The Great Indian Kitchen Movie Review: Perfect Portrayal Of Everyday Patriarchy

In a scene in The Great Indian Kitchen, the character played by Suraj Venjaramoodu demands an apology from his wife (played by Nimisha Sajayan) for commenting on his table manners. When she says sorry, there is a smile of victory on his face. And that very scene will make us think, are we sensitive enough, or just pretending?

What's Yay: The highly relevant subject, simple yet deeply moving storytelling, excellent performances

What's Nay: The slow-paced narrative

Plot

A young woman (Nimisha Sajayan) is introduced to a well-settled man (Suraj Venjaramoodu) through an arranged match, and they get married. The new bride takes over the responsibilities of her new household when her loving yet submissive mother-in-law leaves for her daughter's place. How she copes up with the compassionless environment and finds her peace is the story of The Great Indian Kitchen.

Script & Direction

It seems like writer-director Jeo Baby has not made a feature film, but has placed his camera in a random Indian household. The Great Indian Kitchen is unarguably one of the most realistic films Malayalam film industry has ever produced. Here, the characters don't have names. The husband is "ettan", while the new wife is mostly called "molu".

The story of a lively, happy girl who gets transformed into a frustrated woman is not something new for Malayalam cinema (several popular films have discussed it, and successfully concluded the girl's attitude is problematic). But here, things are different.

Here, the two grown-up men of the household need to be taken care of by the women. The new bride is supposed to stay away from all basic necessities to respect her father-in-law's beliefs. And there is this relative who boasts about "helping" women in the kitchen by cooking a meal and makes things more complicated. Well, most of us are not new to any of these situations, right?

But what makes it all different in The Great Indian Kitchen is the way this film addresses these things. When the new bride asks her husband about his table manners, suggests him foreplay before having sex, or shares her views on the Sabarimala verdict, she is not given the face of a vamp. Instead, the director chooses to show us how the husband is deeply unimpressed with the fact that his wife knows "too much". And finally, when we see the new bride's mother refusing to acknowledge her issues, it is evident how deeply rooted the patriarchy is in our society.

And, here is a Malayalam film that has finally addressed the atrocities faced by menstruating women in all traditional households (which is still considered a taboo). The same person who cooks and feeds the family everyday suddenly becomes "impure" and "untouchable". Kudos to writer-director Jeo Baby for taking this big step.

But yes, there are things that don't work for all audiences in The Great Indian Kitchen. The supremely realistic narrative that doesn't offer anything entertaining, might not appeal to all viewers. Also, the slow-paced storytelling might test one's patience. But so is life for many people (even in our own houses), right?

Performances

Nimisha Sajayan, who plays the new bride, and Suraj Venjaramoodu, who plays the husband, are the heart and soul of this film. Both the actors outshine each other with their exceptionally natural yet heartfelt performances. It is such a delight to watch such seasoned actors in well-written roles. The rest of the star cast, including the actress who played the mother-in-law, T Suresh Babu (Achan), Rama Devi (aunt), Kabani (maid Usha), Sidhartha Siva (annoying cousin), are perfect in their respective roles.

Technical Aspects

Salu K Thomas, the director of photography deserves applause for the amazing visualization, that even makes us forget that we are watching a film. Sooraj S Kurup and Mathews Pulickan score high with the strong yet subtle music of the film.

Verdict

The Great Indian Kitchen is a sincere, realistic take on a common Indian household. This Jeo Baby film is a slap on the face of the deeply rooted patriarchy in our society. Don't miss it.

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