6 Intelligent movie metaphors in Malayalam cinema

Moreover, with the help of these metaphors, filmmakers have mixed emotions, camerawork with brilliant performances by the actors which went ahead and won many hearts, also been appreciated by critics and audiences.
 
Here is a list of some of the greatest metaphors used in Malayalam movies.
 
The Wall (Mathilukal)
The film was directed and produced by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Mathilukal was based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. The name Mathilukal is used as a metaphor to the confines of freedom and thereby of a world imprisoned within tall walls. The movie focuses on the prison life of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer which was played by Mammootty and his relationship with Narayani, a female inmate of the prison, who remains unseen throughout the film. The movie won four awards at the National Film Awards in 1990.

 
Fruit in Guru: 
Guru is a fantasy film, which is directed by Rajiv Anchal, is highly symbolic and makes a statement on terrorism by religions (Hindus and the Muslims). Superstar Mohanlal played the lead role. The movie showed that 'ilama-pazham', the large fruit that is the central theme in this film is used as a story to religious beliefs as it is pretty much spelt out. Guru was the first Mollywood film to be selected as India's official entry to the Oscars to the Best Foreign Language Film category.
 
Rain in Thoovanathumbikal:
The movie is based on P. Padmarajan's novel Udakappola. The film revolves around Jayakrishnan, played by Mohanlal, who falls in love with two women; Radha (Parvathy), and Clara (Sumalatha), an escort in town. The movie used rain as a metaphor for love in the life of Jayakrishnan that directly reflects on his relationship status with the secret lover, Clara.  Here rain is apparently used as a real character that empathises with his emotionally condition so much so that the slightest mood swing is reflected in the overcast sky and the intensity of the drizzle. Previously, Rain was associated with love and passion in Malayalam films.

Kathakali in Vanaprastham:
Shaji N. Karun's psychological magnum opus Vanaprasthamthe follows the tale of a lower-caste Kathakali artist Kunhikuttan played by Mohanlal during the 1940s era. Kathakali dance methods were forming a metaphoric basis for real life and which the life is doing the same for the art. Subhadra (Suhasini), a member of a noble family, falls in love with and even conceives a baby with while totally unmindful of the artist inside the makeup.
 
 
The Rat Trap in Elipathayam:
The movie directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, which is considered by many to be one of the most outstanding pieces of in Gopalakrishnan's work. The movie has remarkable cinematography as it documents the feudal life in Kerala at its twilight. Elipathayam (rat-trap) that is used in the film to ambush rodents from flourishing farm constantly is a symbol of the isolation and fear felt by the central character that is oblivious to the changing time and the decline of the feudal system outside his mansion. In the movie, the protagonist is caught within him and is unable to understand the changes taking place around him.

 
 
The Railway Lines in Samantharangal: 
This Malayalam movie was directed by Balachandra Menon, which won several awards including two National Film Awards at 45th National Film Awards. Samantharangal is about the clash between a principled father and a pragmatic son whose ideas running parallel to each other and both never agree to reconcile. The director used ‘railway lines’ as a metaphor that forever runs parallel to each other. In the movie, the father is a station master, and the climax scene is set on the tracks.

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