Aranyakam


Aranyakam is a 1988 Malayalam film, directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and starring Saleema, Devan and Vineeth. The film was produced by B. Sasikumar. The music was composed by Raghunath Seth, with lyrics by O. N. V. Kurup and vocals by K. J. Yesudas and K. S. Chitra. It is about a teenage girl named Ammini who likes to visit forests and has a hobby of writing imaginary letters to famous people. Actress Saleema memorably portrays Ammini. She remains one of the few quirky female characters in Malayalam cinema till date.

Plot

The film handles the issue of exploitation of Adivasis by feudal lords, and that of Naxalism which attempts to resist and counter this, and of how the feudal lords use the "system" to suppress the resistance. The film speaks through the eyes of protagonist Ammini, a 16 old girl whose life takes a turn when Mohan, who has love interest on her and a stranger, who inspires her and believes in her brilliance unlike everyone else, enters her life. The latter turns out to be a Naxalite who has been conspiring to kill her uncle, a feudal lord, who has been exploiting the tribal community in the area for his own personal interests.

Cast