Ponthan Mada (1994) - full transcript

Move those things.

-Stylish house, Aunt.
-Come.

-May i use this room?
-Alone?
-So what?
-Ok. As you like.

Why is this room locked?

Can't find the key of it.
Some old things are in this room.
So who needs to open it?!

Father, Aunt is saying that
i won't go back to hostel again.

You just sit here.

We're in a difficult situation after buying this house.
Your brother returned after cancelling the visa.
In between, this bus accident too..the compensation for the dead and injured is also a headache.
So it's difficult to educate both of you together.

Rameshan has good practise now.
His mother urge for the marriage quickly.

Why should i stop my study
because Rameshan has good practise?

Why do you want to study more?
Even if you attain a degree,
you're supposed to live as the wife of him.



I'm not ready to live like such a wife.

This is her trick for the quick marriage.

-Have his both ears gone?
-Be careful.

-Have you eaten?
-Very much.

-Where is Rashmi?
-On upstairs. After a tiff with us.

Why in darkness?

Don't you want to see it?

-May i ask you a thing?
-A thing?.. Fire.

-I like to marry only after completing
my studies.
-Agreed.

I'm not joking. I want to study.
After degree, i need to
go for diploma in journalism.

Is that enough? Agreed.
Marriage will only be at the time you wish.

-Sure?
-Sure. At least now, please smile.

Nuisance.

Didn't even allow us to romance in peace.



Hello.

Did anything happen to you when the car hit?

Hey, nothing happened.

-Lost all things, is it?
-What things? I didn't have anything.

I was in that car. I felt sad by thinking
that something had happened to you.

Nothing happened dear.

See you later.

Why are you sitting here?

For selling some baskets to this shop.
They will give something. For that,
i'm waiting.

Why are you fatigued?

Tired..very much tired.

Haven't they given the money?

Will give after a long time.

-What is the price of this basket?
-25 rupees.
-Twenty five? Then how much you give
to the person who made this?

If i must give him the entire money,
then why should i do this business?

Give him what he deserves soon.
Why you make this poor man sit
in this hot place for long?

So you don't have time nowadays, is it?

You come.

-Why aren't you eating?
-I don't feel hungry.
-I feel extremely hungry.

You eat.

What are you thinking?

Everyone call me Mada (Buffalo).

I've been here for so many years.
Before that i was working
for a christian family.
The matriarch of that family
need the poop of otter for a medicine
to stop the drinking of her husband.
I came here to search the poop.

That's when i firstly saw Shima Thampuran,
the lord of this region.

Who are you?

I'm from east.

Why are you here?

I..otter's..

Who are you to otter?

Poop

Otter's poop?
What you want actually?

Otter's poop.

For what?

To stop drinking.

Do you drink?

It's not for me. It's for my master.

Ok..say about it.

After we paste the otter's poop
in a glass and give toddy in it,
he can't drink ever again.

We can import this medicine to England.

If you don't need to find this poop
and go back, you can stay here.

There will be work in paddy field.
And some other small works too.
What do you say?

I liked the streams, water lilies,
lake water..in here.

And above all that,
i like Shima Thampuran.

Mada, do you like our place?

Learned the work?

You come.

How is your stay?

Fine.

You have to go to the market
tomorrow morning.

[Talking about astrology]

[Objection of it]

We were searching for you Mada.
At least we are from the same place.
May because of the fate you're struggling..
Do you have any job?

Yes, i have.

What is the use in getting a job in some
other place! Do you get anything to eat?

What a pity! Here you mayn't have
at least a place to sleep.

It's not like that sir.
Here i have a job, have food
and also have a place to stay.

Mada, i came here because of not
having any job in our place.
This Panchangam not work out nowadays.
It has been two days,
i haven't eaten and slept.

What is the benefit in having everything
in some other place!
Hometown is always the best.

Human life is not supposed to
live like a servant. According
to our hindu culture..
oh, you don't understand such things.

I'm Gopala Kaimal. From Mada's hometown.

Kaimal is telling me to return.

What have you replied?

I said that, i won't
go to anywhere from here.

Why don't you shave this beard?

Tell that Karuvan Irayachan that,
i told him to make a knife for shaving.

Shaving the face is a status.

Have you shave by yourself?

I'll teach. You have to do it carefully.
Else cuts will occur on face.

First, you sit on the side
of a stream, that clearly
display your face.

Then take the knife and hold
it on the side of face.

Now shave. Else, for what you're waiting?

Why are you so much happy Mada?

There is a great feast by Thampuran
for the inauguration of new wheel
made by Nambunni Asari.

That's why you're over-excited like this?

Have it.

Start.

-What police has done to you?
-The same thing everyone is doing on me.
-Then why they cut your hair?
-Because they love me more.

Why don't you marry?

I'm already married.
I have a daughter too.

At England?

Then, why don't you go to England?

No, Mada. I can't go there again.
They expelled me from there.

Expelling Thampuran?

You can't understand it.
I was expelled to British India from England
for supporting the Irish Republican Army.

Was the marriage function fine?

-Gopi, where are you going to wander?
-To feel the breeze. Are you coming?
-Get lost.

-The matching nephew of Uncle.
-It can be vice versa.

Why are you cursing him?

Oh, there is another one here too.
Where may be he is?
May went to find candles
with that lower caste guy.

He's looking after all the things here well.
If he light the candles as per his own wish,
what's your problem in it?

You mayn't have any problem.
But if he had married on time and have
a boy, then i wouldn't have to find
boys from outside for my girls.

Yuck! I don't want uncle's son.

Mada, come and bath with me.

Oh, no lord. I'll bath later.

Come.

Gone?

At evening, after bathing,
Thampuran pray (hindu) with his mother.

At night, he pray alone
by lighting candles.

Both the prayers are equal for him.

On feast, Thampuran light candles
all over the room, and dance with
an unseen person.

His craziness has increased.

Why are you always on upstairs?

That locked room is that of Shima Thampuran.
He was a great man.

Don't tell these Shima Thampuran things
to your father.
We're blaming ourselves now for buying
this damn house.

Get up and go away idiot.

Shima Thampuran was in Irish Republican Army.
So he was expelled from England.
He always thought about
his wife and daughter there..

Even we didn't hear about such things.
How you, a new person to here know
all these things?

I met a person named Mada here.
Mada, Ponthan Mada.

What are you singing?

I'm not singing dear,
i'm hearing.

In old days, we ourselves do
all the works here manually.
Nowadays everything is done by machines.
Then,..masters are discussing.

I can't invest in agriculture
by suffering loss, as you told.

-What you get in driving autorickshaw?
-That depends!
-Anyhow?
-Atleast 50 rupees.

But giving that 50 rupees to labours. Is it?
Then why don't you leave your autorickhaw
and do the work by yourself?
Thereafter, will there be any loss?

We are not interested in doing
this agriculture job lifelong.

When they became farmers?
Almost three quarters of this land was ours.
Later government gave it to them.
Now, if they think doing agriculture is
not profitable, they should give
back those lands to us. Instead of it,
they don't have the right to stop work
here. Scoundrels.

Please talk quietly.

-Sir, what is the decision?
-Mada, this time there will be
no work in land.

-Why Mada want to know all these things?
I'll give you a penny, you go and eat
some piece of tapioca.
-But sir, our land..

Our land? Do you have a piece of land?
Land of people like me was taken away
and gave it to some useless.
But did the government give anything
to the real labours who worked in field?
Why didn't the government give any land
to this aquatic Ponthan Mada, who crawled
his entire life in water and duckweeds?

-If you enter in politics, you will shine.
-Huh..politics!

Look at the fate. He's the only
nephew of Shima Thampuran.
Donated everything that got from partition.
And now blaming others.

Anyway you learned it.

What are you saying?

Take it.

Bye. You sit alone.

-I'm going. It might rain today.
Only mother knows i'm here. She'll wait.
Gopi is also not at home.
-Where is Gopi Thampuran?
-Who knows! His matters are like that.

Take us to Kallumma.

Don't tell about this to anyone.

Water is overflowing. So it's urgent
to go to the field now. But at this time,
no workers are ready for it.
Heard that Karthu is here.
Can you send her?

-Should give more wage.
-Agreed. I'm going. Hope Karthu
will come there soon.

When Karthu has come?

Not has come by herself,
he dumped her here.

No sound from there.
Shall i look where they are?

They are lying on the ground
and hugging each other.
Look at them.

What is there to look?
Men are like that.
What is the use in having
only a giant body
for a stupid (Ponthan) like you?

What they are trying to prove?

Don't you want to go home?

Mada, tell about this to Thampuran.
Then start living with her.

The Ezhavans will beat and kill you,
like killing a rabid dog.

When that man dumped me for no reason,
no Ezhavan was here for questioning it.

Mada, look at the courage of this woman.

Ponthan Mada also needs a woman.
Isn't it mother?

Take what you need.
And go and make a hut
in Kizhakke Parambu.

Mada, you Mulaya, son of a bitch,
how dare you to marry an Ezhava woman?

Do you think that there are
no manful Ezhavans here to question it?
Come out if you have guts.
We will burn your hut.
Instead of hiding behind the woman,
come and face us you sissy.

Since this is Thampuran's property
you can escape now.
But you'll come out. We know how
to handle you then.

How's it?

At night, people come and threatening us.

Don't worry. Nobody will harm you
till i am here.

Excellent item.
But bit difficult to handle.

-Both of you have come to see the market?
-What's the price of this?
-No need to pay for it.
Give that to her.

Are you a man?
Giggling at whatever others say..

Are you angry?

Is this Mada's house?
Heard everything..
I'm from his hometown.
Where is he?

-Went to see Thampuran.
-Oh, Thampuran..i know.
May i have to wait..?
ok i'll wait.

I know what his caste is.
But i like him. That's why i come here.

Has come to see your family.
Your wife is beautiful.

If anybody in my hometown knows
about i eating food from a house
like this, that'll create an earthquake.
I also look all these. But except
in the case of him. Because i like him.
Please take some more rice.

Is there anything to drink?

Mada, something has
crawled over my body.
May be a rat.

It may be dream.

It's a rat, i think.
Light the lamp.

It's not a rat,
it's a greater bandicoot rat.

Who has come here?

-That man.
-For what?
-Told me to come there.
-What you replied?

I replied nothing.

What?
Don't play your jokes here?
Go away.

Mada, you should help me.
My wife is ill.
Send your Karthu for ten days
to my house for helping her.
What's the problem for you in it?
You always do the things by yourself.

[Talking business]

Bring her to the backside.

It's difficult to get a worker

Come here.

What are you doing in water like buffaloes?
Where is Thampuran?
There is a letter for him,
from England.

-I shall give it to him.
-No need for that. I'll give it
by myself. This is from England.
Hope Thampuran is at the temple.

-What is the matter sir?
-Nothing.
-There will be something..since the
letter is from England.
-I told you it's nothing. Get lost.

My Catherine has gone.
She passed away from this world
by leaving me and my daughter alone.

Will my Karthu come back, Thampuran?

She'll not come back ever again.

Is there any use in my waiting for her?

There is no point in waiting.

In this place, even in the mid
of these many people, i feel lonely.

Talking with you is the only relief.

Why you're like the one who chew ginger?

When someone ask,
sending wife with them..
Then walking with sadness.

She is staying there only for few days.
After that, she'll come back.
Else, you go and call her.
She's your woman. Isn't it?

You..dumb and silly.

What's up Mada?
Your Karthu is very fine there.
You can't even recognize her now.

She has become little fat.

-Mada, don't you feel ashamed to send
her with that rascal?
-For working..
-What work? Do you know
what type of work that is?
If you have guts, go and bring her back.

This chicken became too old.
Pluck a papaya fruit from there.

I..have come to call you.

Is there any bond to come
with you when you call?!

-Father is calling you.
-Tell him that i'm preparing this chicken.
-I already told it. You go and see him.
Else i'm the one who get shout from him.

Thampuran..

Come down.

Haven't you seen her again?

Yes. One more time..
one more time.

I am converted to Christianity
and changed the name to Katrina.

Going to Nelliyampathy hill for work.
You should come with me.

There, nobody will look caste.
We will have the freedom
to do anything without fear.
It's my wish..don't ignore.

I don't know why i did that.
Whether was it because of her conversion
or by hearing about hill?..i don't know.

Why are you crying dear?

Don't know.

Why you feel to tell
all these things to me?

Telling these is a relief,
if somebody is willing to hear.

Before you came,
i speak to this land.

People are saying that, i don't have
even a single piece of land.
I mayn't have land according
to the registrar office.

But these lands and fields are mine.
My sweat has fallen on all of these.

Now, nobody look after
this soil and land.
Like me, this too is uncared by people.

I hear the crying of it.
I come here at evening to hear that.

You are not like others.
You consider me as a human being.

People said that i have no one.
But i have. I had my Thampuran,
then Karthu..

Karthu went somewhere,
and Thampuran died.

When i see you, i think
about Thampuran.
Thampuran has a daughter,
somewhere in England.
I imagine you as that daughter.

How Thampuran died?

Mada, seed is not enough this time.
I told that Pallikkara Konappan
to arrange a 100 bushel seed for us.

Where are you going?

Shall i pack up your things
for the journey?

No.
I am not taking anything.

No one is responsible for my death.
After burning my body,
keep the ashes in a pot.
My daughter will come one day
and collect it.

Gopi, these things are not allowed
in our custom.

If uncle's wish was that,
it has to happen.

-Who you are to decide all these?
There are other men here.
-The thing men need was already written
by uncle..Bequeath. Is that enough?
-Don't treat us like some strangers.

All the things as per the
wish of my son should happen.

Padma, here she is.

Why is she not getting fat?

Stop. To where you're running?

Brother is saying that you want
to marry only after completing studies.
You don't have to earn by doing any job.
He's a well practised doctor.
So why do you need a job?
If you feel bored, just look after the cows
and the servants there.
That itself is a big time pass.

I'm not joking.
I promised to your mother
on her deathbed.
That's why i come here regularly
and make my brother remember it.
Else, it doesn't mean that Rameshan
doesn't get any other girls to marry.

-Aunt, what is this?
Have all of you decided my marriage?
-Better agree what we say.

-I need to talk with Rameshan.
-Is that necessary?
-Brother, please take him somewhere.
-Ok..cool down. We're going.
-Look at her show off..

-I was waiting for you. Where were you?
-I need to ask you something.
-Tell me.

-I already told you that i need to study.
-I agreed that. Then what's the problem?
-I need to complete degree,
then want to go to journalism.
-Everything will happen after our marriage.

Then,.. you'll ask me to look after
the cows and servants there.

Look Rashmi, mother is ill.
She talk the facts. She wish for
the quick marriage of us.

If you're adamant about it,
you only keep studying,
but i'll search some other girl.

At last, i've got you.

Stop your games dear.

Rashmi, stop your naughtiness.
I am your husband now. Don't forget it.

Rashmi, are you ok?

Dear..

How is she?

She was at the dispensary of her husband.
Later shifted to house.
Became less violent.
But now she is completely silent.

Misfortunes are following us,
since we buy this house.
You know about the bus accident?
Apart from all these,
he cancelled the visa and came back.

An unnatural death was occurred here,.
Shima Thampuran.

His remains like his bones
are in that locked room.
So it is necessary to open the door.

And someone who was very close
to him should float that bones.

-There is a nephew of him..
-He is mad. But another person who was
very close to Thampuran is alive,
Ponthan Mada.

What to say, Mada?
Totally collapsed. When we bought
this house, nobody brought
the key of that locked room.
We thought that some useless old stuffs
are there in the room, and didn't pay
much attention to it.

I told you to come for a reason.
There is some bone or ash
of your Thampuran in that room.
You should float those things
in Bharathappuzha. I've arranged car
for you to go there.

You can enter the house
without any fear.
We're not looking such things.
Everything is collapsed.

-Where is that?
-Are you gone crazy father?
Copper pot, ghost of Thampuran..
some rubbish superstitions.

-Padma
-I'm going brother. Let her stay here.
-Padma..
-I will not allow this type of girl
to ruin my son's life.

Am i the daughter of Thampuran?
I have come. Where is his ashes?

'The Stupid Buffalo'