatred; she just remains steadfast in enforcing the same boundaries for the wife that she had to adhere to. Her actions highlight how women are taught by patriarchal tradition to oppress, rather than protect, each other. The scene in which the aunt-in-law bids adieu to the wife on the seventh day is especially gut-wrenching. She leaves with a smile, as though nothing has happened. Jeo Baby highlights this social evil in our cultures, arguing it borders on a human rights violation. Meanwhile, the background score harmonizes with news commentary and viral social media posts that highlight how a woman’s biological cycle is used to body-shame her and deny her entry to temples, such as the Ayappa temple in Sabarmiala . On the other hand, men are considered messengers of God during the 40-day, “ Ayyappa Mandala vratham ” period, which culminates with a visit to the very same temple. The Great Indian Kitchen encourages us to examine the shocking dichotomies that Indians witness every year and remain detached to.

Global Resonance

Jeo Baby deftly maneuvers the film to keep it focused on its leading lady, and her husband’s dismissiveness of her simplest desires: a life beyond the kitchen, and some gentleness in bed when the lights go out.. Her story about abuse behind closed doors speaks to a universal problem, one exacerbated by the pandemic we are living in the midst of. Oppression of women isn’t a problem isolated to the Indian subcontinent, as seen by its prevalence in global films. For instance, Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 , talks about the undercurrent of sexism in Korean society, and the classy Georgian movie My Happy Family , highlights how a woman’s role in a family and society is taken for granted.

On its surface, The Great Indian Kitchen appears to be a simple tale, but it delivers a powerful message about gender inequality, whilst opening our eyes to how we conveniently disguise it in everyday actions. We see flashes of brilliance in the film, such as a restaurant scene where the wife sits shoulder-to-shoulder with her husband on a table, a privilege she never enjoys inside their home. Centuries of social evils, regressive behavior, and gender bias don’t vanish with the passage of time; they are rigidly reinforced by succeeding generations. The movie depicts these issues effectively while also offering a bold solution: breaking the cycle and ending the generational chain of intolerance, by starting a new one that taps into a woman’s freedom and self-worth. We see a powerful step in that direction when the wife turns her back on the husband, severing their relationship to chase her passion. She starts a new chain by teaching her liberating art form to a group of young girls. The film teaches us that we don’t change the world by trying to reform the incorrigible, rather we do so by empowering the vulnerable, so there’s none left to prey upon.

Anuj Chakrapani is a cinema enthusiast, who believes that film, like other art forms, is open to interpretation. He adopts a deconstructionist approach when writing about movies. He lives in Silicon Valley.

The Great Indian Kitchen —India. Dialog in Malayalam. Directed by Jeo Baby. Running time 1 hr 40 min. First released January 15, 2021. Starring Nimisha Sajayan, Suraj Venjaramoodu.

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The Great Indian Kitchen Movie Review: Aishwarya Rajesh’s well-intentioned remake lacks finesse

Director kannan’s the great indian kitchen starring aishwarya rajesh and rahul ravindran is a faithful remake of the malayalam film of the same name. the film, however, is bogged down by an underwhelming climax, says our review..

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• The Great Indian Kitchen is helmed by Kannan.
• Aishwarya Rajesh and Rahul Ravindran play lead roles in the film.
• The film hit the theatres on February 3.

Release Date: 3 Feb, 2023

Director Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen opened up a conversation about women and their day-to-day encounters with patriarchy, sexism and superstition. During the lockdown, the Malayalam film became a sleeper hit and won rave reviews. Two years later, the Tamil remake of the same name hit the theatres today, February 3. Let’s find out how the remake fared!

The Great Indian Kitchen introduces us to two leads, Aishwarya Rajesh and Rahul Ravindran, who meet at a matchmaking ceremony. He asks her if she likes cooking. And she replies by saying she knows how to cook. The details lie in the words. Aishwarya soon realises that she is married into a patriarchal family where her husband and father-in-law are pampered. As days pass by, Aishwarya understands the underlying ideologies and begins to retort.

It is safe to say that The Great Indian Kitchen is a frame-to-frame remake of the original with minor changes in the climax. Also, the Tamil remake is a shorter version of the original and is quite effective in showcasing the mundane routine of a housewife. You see clogged drains, vegetable scraps on the dining table and men who do not even pick their used plates. As much as it gets monotonous to see her repeat the same activities for most of the film, it also emphasizes the situation she is forced into.

Director Kanaan’s The Great Indian Kitchen shows the monotony of a housewife, but some of the moments feel forced. For those who have seen the original, the remake might feel a little underwhelming. But, director Kannan did a decent job of maintaining the crux of the story for the most part.

Where the film falls short is emulating the built-up emotions and conveying them through the screenplay. Aishwarya Rajesh is excellent in the film. She is a woman with a mind of her own. But, society doesn’t let her be. Her mother asks her to adjust, her husband thrusts his sexist views on her and her father-in-law doesn’t give her the space. The frustration eventually shows on her face and, as an audience, we feel it too.

And when you see Rahul Ravindran imposing his toxic ideas on her, you want to hate the character. However, unlike Suraj Venjaramoodu, Rahul isn’t as organic. His performance wasn’t as effective as it should be.

The Great Indian Kitchen is a worthy remake with brilliant performances by the lead cast. From showing the day-to-day routine of a homemaker to curbing her rights, the film is a perfect reflection of society.

The whole Sabarimala issue seems rushed in the Tamil version, arguably because of the feathers it might ruffle. Little nuances here and there would have amplified the effect of The Great Indian Kitchen.

The Malayalam original stands a cut above the remake because of the pre-climax and the climax. Director R Kannan’s remake does a shoddy job of capturing the mood in the climax. The minor change in the end act doesn’t hold up well, thereby bringing down the desired impact.

2.5 out of 5 stars for The Great Indian Kitchen. Published By: shweta keshri Published On: Feb 3, 2023 --- ENDS --- ALSO READ | Year-ender 2021: Jai Bhim to The Great Indian Kitchen, Best South films of the year

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The Great Indian Kitchen

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Adithya 194 days ago

yasodaramekala 16 276 days ago

Every person in India who had kitchen experience should like this movie.i really enjoyed movie...with lot of feel ..nice movie these days..

Ranjithkumar Kumar 201 322 days ago

Nk s 2 364 days ago, swathi p 399 days ago.

This is doesn't make sense and shows that how humans are treating one other. This is injustice and inequality.

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The Great Indian Kitchen Movie Review: A phenomenal Nimisha and Suraj anchor this stark portrait of reality

Rating: ( 4 / 5)

When we first meet Suraj and Nimisha as a young couple about to tie the knot, we see two shy, awkward individuals — total strangers wondering what to say to each other. But this is just the beginning. Although they manage to get past that initial awkwardness that affects most couples, we rarely find them having a long, meaningful conversation. Jeo puts Nimisha in the kitchen for most of the runtime, but never once did I feel bored. We see certain activities repeated, again and again. But there is a purpose behind every shot and action.

Director: Jeo Baby

Cast: Nimisha Sajayan, Suraj Venjaramood

Rating: 4/5

Streaming on: NeeStream

Have you ever wondered what the women in your family thought when men left food waste outside their plates, on the table? Or how they dealt with food debris clogging a kitchen sink, or a leaking drainpipe, or a stinking waste bucket? There is a stretch where the camera observes Nimisha trying to manage an ugly situation in the kitchen from a certain angle. She experiences the same again in a later segment of the film. The second time, though, the camera observes her from above, and we go, "Ugh!" There is another moment where the camera goes wide to give us sufficient time to take in all the dreary details of her kitchen. But, unlike her, we are spared her misery for an extended time.

We are not spared, however, its psychological after-effect on the wife. She is thinking about this in the middle of sex. She is distracted. The stink hasn't left the palm of her hand. Will she have to deal with the same situation tomorrow? Will the husband forget to call the plumber? Terrifying thoughts, these. We get another clinically framed sex scene which elicits a much stronger psychological reaction than the last one. Now we are being bombarded with multiple gross images from the kitchen in quick succession. We go "ugh!" a few times. My mind immediately remembered the emotional turmoil of Eric Bana in the sex scene from Steven Spielberg's Munich .

But it's not just the kitchen issues plaguing her sex life. The situation in the bedroom is even worse. The crisis becomes magnified when she tells her husband that she has been experiencing pain while "doing it" and that "some foreplay would help." The biggest irony comes in the form of the husband's profession. He is a school teacher giving a lesson on "family values" and the "building the foundation of a family" and whatnot. If you think the worst is over, wait for the part where the wife is forced into 'quarantine' to keep the men observing fast during the Sabarimala season, pure. And you know what's scary? Many homes are still not free of this centuries-old 'disease'. 

Besides Ghamak Ghar , this film also reminded me of a 1975 film, Jeanne Dielman . But thankfully, Jeo didn't need four hours to convey his ideas. He does that in less than 100 minutes. Every picture in the film speaks a thousand words. Take, for instance, the final moments where Nimisha is walking past a peaceful protest where a group of women demand the safeguarding of age-old Sabarimala-related rituals. Look closely to find a drawing of Che Guevera on the wall of the adjacent bus stop. The other notable aspect is how seemingly insignificant characters say the most impactful lines. For instance, a co-worker tells Suraj that he has come across a ' swami ' who takes off his sacred chain while drinking. 

What's most impressive about The Great Indian Kitchen is how it creates so much tension without using a single piece of music. Jeo avoids the tendency of using a musical cue to elicit emotions. The actors' body language is enough to inform us of their thoughts. And when you have actors like Suraj and Nimisha, you know a filmmaker is in safe hands. This film serves as a testament of the remarkable evolution of Suraj and Nimisha into two of Malayalam cinema's finest actors. Their dialogues are not loud, and yet, so effective. There is a notably tense moment where Nimisha questions why Suraj has impeccable table manners at a posh restaurant, but not at their home. He quietly makes it known that she has no right to question him and he'll do whatever he pleases. It's a chilling scene. She is now guilty and has no option but to apologise to him later.  

The Great Indian Kitchen also sheds light on a complex problem - the patriarchal conditioning of older women. On the one hand, we see women conditioned to believe that being a housewife is "good for the children." On the other hand, we see women forced to eliminate all thoughts that would liberate them, such as finding a job. How do we find a solution for this? The husband and father in the film are so outdated that you start wondering if they are from another planet. 

The most haunting shot in The Great Indian Kitchen doesn't feature any people; just photographs and sounds. We see a wall carrying pictures of married couples from different generations, and we hear the sounds of household chores alongside. The most uplifting shot appears in the finale. We see a dance class. The students are dancing to music that is energetic, full of life. It's the sound of liberation - apt for the woman standing in front applauding them.

This film made me want to talk to every woman in my family and ask them how they handled their frustrations and why some of them never dared to question their men? I hope every man and woman - married or not - sees this film, and I hope the women who have been in similar situations find it therapeutic. This is the first great Malayalam film of 2021.

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The Great Indian Kitchen movie review: Startling, scathing, stunning take-down of patriarchy and its eternal sidekick, religion-Entertainment News , Firstpost

The great indian kitchen movie review

chops, slices, dices and grinds. she cooks, washes, cleans, sweeps and rubs.

Meanwhile, she does yoga before breakfast and the office. in another part of the house, his mother-in-law waits for a woman of the house to put toothpaste on his toothbrush and take it away while he sits relaxing or reading the newspaper on the porch.

While the men exercise their bodies and minds, she picks up the trail of trash they leave behind.

she takes out the trash. she keeps out the holy lamp. she is the first to wake up and the last to go to bed, there to be raped by the one to whom she is legally and socially attached.

Writer-director jeo baby’s

great Indian cuisine , also known as mahaththaya bharatiya adukkala , is a great Indian film that captures a little-discussed horrific reality with pinpoint accuracy. amazing, simply replicating on screen what happens in millions of Indian homes. It’s in Malayalam, but the title reminds us that patriarchy knows no state borders. the characters don’t have names because it’s you and me and everyone around.

(minor spoilers in this paragraph) a wife who leaves her husband’s shoes for him to put on when he leaves the house, a man who cooks a meal and leaves a mess for the women clean it up while praising himself for giving those women a break; these are not just fictional scenes in a movie, they are snapshots of homes we inhabit or have visited , where women’s hard work is romanticized as a mark of a limitless capacity for love and sacrifice akin to devi in a preemptive attempt to demonize women who break free. (spoiler alert ends)

I walked into the great Indian kitchen expecting a pleasurable food movie, and sat enthralled for 1 hour and 40 minutes watching a gem like no other.

It could have been called portrait of a wife as cook, cleaner, full maid and sex slave , but that would not fully capture what this extraordinary film conveys.

There is no story to tell, so here is a recap of the first 9 minutes. nimisha sajayan plays a dancer in the great indian kitchen . the film begins with her family preparing for a pennu kaanal (a potential boyfriend who comes to see a girl for an arranged marriage). comes the character of suraj venjaramoodu. he is the future husband. we’ve seen his house and his family, but we’re told nothing about him, his occupation, or financial background in those early scenes, except bits of a fleeting conversation that implies he belongs to the kind of family that is considered “prestigious.” .

The paperwork is completed, the rituals are done and dusted off, and soon the new bride arrives at her new home, where her routine as wife and daughter-in-law is established.

watched jeo baby’s latest movie, kunju daivam (the little god, 2018), which won adish praveen the national film award for best children’s artist. it was sweet and clever for a while, but the storytelling lacked polish and it didn’t occur to me. nothing in kunju daivam prepared me for the sheer brilliance, the keen power of observation, the subtlety and delicacy of great Indian cuisine . note the song sung over the end credits, the lyrics brimming with literary tropes that have long been summoned to glorify women and thus keep them in chains.

sajayan here lives up to the formidable reputation she has built for herself in her brief career. from his debut in thondimuthalum driksakshiyum (2017) to eeda (2018), chola (2020) and a host of other films, his strength has It has been the ability to immerse herself so completely in a role that it becomes almost impossible to believe that she is not that same person in real life. in the great Indian kitchen she runs through the veins and breathes through every cell of the anonymous wife.

venjaramoodu, his main co-star in thondimuthalum driksakshiyum , demonstrates remarkable artistic intelligence playing the husband of great Indian cuisine not as an overtly repulsive fellow but as a seemingly Shy man with a nice-guy demeanor whose regressive attitudes emphasize the fact that the villains are usually the regular neighbors.

jeo baby has done well to pack his uniformly flawless supporting cast with unfamiliar faces: sidhartha siva is the only ‘star’ among them. the rest are kozhikode stage actors who look like real people pulled from real life for the movie.

The simplicity of his performance is complemented by every technical department, from supervising sound designer tony babu’s finely detailed palette of hisses, drips, bubbling oils and human mouths chewing food, to the filming of dop salu k Thomas from the protagonist’s dimly lit marital prison to that glorious finale with its explosion of brilliance and light. the editor, francies louis, makes sure that every shot in the film counts. and costume designer dhanya balakrishnan dresses the characters in outfits that provide a variety of insights into Malayali culture, right up to that delightful final scene where she unleashes her imagination. even the subtitles are top notch.

The only scene that lacks subtlety in Great Indian Cuisine involves a phone conversation between the female lead and her friend. no other point in the film is underlined so much.

jeo baby weaves the sabarimala temple’s refusal to allow menstruating women to approach the deity so gently into its story that it’s hard to tell when it begins. this film is different from lal jose’s relatively insipid nalpathiyonnu (41) , which used sabarimala as a hook, but was hesitant to make any controversial statements about it.

It should be a point of pride for the Malayalam film industry, also known as mollywood, that in the span of a year it has given us stinging criticism of both Hinduism (this film) and Christianity ( anjaam pathiraa) in the state. there are many such films in Malayalam and there is no space here for an exhaustive list. at a time when muslims are being demonized across india, delivering a fair and balanced critique of islam is more difficult because the community is on edge and liberal filmmakers may fear their works will be mistreated by anti-muslim elements, but mollywood has shown the intellect, sensitivity, and courage to do even this. In a post-9/11 setting, for example, producer Aryadan Shoukath and director T.V. chandran made paadam onnu: oru vilapam (2003), skewering a reprehensible Muslim social practice.

The uniqueness of Kerala society compared to other Indian states lends itself to this type of cinema: Hindus make up about 55 percent of Kerala’s population, Muslims about 27 percent, while Christians they are a little above 18 percent. this means that although Muslims and Christians are a minority, their percentage is still large enough compared to the 14.2% of Muslims and 2.3% of Christians nationally to ensure that neither community has a reason justifiable to feel unsafe in kerala.

Among many memorable elements in great Indian cooking is that moment when a woman uses as a weapon a man’s conviction that menstruation makes her impure. take that, misogyny!

That said, the film falters marginally in its conversation about periods. Of course it is despicable that a woman is seen as a contaminant when she is menstruating, but great Indian cuisine misses a crucial nuance: unlike the heroine of this film, many women suffer from pain or extreme discomfort on top of heavy bleeding and forced segregation in households that consider them dirty at this time of the month is, ironically, the only reason they get much-needed rest.

in a mollywood that tends to normalize domestic violence (recent examples are aadya rathri and ayyappanum koshiyum ), great Indian cuisine illustrates how horrendous realities can be portrayed without being casual about it. ( Minor spoilers ahead ) It also shows layers among progressives exemplified by a Hindu man who has no qualms about eating beef at home but also has no reservations about his wife serving food to family and guests. while sitting. around being served.

(minor spoilers in this paragraph) unlike many movies that make light of men for the patriarchy by emphasizing the women who buy the patriarchy and perpetuate it, the Great Indian Cuisine has the intellectual depth to portray a variety of women, from victims to rebels, from enablers of patriarchy to allies of other women. My favorite supporting character in the film barely has any screen time, but a key plot is conveyed through her: Contrary to social and cinematic stereotypes, the mother-in-law (a wonderful ajitha vm) here symbolizes female solidarity and shared suffering. – paromitar ek din by aparna sen (Bengali, 2000) devoted its entire length to this topic; Great Indian Cuisine does so with brief conversations and showing the old lady working as a slave in the luxurious home of her wealthy married daughter of hers who is nearing the end of a pregnancy. This also brings up another facet of Indian society, family support, which is endlessly romanticized while its exploitative aspects are ignored: Indian families going the extra mile to support each other is great, but that’s no reason to ignore the uncomfortable truth that this culture is routinely misused to take advantage of considerate family members. (spoiler alert ends)

The director’s commitment to his subject matter is best illustrated by his decision to start and end with sajayan shots. Even take off , one of the best Malayalam films of the last decade, veered off course (like so many female-centric films) by ending with fahadh faasil’s voice and image, though it featured the story of parvathy’s character.

Great Indian Cuisine is a startling, scathing, startling takedown of patriarchy and its eternal companion, religion. that jeo baby achieves so much with the simplest of stories, one that has been staring us all in the face our entire lives, is what makes it such a great piece of work.

score : 4.5 out of 5 stars

great Indian cuisine is available on neestream streaming service in Malayalam only.

(all images from the movie trailer)

related link:

jeo baby director’s cut: on great Indian cuisine, piracy, censorship, sabarimala and fear of right-wingers among TV channels

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Release Date : October 06, 2023

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5

Starring: Hebah Patel, Ram Karthik, Naresh, Pavitra Lokesh, Ratna Shekar Reddy, Jayaprakash, Deborah Doris, Lakshmi Narayana

Director: Viplove Koneti

Producer: Viplove Koneti

Music Director: Sri Charan Pakala

Cinematographers: Anantharag Kaavuri, Ajay V. Nag

Editor: Dharmendra Kakarala

Related Links : Trailer

Hebah Patel’s new film The Great Indian Suicide has now arrived on Aha. The film is written and directed by Viplav Koneti. Let’s see how the film is.

Hemanth (Ram Karthik) is an orphan who runs a coffee shop along with his friend. He falls for Chaitra (Hebah Patel), who provides cookies for his business. Hemanth proposes Chaitra, but the latter disagrees initially. Hemanth decides to leave the city so that he can forget the memories of Chaitra. When Hemanth is about to leave, Chaitra expresses her love for Hemanth.

Chaitra says she can’t marry Hemanth as she is about to die in a few days. She further tells Hemanth that her family is committing a mass suicide. Why did Chaitra’s family make such a shocking decision? What did Hemanth do next? This forms part of the story.

Plus Points:

The film deals with the mass suicide/cult suicide concept, based on which a few documentaries have been made so far. There is no doubt that The Great Indian Suicide is inspired by Burari Deaths, but the treatment is different here. A family wants to commit mass suicide so that one of their deceased members can return to life. The protagonist falls in love with the female lead, who belongs to the family, and he tries to find out who actually is influencing others. The plot idea is fascinating.

If one believes the film is just about the mass suicide concept, then you are in for a few surprises. The last half an hour is packed with unexpected twists that keep coming at you continuously. They are surprising and disturbing at the same time. The director addressed a few issues at the end and tried to link them with the core point, which is appreciable.

Hebah Patel is superb in her role, and she performs to the tee. Ram Karthik did a fine job as the person who tries to unlock the mystery. Naresh, Pavitra Lokesh, Ratna Shekar Reddy, and Deborah Doris were good in their respective roles.

Minus Points:

For movies like The Great Indian Suicide, the pacing needs to be very fast so that the impact would be solid. But this film slows down in the mid portions for a brief amount of time, and proceedings become boring. Scenes that should have been more thrilling were presented in a generic manner.

Also, a few unnecessary scenes are included in the film, which could have been avoided completely. They take up a considerable amount of screen time. Instead, the makers could have concentrated more on the detailing part. Jayaprakash’s role could have been etched better as his character goes missing after a while.

There was more scope for having horror elements, but it was surprising as the makers sidelined that aspect after a point in time. The film may not be suitable for family viewing as a few scenes would be uncomfortable to watch.

Technical Aspects:

Sri Charan Pakala’s background score is effective, while the songs are decent. Anantharag Kaavuri and Ajay V. Nag’s cinematography is good. The production values are decent, but the editing needed a few corrections.

Coming to the director, Viplove Koneti, he chose a very intriguing concept and tried to address a few social issues with the film, which is appreciable. The screenplay should have been watertight for a subject like this, but the slow pacing and inclusion of a few scenes brought down the impact.

On the whole, The Great Indian Suicide has an interesting premise, but the film isn’t entirely gripping. The last half an hour is filled with multiple twists, which are tough to guess, and this is where the movie turns highly engrossing. Hebah Patel and others did a very fine job. A better presentation of the mid-portions would have made a world of difference. If you could ignore the slow pacing, the film would end up being a passable watch this weekend.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

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