Oridathu

Oridathu 1987 is an Indian Malayalam satirical drama film written and directed by G. Aravindan. Nedumudi Venu, Sreenivasan, Thilakan, Vineeth, Krishnankutty Nair, Chandran Nair and Soorya form the cast. The story is about the problems faced by the people of a hamlet where electricity in unavailable, when electric supply finally reaches there. The film reaches a conclusion that life is better without electricity. The indefinability of the human mind is the theme of the film. Though the film is discussing a serious issue, the treatment of it is very simplistic. Humour and intensity characterise the film that is set in the midfifties. The film is different from many of Aravindans earlier works in that it deals with a broad range of characters and lacks a clearcut linear story. It became a major critical success and earned the best director awards for Aravindan at state and national film awards.

As the story unfolds, it introduces us to an array of characters in the village...the Communist tailor given to fiery speeches, laced with quotations the landlords bossy manager Kuttan, the odd job man, hitching his star to the influential newcomers the wise school teacher, the adolescent boy and girl the braggarl overseer... Families and groups are deftly sketched with a cartoonists sharp eye. Each group has its own story to tell, in selfcontained episodes that are all interrelated. The vela or the festival of the local temple is a symbol of the harmony that prevailed in the village in those preelectricity days.After the executive engineer from the Electricity Department has surveyed the place with becoming solemnity, there follows a flurry of activity. The overseer, flatteringly called engineer by the villagers who do not know the distinction, has an eye for the girls. Kuttan, the man for all jobs, becomes the overseers faithful servitor. He induces the girl he hopes to marry to join the electricity workforce. A doctor following in the wake of electricity sets up a dispensary in the village. Kuttan decides he is a more prestigious master to serve. ........

Source: Wikipedia