The spirits of My Dear Kuttichathan and Lokah

A female superhero film has ticked all the boxes of gripping narrative, critical acclaim and box-office success, a whopping one at that. Starring Kalyani Priyadarshan, Lokah, with its Malayalam original and Tamil, Telugu and Hindi dubbed versions, has set the cash registers ringing in Chennai, rest of Tamil Nadu and India.

This is also a time to leap back in history. In the Madras of 1984, India’s first 3D film was released with much fanfare. My Dear Kuttichathan’s initial novelty was centred around its 3D factor and as people thronged the Devi Complex and other halls, fans also bought into the story about a kindred spirit, an indelible part of Kerala’s myths.

Kuttichathan is both divinity and friendly guiding spirit in the green tapestry of Malabar. There are shrines, both the big and tiny ones, paying obeisance to a naughty avatar relishing his toddy, dried fish and above all, sharing a kinship with dogs.

Tapping into the vein of mythology and belief, My Dear Kuttichathan drew in children and large families. This was more comedy and less horror, much like the Kalyanaraman franchise that Kamal Haasan acted in, and it pleased the audience. To sit in Devi Paradise and watch a stone hurtle past, causing many heads to reflexively duck, added to the mirth.

The film was also a credible midpoint between the extremes that Kerala seemingly dished out through its celluloid offerings ranging from the smutty ones to the classy procedurals like Oru CBI Diary Kurippu. Lokah, which blends a modern setting with a mythical past and ushers in a vengeful spirit, does a hat-tip to the 1984 classic.

Chathan, played by Tovino Thomas in a cameo, walks upside down from the ceiling, much like the original Kuttichathan. If in the older film, the main spirit was a lad, here Tovino is a young man but with the naughty streak of a last-bencher at school. The threads do tie in well.

The casting that featured stars from multiple languages is again seen in Lokah. And like the path-breaker, Lokah has multiple dubbed versions. Incidentally, My Dear Kuttichathan was called Chotta Chetan in Hindi. In the 80s flick and the latest one, myth is reinvented and a dash of kindness and care is bequeathed to the guiding spirits.

The ‘yakshi’ stories from Kerala are legendary and often used to scare stubborn young ones and make them eat their food. There is an element of horror too, which the adults imbibe and nervously chuckle about. 

Lokah makes these tales accessible and like My Dear Kuttichathan, gifts a sense of wonder from the screens. Interestingly, Raghunath Paleri, who wrote My Dear Kuttichathan, plays a role in Lokah. Truly, the links from the past stretch all the way to 1984.