Jaya Hey

The husband likes red coconut chutney, overcooked rice and green gram while the son likes white chutney and the daughter sambar. As a consensus, I make red chutney because the son adjusts and understands but the former doesn't; the daughter skips her meal if there is chutney. "Don't you know this is how I like it?" is the roar if things go wrong until one day I told him: "We have our likes too, so eat food our way too." But mostly it is like preaching scriptures to the buffalo as we would say in Malayalam.

I was reminded of this and more as I took Ash and Mira for a 5.30 pm screening of Jaya jaya jaya jaya hey at Novo next door. The husband who is averse to new gen movies and actors said he wouldnt be joining and would visit the book fair instead. He has avoided The Great Indian Kitchen, Joji and now this. He would rather rave about an 80s movies with the right proportion of romance, rape, suicide and stunts, and exclaim, "those were the times!"

Rajesh in JJJJH is that typical obnoxious and entitled son, pampered by mothers with their favourite food until it becomes too late to change habits. The mother is a paradox who looks familiar - she suffers her son's tyranny but doesnt waste an opportunity to turn against the young bride. Jaya's mother is equally volatile; she can force her husband to marry off the daughter without giving her a good education but blame her later for not wanting to pursue studies. Every character is relatable presenting flaws, the Kollam accent and mannerisms, and the hard life of the lower middle class.

Jaya's retaliation doesn't seem all that believable but a movie is a movie and it was fun to watch stunts performed by a woman. Women who react like Jaya  could be the exception and not the norm - a good many would have remembered the dowry death of a young girl from the same district last year, the same parental pressure to adjust for social pretences. The difference here is a brother who doesnt seem concerned about the gender inequality at home until his young sis is married off. From the pennu-kaanal ceremony when he expresses his sister's desire to study further to the end when he helps her stand on her own feet, here is a brother who stands within the system to make life easier for his sibling. 

The second half gave the maximum laughs while also making us think. There is no happily ever after with a wife beater even if he has been beaten in his own game. That includes the query relating to the price of chicken -- what is the prospective groom's first dialogue to his bride becomes the final rejoinder of a liberated woman. 

While it might make the old guard uncomfortable, the movie's positive reception in Kerala spells hope for the future of our girls. Jaya's victory should translate to freedom and justice for many more Jayas and Vismayas.

ps. Been humming "Ingaat nokanda..." sung by the talented Darshana -- amazing acting and singing -- that brings out the plight of  young women who have to swallow and bear in their marital homes.