’Megh Malhar’ is a raag in Hindusthani Classical music. It is beileved that it rained when when Tansen sang it in Akbar’s court, such is it’s intrinsic connection with nature. This movie which bears the same name as the raag is also a rain, of emotions.
The Story
’Megh Malhar’ is a the story about two people, their lives and their mutual relationships. The lead male character, superbly portrayed by Biju Menon is a soft natured advocate hoping to make it big in his profession with a banker wife(Poornima Mohan) and two kids and the lead female character portrayed by Samyuktha Verma is a journalist with an eye for art who is married to a materialistic NRI(Siddhique), has a kid, and lives with her understanding father-in-law. The lead characters’ paths cross when they meet in a bakery to exchange their swapped packets and again in an hospital where Biju Menon’s brother is terminall ill and Samyuktha’s father-in-law is admitted. Cliched as it may sound, the film takes a predictable turn when they find their lives interlinked in the past and begin to enjoy each other’s company, platonically. Biju Menon loves Hindusthani Music but his wife has no time left for all this after her work in the bank. He finds similarities in Samyuktha’s interest in music and an intangible link with the characters in her stories.
The story moves on with some good moments between the lead pairs and when it seems like things are moving out of control they decide to part for the sake of their family. They meet years after when they get older and all’s well end’s well. The plot has nothing great to mention about, but what really makes this movie a spectacular movie is in the way it has been handled. Any wrong move and this movie would be easily dubbed as a movie which deals with ’extra marital’ affairs. The movie doesn’t even project that, it’s appeal lies in the very sensitive approach taken to a very usual theme.
Behind the scenes
Shot on a shoe-string budget, this movie has the best technical team backing it. Music, handled by Ramesh Narayanan, apart from the other aspects is a sure strong point in the film, especially the one’s sung by Yesudas, which incidentally has the raag that is the same as it’s title, Megh Malhar - The Monsoon. All of the music is Classically influenced which makes them more likeable, though there are just a couple of songs. Editing by Beena Paul(Mitr - My Friend) has been done well, beautiful cinematography despite the fact that they shot it in a short format to cut down on costs. Kamal, the few directors in Indian cinema who has an eye for aesthetics in cinema and at the same time being commercially successful has come out once again with full marks, no one could have shot this movie better considering the fragility of the theme, one wrong shot and it could send out all the wrong signals. Overall, Megh Malhar is a movie every film loving person should watch and somewhere inbetween if he/she thinks this happenned to me or could happen to me, it where the Director has proved his mettle.
In conclusion
’Megh Malhar’, a very good movie with strong performances and a good screenplay. Though the movie is in Malayalam, it’s got a universal theme and language shouldn’t be a constraint for watching this movie