Priyan Otthathilanu (പ്രിയൻ ഒത്തത്തിലനു) - An ode to the mundane life of people who find happiness in others happiness

Priyan Otthathilanu is a newly released Malayalam movie, that I happened to see today. To be honest, I planned to watch Prakashan Parakatte. However, after entering the cinema, I realised I had to watch Priyan Otthathilanu. With no other choice, I choose to watch this movie primarily because of my love of Malayalam movies and also due to respect towards Sharafudden (the protagonist of this movie).

This movie looks like an ordinary story of a person who has multiple chores and wears numerous hats. The protagonist “Priyan” is a homoeopathy doctor who is also his apartment’s secretary, caretaker of his estranged uncles’ son, mediator for his sister-in-law's marriage troubles, a friend in need of a stranger and also a scriptwriter. In this list of roles he dons, the scriptwriter appears in the last because that’s the priority he gives to it. But unfortunately, that’s his passion. Sadly, in making everyone else’s life happy, sometimes Priyan tends to lose out on his own interests.  

People like Priyan are very rare. They live a life for others. They do not do it to earn fame nor for some materialistic gains. They do it because that makes them happy. They secretly believe that they are the invisible gears in the mechanics of the world that makes it go on and on and on. And they do it as second nature. No one asks them to take up additional responsibilities, and no one forces them to pay attention to them. They do it because they want to do it.

An anecdote however beautifully sums up the motivation behind the intentions of this character. In the pre-climax when Priyan once again saves everyone else’s day but loses his mini battles, someone asks “In trying to help people around you, haven’t you seen that you have lost your little dream today?”. He responds, “during kindergarten, we played a game of lemon in the spoon. The winner was not the one who arrives quickly at the end line, it was the one who had the lemon in the spoon while crossing the end line”.

Few may wonder if they are a person like Priyan because they also find happiness in others' happiness. But this movie portrays beautifully this character and at the end of it, you would understand if you can resonate with yourself or someone you know. If you can relate to someone you know to be Priyan, what do you do? Should you call them up and thank them for their services? I don’t think so. Such persons do not expect a thank you. Maybe, just call them and ask “Shall we catch up for Chai?”. They will, almost always, respond with “when shall we meet up?”.

And if you can resonate with Priyan, then just pat yourself on the back, wake up tomorrow and continue the awesome job of just existing. Because if you exist, the world will be more Samadhaanam (peaceful).

P.S: This is not a movie review. These are just my thoughts about the movie and its character. The storyline is mundane but never off-putting. It gives good laughs every once in a while. All other characters have been given due importance as Priyan. This is aptly done because, in the eyes of Priyan, everyone is as important as himself. There are no songs, fights or typical masala components in this movie. A very nice feel-good movie. This is a beautiful ode to all the nice people out there who are moving this world one day at a time.