Mathilukal - 1989
(Walls)

Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Mathilukal is based on an autobiographical short novel, of the same name by renowned Malayalam writer, Vikom Muhammad Bashir. Mathilukal is Bashir's memories of jail life during the early 1940s, when he was imprisoned by the British Government for "anti-national" activities.

After completing the film, I was particular that Basheer should be the first to see it. I screened the film at Kozhikode for Basheer. After seeing the film, everyone got up, but Basheer was still sitting. I went near him and he said, 'not a dull moment'.

Confined to the narrow space of a prison cell, Bashir falls in love with a woman in the neighbouring prison compound. They are separated by a high wall so that they never see each other and have to devise ingenious ways for communicating. Narayani, Bashir's love is presented as a female voice and never appears in person in the film.

Mathilukal won Adoor Gopalakrishnan the National Film award for best director and Mammooty for best actor in 1989.

Direction & Screenplay: Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Cast: Mammootty, Thilakan, Murali, Ravi Vallathol, Karamana Janardhanan Nair
Cinematography: Mankada Ravi Varma
Editing: M Mani
Music: Vijayabhaskar

Also read :
Of Life...On Films...:Adoor on Mathilukal