Chanthupottu
Encyclopedia
Chanthupottu is a 2005 Malayalam film directed by Lal Jose
, written by Benny P. Nayarambalam, and produced by Lal
. It is the story of a man named Radhakrishnan (Dileep
) who was brought up like a girl by his grandmother.
) is brought up like a girl by his grandmother (Sukumari
) who wanted a granddaughter.there by, he becomes an effeminate. She calls him Radha, which becomes his petname. Radha's father Divakaran (Lal
) goes to jail for a murder that he accidentally commits. Radha is the ridicule among the people in the village but he is not worried and spends time with the girls singing and he also teaches dancing. His best friend is Malu (Gopika
) who is wooed by Kumaran (Indrajith
) a local money lender and the son of the man whom Radha’s father had killed.
Divakaran comes back from jail and is shocked to see that his only son is a good for nothing transvestite, but can do nothing about it. Slowly Radha’s liking for Malu turns into love and when Kumaran sees it, he beats up Radha with the help of her father (Rajan P. Dev
) a local astrologer and dumps him in deep sea. But he is saved by Freddy (Biju Menon
). Freddy takes him to the former's native where he is living with his sister Rosy (Bhavana), where he becomes a part of their family. He also discovers the manly element him and starts to transform from his female mannerisms slowly.
Later when he meets someone from his village, Radha comes to know that his parents have been killed by Kumaran and Malu has given birth to his child. How Radha goes back and takes revenge forms the rest of the story.
man form a family of fishermen is well documented in the film. It shows the boy's grandmother's strong desire for a girl as her grandchild and her frustration when a boy is born. She even refuses to see the boy, however when she sees him she accepts the truth. However, that doesn't stop her from bringing him up as a girl child. She even dresses him like a girl and calls him Radhey, a feminine name. His parents don't intervene, probably fearing the wrath of the grandmother. This induces a kind of femininity
in him, even his mannerisms closely resembles women. To add to the situation, his father goes to jail leaving Radha to grow up with his femininity
and transvestism. He, instead of going fishing like other men, teaches dance to girls. He is constantly in the company of girls; he plays their games and also gets teased by people of the village. He discovers that his deep affection for his childhood friend Malu, is actually love. This is preceded by an attempt by some hooligans (oolanmar, in Radha's terms) to molest him and his mother's advice that loving and marrying a girl would prove his manhood. Malu also is fond of Radha, and they engage in sexual activities. Even that doesn't change his feminine behaviour. Under special circumstances, he reaches another beach, which is more developed and there he is exposed to the outer world. He lives with Freddy and Rosy, who consider him as their lost brother. After several attempts by them, he sheds his transvestism but his femininity still hangs on. The film closes with shots of Radha going for fishing, his ancestral job. It is notable that even in the closing shots, Radha keeps his feminine mannerisms, though to a milder range.
The screenwriter
Benny P. Nayarambalam was sensible enough to avoid an immediate switchover to a manly Radha, and to portray his gradual transformation to manhood. The director Lal Jose
should also be credited for this. He goes into the finest details of the character, bringing out his desire for manhood and the constraints that his past lifestyle imposes on himself. The actor who portrayed Radha, Dileep
arguably presents the character in the most inimitable way. This role which won the Special Jury Award at the Kerala State Film Awards is another testimonial to his versatility.
Lal Jose
Lal Jose is an Indian film director. His debut film as a director is Oru Maravathoor Kanavu . His popular films include Meesa Madhavan , Classmates and Arabikkatha .- Biography :...
, written by Benny P. Nayarambalam, and produced by Lal
Lal (actor)
Paul Michael , better known by his stage name Lal, is an Indian film director, script writer, actor, producer, and film distributor....
. It is the story of a man named Radhakrishnan (Dileep
Dileep (actor)
Dileep is an Indian film actor, mimicry artist and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.Dileep started his career as a mimicry artist in the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. He later started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal with the film Vishnu Lokam...
) who was brought up like a girl by his grandmother.
Plot
Radhakrishnan (DileepDileep (actor)
Dileep is an Indian film actor, mimicry artist and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.Dileep started his career as a mimicry artist in the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. He later started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal with the film Vishnu Lokam...
) is brought up like a girl by his grandmother (Sukumari
Sukumari
Sukumari is an Indian film actress who has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has been acting since she was 10 years old and has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be about two-thousand. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of...
) who wanted a granddaughter.there by, he becomes an effeminate. She calls him Radha, which becomes his petname. Radha's father Divakaran (Lal
Lal (actor)
Paul Michael , better known by his stage name Lal, is an Indian film director, script writer, actor, producer, and film distributor....
) goes to jail for a murder that he accidentally commits. Radha is the ridicule among the people in the village but he is not worried and spends time with the girls singing and he also teaches dancing. His best friend is Malu (Gopika
Gopika
Gopika is an Indian film actress, who has predominantly starred in Malayalam films. Starting her career as a model, she ventured into acting with the film Pranayamanithooval...
) who is wooed by Kumaran (Indrajith
Indrajith
Indrajith is an Indian film actor. He is the elder son of late Malayalam actor Sukumaran and actress Mallika. His brother Prithviraj is also an actor...
) a local money lender and the son of the man whom Radha’s father had killed.
Divakaran comes back from jail and is shocked to see that his only son is a good for nothing transvestite, but can do nothing about it. Slowly Radha’s liking for Malu turns into love and when Kumaran sees it, he beats up Radha with the help of her father (Rajan P. Dev
Rajan P. Dev
Rajan P Dev was an Indian film and stage actor. He was born in Cherthala in the Alappuzha district of the former state Thiru-Kochi . He had acted in over 140 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada language films. He was noted for his villain roles laced with a touch of humour...
) a local astrologer and dumps him in deep sea. But he is saved by Freddy (Biju Menon
Biju Menon
Biju Menon is an Indian film actor who has mainly worked in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films. He appears mostly in supporting roles, but has also acted in antagonistic roles. He made his debut in 1995 in Mannar Mathai Speaking...
). Freddy takes him to the former's native where he is living with his sister Rosy (Bhavana), where he becomes a part of their family. He also discovers the manly element him and starts to transform from his female mannerisms slowly.
Later when he meets someone from his village, Radha comes to know that his parents have been killed by Kumaran and Malu has given birth to his child. How Radha goes back and takes revenge forms the rest of the story.
Characterisation of Radha
The character of Radhakrishnan, a cross-dressingCross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
man form a family of fishermen is well documented in the film. It shows the boy's grandmother's strong desire for a girl as her grandchild and her frustration when a boy is born. She even refuses to see the boy, however when she sees him she accepts the truth. However, that doesn't stop her from bringing him up as a girl child. She even dresses him like a girl and calls him Radhey, a feminine name. His parents don't intervene, probably fearing the wrath of the grandmother. This induces a kind of femininity
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
in him, even his mannerisms closely resembles women. To add to the situation, his father goes to jail leaving Radha to grow up with his femininity
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
and transvestism. He, instead of going fishing like other men, teaches dance to girls. He is constantly in the company of girls; he plays their games and also gets teased by people of the village. He discovers that his deep affection for his childhood friend Malu, is actually love. This is preceded by an attempt by some hooligans (oolanmar, in Radha's terms) to molest him and his mother's advice that loving and marrying a girl would prove his manhood. Malu also is fond of Radha, and they engage in sexual activities. Even that doesn't change his feminine behaviour. Under special circumstances, he reaches another beach, which is more developed and there he is exposed to the outer world. He lives with Freddy and Rosy, who consider him as their lost brother. After several attempts by them, he sheds his transvestism but his femininity still hangs on. The film closes with shots of Radha going for fishing, his ancestral job. It is notable that even in the closing shots, Radha keeps his feminine mannerisms, though to a milder range.
The screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
Benny P. Nayarambalam was sensible enough to avoid an immediate switchover to a manly Radha, and to portray his gradual transformation to manhood. The director Lal Jose
Lal Jose
Lal Jose is an Indian film director. His debut film as a director is Oru Maravathoor Kanavu . His popular films include Meesa Madhavan , Classmates and Arabikkatha .- Biography :...
should also be credited for this. He goes into the finest details of the character, bringing out his desire for manhood and the constraints that his past lifestyle imposes on himself. The actor who portrayed Radha, Dileep
Dileep (actor)
Dileep is an Indian film actor, mimicry artist and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.Dileep started his career as a mimicry artist in the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. He later started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal with the film Vishnu Lokam...
arguably presents the character in the most inimitable way. This role which won the Special Jury Award at the Kerala State Film Awards is another testimonial to his versatility.
Cast
- DileepDileep (actor)Dileep is an Indian film actor, mimicry artist and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.Dileep started his career as a mimicry artist in the Cochin Kalabhavan troupe. He later started his film career as an assistant director to Kamal with the film Vishnu Lokam...
(Radhakrishnan) - GopikaGopikaGopika is an Indian film actress, who has predominantly starred in Malayalam films. Starting her career as a model, she ventured into acting with the film Pranayamanithooval...
(Malu) - LalLalLal is derived from the Indo-Iranian word meaning 'Red'. It is a middle name used by many Indo-Aryan clans. Lal is also used as a final element of a compound personal name, such as Amir lal , Dost Lal , Rani Lal and Padshah Lal Qamar...
(Divakaran) - IndrajithIndrajithIndrajith is an Indian film actor. He is the elder son of late Malayalam actor Sukumaran and actress Mallika. His brother Prithviraj is also an actor...
(Kumaran) - Biju MenonBiju MenonBiju Menon is an Indian film actor who has mainly worked in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films. He appears mostly in supporting roles, but has also acted in antagonistic roles. He made his debut in 1995 in Mannar Mathai Speaking...
(Freddy) - BhavanaBhavanaBhāvanā literally means "development" or "cultivating" or "producing" in the sense of "calling into existence." It is an important concept in Buddhist praxis...
(Rosa)
Crew
- Direction: Lal JoseLal JoseLal Jose is an Indian film director. His debut film as a director is Oru Maravathoor Kanavu . His popular films include Meesa Madhavan , Classmates and Arabikkatha .- Biography :...
- Producer: LalLal (actor)Paul Michael , better known by his stage name Lal, is an Indian film director, script writer, actor, producer, and film distributor....
- Writer: Benny P. Nayarambalam
- Director of Music: VidyasagarVidyasagar (music director)Vidyasagar is an Award-Winning Indian film music director and music composer in the Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi film industry. He is very popular in South Indian music industry and best known for his soulful melodies. His fast numbers to many films have earned him much fame too. He has...
- Lyrics: Vayalar Sarath Chandra VarmaVayalar Sarath Chandra VarmaVayalar Sarathchandravarma is a noted Malayalam film lyricist. His lyrics have proved that he has inherited his father, Vayalar Ramavarma’s gift of poetry. He is a youthful entertainer by penning soothe romantic songs. All his recent contribution has got a large amount attention among Malayalam...
- Editing: Ranjan Abraham
- Director of Photography: Azhakappan
- Choreography: Sujatha
- Stunt Director: Thyagarajan
- Makeup: Pattanam Shah
- Costume Designer: Manoj Alappuzha
- Creative Support: Walter Jose
- Director of Art: Nemom Pushparaj
Music
- Azhakadalinte - S. JanakiS. JanakiS. Janaki is an Indian female playback singer. Renowned for her voice modulation abilities, she has sung in many Indian languages, most frequently in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, she has won four National Film Awards and 35...
- Omanapuzha - Vineeth SreenivasanVineeth SreenivasanVineeth Sreenivasan is an Indian playback singer, film actor, director, and screenwriter. He is the son of actor Sreenivasan. He made his debut as a director with his film Malarvaadi Arts Club .- Biography :...
- Chandu kudanjoru - Shahabas Aman, Sujatha MohanSujatha MohanSujatha Mohan , usually credited as Sujatha, is an award-winning Indian playback singer who is popular for singing in Malayalam and Tamil movies. She has also sung for Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies. She is widely popular for her evergreen melodies and her sweet voice is considered to be her...
- Kana ponnum - Franco