Minnal Murali
Some are born great. Some become great. On some, lightening hits!
What if the greatness is thrust by lightning? Can you actually do anything? Accept fate, in real life. But in reel life, you become a superhero. A normal guy, Murali, becomes “Minnal Murali” (‘minnal’ being lightning in Malayalam).
His once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move from the ‘Known to Unknown’ (Hero’s Journey, Joseph Campbell)
The twist in the story is when the lightening strikes two people, and both get superpowers! And both use the same title, and even the variants, ‘the original’!
Minnal Murali is a victim. His lover dumps him, her father (a cop) threatens and slaps him in the public. Pours water on his dream to go to the USA. Then shares the best-kept secret Murali’s family was actually not his, he was the son of a wandering actor. To make matters worse the cop manhandles his ‘father’.
That was his ‘Call to Adventure’ to accept the new powers.
It takes a village to raise a child (African Proverb)And vice versa?
That is the story of the other super ‘hero’, Minnal Shibu. He works at a roadside tea shop. And a lot happens at these Malayalee tea stalls! He is the son of a mad woman. Afterall madness is not hereditary? He was (and still is) madly in love with a girl at school. She had eloped with someone, got back with a sick daughter, and stays at her brother’s house. The brother is already struggling to make both ends meet, working as a tailor at the local tailoring shop belonging to Murali’s father. Shibu wants to bring Usha, the light of his otherwise boring and painful life, to his humble dwelling. But her tailor-brother never liked Shibu, as a student, or now!
Both Murli & Shibu respond differently to their own ‘Call to Adventure’*. Murali announces the arrival of ‘Minnal Murali’, picking up the costume of an eagle at the school function, and bashes up all cops! Shibu meanwhile uses the time to rob the local cooperative bank, to support Usha’s daughter’s medical emergency! He leaves a mark, ‘Bunty & Babli style’, writing on the wall, ‘Minnal Murali’! The cops and the village are all confused. All these happen in a remote village, where all are interconnected. And that complicates the story.
They go in search of their own meaning. While Murali is pushed to be the good guy, Shibu goes in search of his love. Naturally, it leads to a clash. Shibu lives up to his earlier threat to Murali he will burn down the village. That sets up a brilliant climax.
The build-up to the climax is the Hero’s Journey to his full potential.
Shibu steals the show with his brilliant performance. The emotions that he brings on his face are like a true artist (a la Jagathy’s nava rasa demo to Saroj Kumar, Padmsri!). Murali is a brilliant actor, does justice to the role. Every supporting actor plays their role to the full potential. The nephew, rest of the family, cops, karate teacher, et al. The narration is superbly set in a village. Direction is brilliant.
The way the superpowers are recognized by both Murali & Shibu is well narrated. One tries to jump from the tree, recognizes he can not fly! He gives a slight push to his cop-BIL, who lands in the well. He gives a not-so-gentle push to the Karate girl, she lands with a sprained neck!
The hero nurtured his dream to go to the USA for a long time. His nephew tells him all superheroes were Americans :) But chooses to stay on in the village (state 3, ‘Return’ of the hero!)
If you are a fan of the #Marvel superhero series, you will end up comparing every other superhero story with the Marvel series. And that is human! (Pun intended)
We all have some powers too. We use all our powers in different ways. The choice helps us become what we choose to be. A coach can help to reach the full potential.
Executive Coaching, Team Coaching, Coach Training & Certification, Healing : www.regalunlimited.com
