Kerala Cafe (2009) - Happy Journey

Reel 5 : Happy Journey

As the horrors of the mana fade in the distance, we now commence on a bus ride. A bus filled with expectant passengers with places to be. Enroute from Kochi to Kozhikode

The writer is able to present caricatures in our society from the very beginning - namely, a misogynist (JK), a media person who claims to expose the dirtiness of society while secretly working in cahoots with influential figures to wash away their sins, and a steadfast woman (Nithya).

The bus ride commences, as the co-passengers rest easy.

The scene pans over to the nineteenth aisle where JK and Nithya begin their journey too, driven by a natural curiosity about one another. JK leads the narrative.

Layers to the character help provide context. An Insurance agent will be well versed with body language and reading context. How many of us have tried to stay away from a pestering LIC agent relative xD?

With each passing moment, the steadfast woman fields questions, with little revealed in return, personally. We come to learn of each other’s turmoils, such as a loveless marriage and love in liberation.

Nithya unrolls the yarn slowly, with the topic of liberation lending undertones of concerns on women's safety and exploitation by insurance companies. This is the way that I was able to comprehend as a viewer. Calm, but with a menacing rage simmering below the surface.

A crucial narrative device is the presence of the bag, which quietly drives the tension. This story unfolds in the shadow of the Mumbai terror attacks, a context that weighs heavily on JK. On one hand, the seconds until an imminent incident feel like a lifetime, and the knowledge that something is bound to happen sends the character into a spiral.

JK spirals into thoughts of imminent danger - of loss of life caused by selfish, faceless motives as he visibly shrivels in Nithya’s presence. Now shaken, he reflects on a life lived, reminiscing about his children and his loving wife, who would be utterly broken by the loss of her husband. More haunting still are the faces of his co-passengers, gently asleep and unaware of death waiting at their doorstep.

As the climax approaches and as JK looks on from the bus for danger that wasn't meant to be, Nithya's cackle, shared in the company of her father leaves us reflective.

Share your thoughts below, and join me as we move on to the next tale from Kerala Cafe - along with my kutty musings, anecdotes and some personal reflections.