Synopsis of 'Atayalangal...(The Imprints...)'

Set in the backdrop of a Valluvanadan village, in Kerala, India, during the II World war this story of hunger-that of body, mind and spirit written by Nandanar (1926- 74) throws, glimpses into the mystery of life that the author himself put an end to .The protagonist, Gopi, 19 year old son of a Kathakali performer, who hates the war like his mentor, Bhaskara Kurup, happens to join the army for livelihood. Village 'snake girl' Meenakshikutty, chosen to invoke and appease 'snake gods' ,for the prosperity of the villagers, instill enough confidence in Gopi and baptizes him into a soldier ,fighting for the 'battle of his life'. The division of shots, growth and pace of this film reminds you of the rain drops falling on the mountain top transforming into a river before it's rush to join the ocean. Befitting metaphor, Bhaskara Kurup employs, to teach Gopi the philosophy and the art of living. The plot, at once a tribute to the author, who lived life with life in one hand and death on the other, sticks its hood in an elegant enigmatic style, posing as a question mark, in the midst of its entwined multilayered entity. A refrain, used diligently from the works of the author's contemporary poet who exited from life in a similar fashion adds to the spiritual strength.