Thaniyavarthanam

Plot

Balan Mash (Mammootty) is an art teacher who lives in a tiny hamlet in Kerala. He has a serene life, with two children, a wife, a mother and a revolutionary brother - Gopi(Mukesh), a typical kootu kudumbam, or joint family, of Kerala. Balan Mash has an uncle who is mentally challenged. His uncle became a mental patient after a separation with his lover; this underlines the deep-rooted belief among their family that one male from each generation will go mad as a person from their past generation had sinned by throwing the idol of 'Devi' in a well.He was cursed by the goddess and became a lunatic.This curse would pass down through generations.Balan Mash's uncle finally died and the talk of the town became - "Who would be next - Balan or Gopi ?"

One night changes it all, when Balan has a nightmare. People start suspecting Balan of following the footsteps of his uncle into madness because Balan's uncle (Babu Namboodiri) fell mentally ill with a nightmare.

Now Balan's community evaluates each and every move he makes; he is deemed a lunatic and his actions are misinterpreted. Eventually his family joins the gang and he is sent to the asylum. The doctor declares him sane. But society doesn't agree. Helpless, Balan plays mad. Ultimately, Balan's mother (Kaviyoor Ponnamma) poisons him to free him from the world.

Apart from the main story line the movie also makes a subtle sketch of the life of people in a matriarchal society. The uncle of the hero ( Ammmavan played by Thilagan) enjoys so much influence in the family affairs that he becomes a catalyst to the hero's slow but steady decline to lunacy.

Cast

Box office

The film was both commercial and critical success.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by MG Radhakrishnan.