Pranayam

I should have posted this one ideally on 14th Feb 12 , Valinetines day . Got busy with so many things and could not post. It was coincidential that I watched the much talked about movie "Pranayam" on  Valentine day. After watching the movie , I kept wondering whether this movie really depicts true "Pranayam". 
It was difficult for me to digest the fact that the couple who had inter-religion marriage ( Played by Jayaprada and Anupam Kher ) got separated due to the  issues related to the baptism of their son. Is n't it true love beyond caste , creed , religion ? If the chiristan lady (Grace , played by Jayaprada) had guts to get married to a hindu man (Menon , played by Anupam Kher) , why the lady did not have the same guts after marriage when her parents forced to convert their child to a christian ? When the differences reach its peak , divorce was considered as solution.

Finally the husband runs away with his two and half year old son.

If I can borrow the dialogue of Anupam Kher to Jayaparada (may not be the same words) ," My advocate convinced me that the child has to live with  his mother after the divorce. I could not think of parting my son for ever. So , I  ran away with the child and roamed in many places. Later I realized that it was all a trap made my own advocate and your father. I wanted to write a letter to you mentioning everything but by the time it was too late. You had already got married."

What a tragedy ! Anupam Kher  is depicted as a true and loving husband who did not get married again and spent all his energy and life for his beloved son. A man with such a beautiful heart , wouldn't he have thought of making  a last attempt to patch up with his wife before running away with his son  ? He would have definitely been able to understand what emotional stress the mother and the child would undergo if they got separated from each other.

I kept wondering how come this "Pranayini" got married again to Mathews ( A philosophy professor played by Mohan Lal )and led a happy married life. The story unveils when the trio ( Lal, Anupam and Jayaprada) go for a vacation. During their journey , Mathews tells Menon  ," You know Menon, she did not even speak to me for many days after marriage. Finally I understood the reason. Her father had threatened her that he would commit suicide if she did not agree for the marriage"

That was a dull attempt by the script writer to elevate the "Pranayini" as a "true and innocent " lady love . All the while I was wondering why this lady did not commit suicide after getting separated from her husband and son.

Finally the lady falls deeply in love with her husband so much so that she refuses to go up the rocks  in the beach to see the beautiful sight which Menon wanted to show them only because it was not possible to get the wheel chair up for her husband also to enjoy it . She says , "If Mathews  is not able to come there to see it , I also dont want to see it ". Was this another futile effort to depict her as another "Gandahari" who blindfolder herself becasue her husband was blind ?

I could only "pity" the first husband (am not pitying the actor) when he followed his exwife and her husband every where only to watch their  "Pranaya Cheshtakal" and "Pranaya Sallapam." One thing which was very srriking and I should say hats off to "Anupam Kher" for the kind of expressions reflected on his face as he witnessed this height of pranayam.. His expressions were so realistic , it was a mixture of irritation, jealousy , feeling of loss and above all embarassment. Who wont be embarrased to watch such a "divine" pranayam ? The philsopher husband proves that he is also possessive by singing the song , "I am your man.." to Jayaprada  infront of Anupam Kher.

The climax was even more ridiculous. Mathews  gets hospitalised. Out side the ICU,  Menon and Grace are waiting outside praying for his recovery. Menon happens to see the bible kept there which reminds him of the beautiful memories of his married life and he goes to Grace asking her whether she recollects something. Thankfully , she also did not fall into those old beacutiful moments at that time  and she goes near the ICU door. Mathews was getting better. Then Grace and Menon return to their room in the hospital.

By this time , Menon discloses to his son that his mother is very inncoent and it is he who separated the son and mother. The son ( played by Anoop  very well ) requests his mom that it is his wish to live with his parents at least for a day. Menon also expresses the same wish to his lady love , kisses her on her forehead and hugs her tightly. Grace falls down  unconscious and is decalred dead by the doctors as she had a cardiac failure. May be that the script writer did not want to have any such "mistakes" affecting the "purity"  of this "divine pranayini" and hence decides to lead her to death ...

Is this pranayam ? Longing for some one , loving some one unconditionally is pranayam. Menon ofcourse is a symbol of true pranayam in this movie. But the only thing which does not gel well is that he ran away with his son separating the mother and the son. One who has true pranayam is ready to sacrifice anything for his/her love . But it could be probably justified -  Menon's dialogue , " What you consider as right and wrong change with time ". May be  , he also became selfish at some point in time.But by the time , he tried to correct his mistake , it was late...

Pranayam is a union of two loving souls ..It is eternal..It is unconditional..It is sweet and beautiful..