This Malayalam movie by Joe Baby stars Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu in lead roles. It is a story of a newly married couple and how the wife often, if not always, has to give up everything they were and aspired to be to assimilate into the new family's customs, beliefs, and dynamics. When explained like this, this may seem like the most basic premise of a movie, but here in this article we will explain what makes it so special.
Source - eShe
What Makes it So Special?
Elevating such a basic storyline and yet conveying so much is a huge compliment to the creators. The best thing about this movie is the creators not undermining the capacity of the audience to understand nuanced topics, because of which they don't feel the need to include a melodramatic showdown with monologues or a gut wrenching soundtrack; instead, it is all communicated and understood through amazing detailing and great storytelling.
Cinematography and Storytelling
With the amazing cinematography of Salu K. Thomas, we get a glimpse into their household, which is shot in a way that makes the viewer feel as though they are actually immersed in the household. The house looks and feels like any suburban house in Kerala, with a normal family consisting of a patriarch father-in-law, a sweet mother-in-law, and their typical middle-aged son. There is a long shot that shows the stark contrast between the genders in the household: the father-in-law resting peacefully stretched out in his massive chair near the garden while Nimisha and her mother-in-law are breaking a sweat in the kitchen to prepare and present the perfect meal for the family.
It portrays the aftermath of meals in the form of a grimmy table of spilled leftovers and a loaded sink of unwashed dishes, all of which the girl is just expected to clean up after her very hectic day. There are more such contrasts, which are presented as women assume their roles, preparing meals and eating leftovers with the planning of what to prepare for the next meal happening at the back of their heads. All this while the men wait for tooth brushes to be handed out to them and relax with yoga. A scene of Suraj talking about the social construct of family to his students in a sociology class as Nimisha finishes up the chores of the house is all presented so beautifully in the film.
Characters and Performances
The performances of the film are too realistic; Suraj and Nimisha both are excellent in the movie. The little girl that appears on the screen will definitely steal hearts.
Talking about the characters, Suraj, the husband, is a product of his upbringing, He is made to believe that men are supposed to work and provide monetarily as women provide through their work in the kitchen. He thinks of himself as being kind for even considering the fact that he wants to work, representing a cocoon in which individuals grow and somewhat thrive, completely resistant to change. Providing excuses of ‘These are the rules of society, the beliefs of people I grew up with. How can I change it on my own?’. He isn't an evil man, but one who communicates the way he has been brought up: a very patriarchal and almost mysoganistic way.
Nimisha portrays the predicament women find themselves in, literally a toss of coin roles a lot of women have to assume after an arranged marriage. Portraying a transition from a wide-eyed, always happy girl, someone who initially admired her husband, eventually understands the dated customs the family follows, we see her spirit fall apart.
Social Commentary
The movie efforetlessly showcases what a lot of women go through after taking the plunge of marriage, having little to no knowledge of the social customs of the family or beliefs of the family members. It communicates what a lot of us have seen in our own houses and have scuffed off as normal. It makes us think of institutional sexism, which men perpetuate and women deal with.It reinforces on how much of a privilege a perfectly prepared and plated meal is, and more than that, what goes behind preparing ‘the perfect meal’.
The men’s criticisms on the quality of food and the method in which clothes are watched are all such familiar forms of disapproval rather than of gratitude. These are things that a lot of us have seen around us, in one form or another, and have almost dismissed as normal. It reflects all the times people roll their eyes, belittleing people who are homemakers.
Final Thoughts
Some moments had an impact emotionally. The scene where Nimisha suggests foreplay due to vaginal soreness she was facing, which is scuffed at by her husband for having a basic knowledge of what foreplay is. Another instance was when she was dealing with her period, the most natural process in a woman's life, being treated as an untouchable in her own household.
In conclusion, this movie available on Amazon Prime is a powerful and thought-provoking film that challenges deep-seated cultural norms surrounding gender roles and domestic labor in Indian households. With its realistic performances and insightful narrative, The Great Indian Kitchen successfully sparks important conversations about women's autonomy and the need for systemic change, making it not just a film but a commentary on societal transformation. This is definitely one for the ages and one for cinema. Kerala does it again with their paper thin budgets, amazing talent, and excellent social commentary.
Written By Riya Jibu
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