Sandesham: Why the iconic Malayalam political satire is relevant even after 30 years

The Malayalam film industry hasn’t always had a great reputation when it comes to films depicting themes on gender, casteism and class distinction. Some of the more popular films in the 90s, despite being well written, directed and acted by the cast and crew, portrayed problematic ideas on various socio-political debates. However, Sandhesam, written by Sreenivasan, set itself apart by sensitively handling several socio-political issues without compromising the story-telling aspect of the film. The nuanced screenplay and the carefully executed performances of the stellar cast, under the guidance of director Sathyan Anthikad, raised the bar to a much higher standard.

The film’s focus on two brothers played by Jayaram and Sreenivasan, who have staunch opposing political views was a symbolic representation of Kerala’s political divide at the time. Those aware of the political landscape of the state will know of the state’s affinity towards Marxist ideologies that collided with those who supported the Centrist ideologies of the Congress party. For obvious reasons, neither political party was explicitly mentioned in the film. Instead, fictionalised depictions of these opposing ideologies were incorporated into the narrative. In fact, the narrative opens balanced debates from both sides of the political spectrum whilst being critical of the pitfalls of blindly following the whims of a populist leader.

The film’s greatest strength lies in the fact that the political satire aspect of the narrative has been carefully subverted in a relatable family drama that struck a chord with almost everyone who experienced Kerala in the 80s and 90s. While political satires were not uncommon in Malayalam films, none of them was able to captivate the audience with grounded realism and witty humour that Sandhesam embodied. In fact, the humour is used to great effect to highlight other socio-political issues such as problems associated with class distinction and wealth disparity, and issues pertaining to misogyny and casteism.

The character played by Siddique represents the conscience of an ideal society where citizens have a moral obligation to perform their civic duties with integrity. Even though not explicitly referenced in the film, Siddique’s character highlights the draconian caste system plaguing society. In reality, it also exposes the link between caste and politics, ever so subtly. Similar to how George Orwell’s 1984 foreshadowed social unrest stemming from socio-political upheaval, Sandhesam also offers an understated awareness of how mixing caste and politics could be detrimental to society’s progress.

Even after 30 years, the message Sandhesam conveys continues to be relevant, if not more, in today’s social landscape. Further, the film exposes society’s inadequacies in understanding civic responsibilities. While the political landscape may have slightly altered in Kerala, it still remains polarised when it comes to voting patterns. There can be no argument that Sandhesam was far ahead of its time and will continue to stay relevant for years to come. It will also be remembered for not resorting to cheesy one-liners, over-the-top action sequences, unnecessary melodrama, and redundant love story cliches.