Manju Pillai’s baton Kalyani sidelined the heroine
Teacher is a film directed by Vivek and hit the theaters on December 2. Amala Paul, Hakeem Shah, Manju Pillai and Chemban Vinod are the main characters in the film.
Among these, the role of ‘Baton Kalyani’ played by Manju Pillai is deeper than the central character in the film. Baton Kalyani is a strong woman who wears a single piece, a small blouse and a thorta on her breast and walks around with a beedi on her lips.
A female figure who fights for her rights despite the lathi charge of the police. Manju Pillai has managed to portray the character to the audience with aplomb. However, the audience who have seen their better performances before will not be surprised by that performance.
But the screenplay which created such a strong female character, fails to build that strong character. Baton Kalyani is a more layered character than Devika played by Amala Paul in the film.
Baton Kalyani has got very less space in the movie. Therefore, the character has not been able to create a movement in the audience with that short time.
In the introduction scene of Manju Pillai, there is a long speech given by her. But it can be said that there is not much depth in the way the speech is presented and in its words. In general, the revolutionary speeches in the movies make the audience angry. But as for the teacher, the lines are used as written and taught.
Therefore, that speech also does not create an impact in any way. Kalyani gives strength to Amala Paul’s character Devika, who becomes isolated even from her partner towards the end of the film. At that time there is a dialogue where Baton Kalyani says ‘how many babies Kalyani would have delivered if the police lathi had the ability to give birth’.
Those dialogues are becoming markers of an era. But later in the film many parts do not fit together at all. The later story reasserts the common sense that there is no justice here by the law.
Baton Kalyani was a character created to do something more. However, the character was let down by a handful of weak dialogues. The character is marked only by the performance of actress Manju Pillai.
Manjupila has noticed everything exactly in Baton Kalyani’s walk, posture and look. The audience will not be able to see Manju on screen, only Baton Kalyani will be there.
content highlight: characerstics of batten kalyani in teacher movie