36 Years Of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha: A Rerelease In A New Era – Revisiting Its Misogyny

In 1989, Malayalam cinema was graced with the monumental release of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, a film that not only captured the imagination of audiences but also changed the trajectory of storytelling in Indian cinema.

Directed by Hariharan and penned by the legendary M. T. Vasudevan Nair, the film became an iconic representation of North Malabar’s folklore and a landmark in Malayalam cinema history.

The film, a reinterpretation of a traditional ballad, Vadakkan Pattukal, has aged like a fine wine, revered for its performances, direction, and best screenplay.

However, as the film is rereleased in 2025, it’s important to examine its relevance today and how it is perceived in light of modern sensibilities, especially regarding its portrayal of misogyny and gender dynamics.

Set in 16th-century Kerala, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha tells the tragic tale of Chandu Chekavar, a misunderstood warrior whose life spirals into chaos due to jealousy, betrayal, and misguided valour.

Mammootty’s portrayal of Chandu is widely considered one of his finest performances, earning him the National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also won several prestigious accolades, including Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction, and Best Costume Design.

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The plot revolves around Chandu, a young man raised as part of the Chekavar clan, a family of warriors who provide martial services to feudal lords.

Chandu’s life is marked by betrayal, heartbreak, and his inevitable descent into isolation. His love for Unniyarcha, the daughter of his uncle, is thwarted by family politics, jealousy, and misunderstandings.

The story is one of passion, loyalty, honour, and vengeance, with Chandu’s tragic flaw being his inability to navigate the web of personal and familial betrayal.

At its core, the film is a meditation on honour and betrayal, with Chandu as the archetypal tragic hero. His unyielding desire for respect and recognition leads him down a dark path where the very virtues he holds dear, bravery and valour, become his undoing.

However, for all its artistic merits, the film, upon rerelease, invites scrutiny from a modern perspective—especially in how it addresses women’s roles and the treatment of female characters.

One of the most notable aspects of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha is its portrayal of women. The film, set in a patriarchal society, gives considerable importance to its female characters, but their agency and characterisation are often subordinated to the male-driven narrative.

While this may have been acceptable in the context of the period in which it was made, it is important to examine how these portrayals stand in today’s world, where the conversation around gender equality and women’s empowerment is at the forefront.

The character of Unniyarcha, played by Maadhavi, is one of the key figures in Chandu’s life. While Unniyarcha is presented as a beautiful, regal figure, her role is largely passive, shaped by the decisions and desires of the men around her.

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Her interactions with Chandu and Aromal are marked by silence, passivity, and submission, especially when she is forced into a marriage with Kunjiraman, a man of her brother’s choosing. This sense of agency lost by the female characters is evident, and it raises important questions about the way women’s autonomy is portrayed in a historical context.

Moreover, the character of Kunji, Aringodar’s daughter, also becomes an object of manipulation and tragic fate.

She is used by the male characters to further their schemes, but her motivations and actions largely remain unclear or secondary to the plot’s development. Kunji’s eventual suicide, driven by the consequences of her actions, is yet another reflection of the tragic lives women lead in the film’s universe, where their fate is dictated by the male-driven honour code.

In a modern context, such depictions of women might be unsettling. The traditional roles these characters occupy.

The long-suffering wives, the silent partners, and the sacrificial figures serve to perpetuate a certain kind of misogyny, one that views women as mere plot devices or objects of male desire and control.

The lack of meaningful agency given to female characters, especially in a film that claims to explore the complexities of human relationships, is a glaring issue when viewed through the lens of contemporary gender dynamics.

While Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha is undoubtedly a product of its time, the persistence of its misogynistic elements is a point of reflection for modern audiences.

The feudal system and the warrior culture depicted in the film were built on rigid gender norms, where women were often relegated to roles of subservience and sacrifice.

In this historical context, the treatment of women, as seen in the film, is not entirely out of place. However, when viewed today, these representations are problematic.

The 16th-century society in which Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha was set was patriarchal in its structure, with men holding power both in the public and private spheres.

The lives of women in such societies were often determined by their relationships with men. Whether as daughters, wives, or mothers.

However, in the 21st century, we have come to expect more from the media we consume. Modern audiences are increasingly aware of the need for diverse, well-rounded female characters who drive the narrative forward and whose stories are not just relegated to the sidelines.

While it is clear that the film reflects a different time, the rerelease of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha challenges us to engage with its portrayal of women more critically.

The glorification of male bravery and honour comes at the expense of the female characters, whose lives are, at best, supporting acts in the larger drama of male conflict.

For a new generation of moviegoers, especially younger viewers who are more attuned to issues of gender equality, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha might seem outdated and problematic in its treatment of women.

Modern cinema is moving away from the traditional portrayal of women as mere props in a male-dominated world. However, still, makers craft movies similar to these structures.

In this era, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha may seem to glorify a kind of toxic masculinity that has no place in modern storytelling.

Additionally, the film’s glorification of violence and the constant need to prove one’s masculinity through aggression can feel exhausting to audiences who are looking for more nuanced and emotionally intelligent portrayals of conflict.

The film’s central theme of honour through combat is undoubtedly powerful, but it is difficult to ignore how this ethos excludes women from the very battles that define the men in the film.