Mathilukal

Adoor Gopalakrishnan's 1990 Malayalam film follows a writer imprisoned during the independence struggle. Basheer writes in jail and works in the garden; one day he hears a woman's voice from the other side of the wall and they begin talking. The distinguishing choice is that the woman is never seen. Only her voice is heard and the two never meet; the narrative builds the relationship entirely through sound, which makes the prison wall itself the real character. It is adapted from Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's autobiographical novella. Mammootty leads and his performance is largely solitary. Adoor keeps the pace low and the setting barely changes. Who it's for: those who like Indian art cinema and literary adaptation. Who it's not for: viewers waiting for event; the film consists almost entirely of waiting and conversation.