Name : P.P. Ajesh
Profession : Gold agent
Played by : Basil Joseph
Movie : Ponman
Director : Jyotish Shankar
(Based on the novel ‘Nalanchu Cheruppakkar’ by G.R. Indugopan)
The quote “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” sits well with the perspective of this movie. The ordinariness of the backdrop of the story, makes it all the more extraordinary. But, I am not here to express my awe at the making of this beautiful piece of art but rather discuss Basil Joseph’s beautiful portrayal of the middle class protagonist of the story- P.P.Ajesh.
The no-nonsense attitude of the hardworking man
Ajesh : Can a girl really live here without any gold?
Steffi : .Let me try.
Ajesh : Steffi, it’s now that you are finally glowing. To be honest, it is when she is free from the weight of gold, that a girl is truly beautiful. Flawless. Perfect.
Dowry has been a bane in our country since times immemorial but Ajesh does not portray the role of a preacher- he expresses himself but does not impose. He is nothing but merely a survivor here- like all working class heroes are.
His eyes sparkle with hope throughout the frames but his body can be wrung dry of sweat from the toils of labour- the troubles that he bravely undergoes only to hold on to the thought of just being able to continue to dream. When it is so easy to move on to the path of dishonesty, he chooses to stick to his integrity. This is where the character resonates with so many people from the middle class. He is the true representation of a rare breed of men in today’s world who even accepts their mistakes and apologises for the same!!! 😉
The politics of the middle class man
“If you guys do this, won’t it affect people like us-who fight without giving up, even after getting slapped and sworn at?”
We hear this quote after Ajesh has an outburst after he somehow ceases Bruno(played by Anand Marmadhan) from committing suicide.
There often erupts contradictory thoughts in the minds of people who believe in Leftist ideologies. The movie even opens with the ideas of such mental conflicts that is carried forth by the character of Bruno. Somehow, Ajesh demonstrates in the subtlety of the movie that true leftism is you-yourself. In this twisted world of conspiracies ultimately leading to hopelessness in the youth, working hard for yourself while finding joy in it, is the only religion- the only politics of the common man.
The nurturer of faith and freedom- a complete green flag
Ajesh has worked hard- hard enough to remove all expectations from life, but never for a moment losing hope in life. He has conquered fear and unknowingly inspires, motivates and changes the lives of lost souls that comes across him. You will find courage crawling in your skin when he repeatedly boos Mariyano( portrayed by
Sajin Gopu) without considering any repercussions whatsoever. You will find yourself cheering and rooting for him and a lingering positivity in your soul as the movie nears it’s climax.
He is a lover- a caregiver and a protector, yet he is not a macho masculine presence. He fights with all his might for things he cares about. He will just not give up but there is no unnecessary glorification for himself. His undying spirit continues to echo even after the end credits roll.
(P.S. This movie is highly recommended for all audiences who understand and appreciate the art of storytelling.)
Leave a Reply