Who deserves the credit for Lokah’s success: movie’s team, Malayalam film industry, Rima Kallingal or the audience?

While this isn’t the first time Rima Kallingal has faced such attacks for being an opinionated woman and not blindly conforming to the patriarchal norms established by the film industry — and by extension, society — this controversy also highlights, yet again, the mindset of a segment of people who will do whatever it takes to ensure that women, or their historic efforts to find a place at the table, do not receive the acknowledgment they deserve.

First things first, there’s no doubt that the credit for creating a brilliant movie that displayed absolute finesse across all its facets belongs entirely to Lokah’s team, including Dominic, Kalyani, Dulquer, Santhy Balachandran, Naslen, Sandy Master, Nimish Ravi, Chaman Chakko, and Jakes Bejoy. Nonetheless, when it comes to their courage to make a female-led superhero film, credit is indeed due, as Rima rightly pointed out, to the Malayali audience, who have always been accepting of experimental movies. A part of the credit for its success also belongs to the masses for flocking to theatres in large numbers, playing a key role in its emergence as the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time.

Kalyani Priyadarshan in Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. (Credit: Facebook/@DQsWayfarerfilms)

At a time when most other film industries in India are struggling to churn out quality works and box office successes are far and few between, with the only ones raking in big bucks being movies that are mounted on extremely high budgets, leaving their net profits comparatively low, Malayalam cinema is consistently producing impressive works at far lesser costs and ensuring their success. One of the major reasons behind the struggles of other industries is that they relied on formulaic films for years, which led to a significant loss of focus on developing diverse content. As a result, the markets also became aloof to experimental movies, and the audience began looking elsewhere for varied works. Meanwhile, even when worthwhile films arrive and people wish to give them a chance, the producers themselves sometimes ruin the chances with poor marketing and distribution deals, before weeping crocodile tears. A recent example is Karan Johar and Dharma Productions’ butchering of Homebound’s prospects for Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, both co-produced by his company.

On the other hand, in Malayalam cinema, the filmmakers and the audience have historically been on the same page. “You give us good movies, we accept them,” has been the stance of the masses. This is not to place Malayalees on a moral high ground. Of course, Malayalam cinema is also plagued by misogyny, sexism, casteism, and more, and the movies have often reflected this and people have turned such ones into blockbusters as well. There also have been times when pathbreaking films tanked at the box office. However, the success-to-failure ratio of good films (not just commercial entertainers, but movies of technically and narratively superior quality) in Malayalam has not been poor like in Bollywood.

Actor Rima Kallingal recently found herself embroiled in controversy due to some remarks she made about Lokah. (Credit: Facebook/@RimaKallingalOfficial)

This has also encouraged filmmakers to be willing and courageous in trying out different concepts. They know their efforts won’t go in vain; if not at the box office, the acclaim they deserve will find its way to them somehow. The massive success of a female-led superhero film like Lokah, which reimagined Neeli — who was always depicted as just a malevolent yakshi — as the saviour of the outcast and marginalised, having risen from among the tribals, is indeed a step forward for an industry that has often produced narratives glorifying misogyny and elitism.

As the Lokah controversy unfolded, producer Vijay Babu, who was previously accused of rape by an artiste, made a veiled attack against Rima, listing the titles of a couple of female-centric movies such as Adaminte Vaariyellu, Vaishali, Kadathanaattu Maakkam, and Kallichellamma. He expressed relief that “no one is taking the space giving credit for (these) movies,” and mentioned that “Malayalam has always given the best woman-centric movies.” But how and why? Why have Malayalam storytellers been open to such ideas? Don’t you think the political nature of the environment, which has fostered discourses on a wide range of topics concerning human life and existence, has played a key role? It’s not just because Malayalam filmmakers have been talented; it’s also because they are part of a society that has always taken politics seriously and engaged in open discussions, from which it has benefited immensely. Even while being infested by problematic practices, there have been people who advocated for the collective upliftment of the downtrodden, and that too is a reason.

Also, what about the hundreds of movies that celebrated domestic abuse and physical assault against women, and peddled rape apologist tales, that weren’t named in Vijay’s post? They never existed? Do Vijays think the massive dip in movies celebrating misogynistic and casteist tales happened because filmmakers suddenly woke up and realised it was uncool? No, it happened as a gradual result of many things, including discussions and debates we’ve had as a society — everywhere, ranging from our closed circles to public platforms — condemning such practices and championing for equality. The glorification of problematic tropes has also diminished due to filmmakers’ fear that, unlike before, people will now hold them accountable and call them out for peddling such narratives. It is also because such stories have far fewer takers today. Moreover, filmmakers are now aware that they can’t smuggle all their fetishes and dirt under the guise of “freedom of expression” and then react defensively when their movies receive poor reviews.

As the Lokah credit controversy was boiling, director-actor Roopesh Peethambaran wrote a Facebook post wondering why no one was even mentioning the name of writer-director Dominic, when discussing whom to credit for the movie’s success. Of course, Dominic is the brain behind the film and deserves a lion’s share of the credit. However, why don’t such commenters come up in arms when superstar movies become hits, and a large share of their credit goes to the lead man? When Thudarum was celebrated by fans as a “Mohanlal fiesta by director Tharun Moorthy,” why didn’t they protest, saying that all the credit should go to Tharun and co-writer KR Sunil, and lesser to Mohanlal? This selective outrage that surfaces only when discussing a female-led movie is part of the larger problem.

If you say that it’s because no other superstar came claiming credit for others’ movies becoming hits or for developing a space that allows certain kinds of movies to be made, you should understand that for some, credit and acknowledgment come their way without them having to demand it.

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Take, for instance, how every random filmmaker wants Ilaiyaraaja songs in their movies to capitalise on nostalgia and the place they hold in people’s hearts, which helps boost their films’ quality and eventual business. But as soon as the maestro asks for his rightful share, he somehow becomes the villain all of a sudden.

Or consider the broader political sphere. “Social reformers” from oppressor communities — the likes of anti-caste savarnas and pro-feminist men — are easily celebrated and mentioned in discourses as those who battled against inhuman practices, while their counterparts from oppressed communities — those who actually grew up facing injustice and rose from the ruins — are ignored, abused, or forgotten. A classic example is the starkly different way the majority addresses and discusses — back then and even now — the contributions of Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar, a Dalit, and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a bania, to the anti-caste movement.

Let’s come back to cinema itself. There’s no doubt that there has been no other superstar in India who has experimented the way Mammootty has in recent times. But the same people who say that Mammootty picking the unconventional characters he does — be it the gay man in Kaathal: The Core or Chathan in Bramayugam — will give both his contemporaries and successors the courage to take on out-of-the-box roles, placing him as a trailblazer, never seem interested in giving the women such credit.

Mammootty in director Rahul Sadasivan’s Bramayugam. (Credit: Facebook/@Mammootty)

Let’s not forget that even though the movie’s makers gave equal importance to both producer Dulquer and lead actor Kalyani during the promotions of Lokah, a good number of netizens tried to label it only as a “Kalyani film,” almost like safeguarding Dulquer, since they didn’t know what the outcome of the movie would be and she has often received immense criticism for her acting. Once it was released and opened to rave reviews, the shift in narrative was apparent as appreciation mostly went Dulquer’s way for backing a movie like this. Social media was abuzz with posts praising him. There’s no doubt that Dulquer is not to blame here, as he can’t do anything about this pattern that prevails among a section of people. But let’s also not forget that those celebrating Lokah as a “Dulquer movie” now did not show any enthusiasm to celebrate L2: Empuraan as an “Antony Perumbavoor/Gokulam Gopalan film.”

This writeup is not to state that Rima or Parvathy deserve individual credit for more female-centric movies being made. However, to completely ignore the efforts of those who have been fiercely advocating for better representation of marginalised communities and their stories in the mainstream — mocking and abusing them while they raise concerns and voices — only to later reap the benefits of their struggles and use the outcomes while shaming and blaming them yet again, is pure opportunism and hypocrisy. Nonetheless, it’s also heartening and reassuring to see a large section of Malayali society calling out this moral parasitism, proving that the spotlight belongs to no one alone.

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