Iyobinte Pusthakam


Iyobinte Pusthakam is a 2014 Indian Malayalam-language period thriller film directed, co-produced and filmed by Amal Neerad. It stars Fahadh Faasil, Lal, Jayasurya, Isha Sharvani, Padmapriya, Reenu Mathews and Lena in important roles. Fahadh Faasil and Amal Neerad co-produced the film. The movie was scripted by Gopan Chithambaran with dialogues written by Syam Pushkaran.
The film is a period drama set in the mid-20th century in Munnar, Western Ghats. It follows the life of Iyob and the sibling rivalry between his sons Aloshy, Ivan and Dimitri who are named after the characters from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov.
Principal photography commenced in March 2014 at Vagamon in Idukki district. Iyobinte Pusthakam was released on 7 November 2014. The film met with rave reviews from critics and was a box-office success. It received five Kerala State Film Awards and three Kerala Film Critics Association Awards.

Plot

The film starts with the message "The aged aren't always wise, nor do the elderly always understand justice". The story is narrated by the communist leader, and is set in 1900 in Munnar in British occupied India. Harrison is a British businessman who comes to Munnar to cultivate tea. He finds an able boy amidst his workers and names him 'Iyob'. Harrison holds Iyob close and helps him marry Annamma. Harrison's wife leaves him and returns to England; later he sees Kazhali and becomes interested in her. When Harrison finds out Kazhali's relation with Thacho, one of his servants, he orders Iyob to kill Thacho. Iyob corners Thacho and is about to kill him when Thacho jumps off the cliff and dies. Afterwards, Harrison takes Kazhali as his mistress and she becomes pregnant. During the First World War, Harrison's business is affected and he leaves for Britain but dies on the way to Cochin, not even setting sail. Knowing this, Iyob throws Kazhali out of the house, simultaneously beating her, and takes over all assets of Harrison by using the power of attorney given by Harrison.
Annama, without her husband's knowledge, meets Kazhali, who now has a daughter, Martha, regularly taking with her, and she also takes her youngest son, Aloshy. Aloshy and Martha become good friends. However, Annama falls ill and dies. She is greatly mourned by all, including Kazhali and her daughter, Martha; both look on the funeral from afar.
Iyob has three sons Dmitri, Ivan and Aloshy. Dmitri and Ivan is ruthless like Iyob whereas Aloshy is kind and compassionate like his mother. His two closest friends are Chemban and Martha. Chemban's parents are killed in their house by a fire set by Aloshy's family because of their illness. Aloshy leaves the house as a child after seeing his brothers rape and kill a girl who was a servant there. He runs away to Cochin and stays there. After some years Aloshy joins the Royal Navy. After the Royal Indian Navy mutiny of 1946 he returns to his father and brothers in Munnar, but is upset by the wrongdoings of his father and brothers. He reunites with both Martha and Chemban, rescuing the latter and his wife from a beating by his brothers' henchmen. Chemban and his family leave to be safe. Martha and Aloshy become close again after they escape from a rampaging elephant. They fall in love.
Iyob finds out Aloshy was dismissed from the navy because he defected and became a part of the movement against the British. In a fit of anger, he orders Aloshy to leave. Aloshy meets Martha and says he will come back for her. He leaves for Cochin, but on his way he is attacked by Dmitri and Ivan who try to kill him, but Aloshy survives and is found by his childhood friend Chemban. At this time Iyob's health deteriorates and his sons overpower him making pacts with Angoor Rawther, a rich Tamil merchant despite opposition by Iyob. Dmitri and Ivan find out Aloshy is alive with Martha.
Dimitri soon finds out that had Ivan spent nights together with his wife Rahel when he went on expeditions. In the ensuing fight, Ivan kills Dimitri with his gun. This is witnessed by Iyob, who realises everyone has been cheating him. It is revealed that Rahel is daughter of Thacho whom Iyob killed and she is taking revenge using Ivan. She also tries to kill him by poisoning his food. Iyob escapes from home and ends up under Aloshy's shelter. Iyob reveals that all the assets of Harrison belongs to Kazhali and he was cheating them the whole time. Aloshy is arrested by the police but is liberated by the narrator who was against Ivan and Angoor Rawther. Ivan knowing that all the assets will be lost, decides to kill Aloshy, but he despises Rahel when he come to know about her real intention. Rahel makes a deal with Angoor Rawther to kill everyone in his way including Ivan and all the assets and Rahel will be his. Iyob and Martha try to escape through the forest, but Iyob is shot down by Angoor Rawther. Aloshy finds Martha sinking into a swamp and tries to help her. Ivan and Angoor Rawther come towards them, when Angoor tries to shoot Ivan he runs out of bullets and Aloshy stabs Angoor with a ramrod and Ivan shoots Angoor's associate, when Ivan tries to kill Aloshy he is killed by Chemban and Aloshy kills Angoor. Desperate of the situation Rahel shoots herself. Afterwards, Aloshy and Martha are seen leaving Munnar.
At the end of the film the narrator is arrested by the police and he remarks that people like Aloshy would make the life of people much prosperous than it is now.

Cast

Iyobinte Pusthakam opened to highly positive reviews from critics. The film was praised for its cinematography, performances and background score. Padmapriya was lauded for her stunning act by many critics. Veeyen of Nowrunning.com rated it 3.5/5, the best rating for any film of the year, and stated, "In 'Iyobinte Pusthakam', Amal Neerad inventively puts together all the elements of a much known tale and recreates it magnificently into a poignant and resounding work. It's a film that takes its time to set itself up and get going, and shot on an epic scale is compellingly appealing and wonderful to behold. At once a contemplative and strapping work of art, 'Iyobinte Pusthakam' is the best Malayalam film as yet, to have hit the screens this year!" He added, "The elaborate canvas on which Amal Neerad sets up his period drama 'Iyobinte Pusthakam' is blatantly gory and ravaged by the frenzied cries of the browbeaten. In this beguiling terrain of degradation and violence, none is what it seems and truth lies veiled behind a haze."
Menaka of Bioscope rated it "Must-Watch", calling it "a well-conceived and executed story of rivalry, hatred, vengeance, love, comradeship, cunning and killing". She appreciated the performances of the actors Fahadh Faasil, Jayasurya and Chemban Vinod Jose and commended the direction and cinematography of Amal Neerad.

Soundtrack

Accolades

; 2014 Kerala State Film Awards
; Kerala Film Critics Association Awards
; 2016 Indian International Film Awards Utsavam
;Asianet Film Awards