The Artist as a Young Man: A Portrait
Film review: ‘Artist’
I came across the movie while I was binge-watching Fahad Faasil’s movies.
‘Artist’, based on Paritosh Uttam’s book, “Dreams in Prussian Blue’ is directed by Shyamaprasad, and was released in 2013. Ann Augustine and Fahad Faasil essay the roles of Michael Agnelo and Gayathri, two students of a Fine Arts College. Michael, the maverick, rebellious senior student, is intrigued by the different views that Gayatri holds, and from that sense of intrigue grows a connection that Gayatri thinks is love. She is completely besotted by him: but he is merely preoccupied. They decide to live together, and Michael has to move out of his father’s flat owing to that decision. The rules he makes are simple: we live together, you earn and keep us going. I paint.
Gayatri abandons her ambition of being an artist: she works through the day, in a call centre, then, later waiting at tables, cooking, washing up in a fast food centre, trying desperately to make sure that Michael doesn’t lack for canvases, brushes, expensive tubes of paint. She hopes that he will change, become less selfish, sees how much she is burdened, but he doesn’t. Then he has an accident, causing him to lose vision…but he still wants to paint. He throws tantrums, screams, and abuses her. He wishes to hold an exhibition, to prove himself.
It was then that everything comes unraveled.
I don’t know how a psychological thriller is defined, but to me, this was one. The fine thread of psychological disintegration is woven subtly into the daily routines of the two-member household. I had to try very hard to stop myself from scrolling to the last bit to see what the end was like.
The movie won awards for ‘Best Actor, ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Director.
I remember the I V Shashi directed ‘Aksharangal, starring Mammooty, Seema, Suhasini, and Bharat Gopi. It was a classic in its own right, and I remember one of the characters saying that rules of human behaviour, and concepts of selfishness and unselfishness, do not apply to geniuses, especially writers. And I remember some of Ayn Rand’s chilling theories about the self and selfishness. These are the two examples the movie, and particularly, Fahad’s character reminds me of.
Brilliant acting, great direction, and skillful exploration of human behaviour is what I take away with me after the movie. But it is a disturbing movie, for all that. Truly worth watching, perhaps more than once.
Happy viewing.
