Aranazhikaneram (1970)

Sethumadhavan’s bizarre portrayals of deviant sex, seen from the ‘tragic’ viewpoint of decaying but good tradition, became increasingly the standard for his ‘middle-of-the- road’ Malayalam cinema (cf. Odeyil Ninnu, 1965; Adimagal, 1969; Chattakkari, 1974). The story features the reminiscences of the good octogenarian Kunjochanam (Nair), whose history is narrated as well as that of his five offspring. Shortly after succumbing to a paralytic stroke, he discovers his ‘bad’ daughter-in-law carrying on with an evil opium dealer. The old man believes death to be ‘half an hour away’, but this does not stop the villain from poisoning him as well. Eventually the daughter-in-law, like her predecessor in Odeyil Ninnu, commits suicide. The film was noted mainly for Kottarakkara’s florid performance accompanied by some unusual make-up.