Sreesanth and Neelakantan

For any Malayali male under 30 today, Devasuram is the definition of masculinity. The movie is about the transformation in the life of a "feudal themmadi", Mangalassery Neelkandan, a womanising alcohol-loving terror who squanders away his ancestral property without a care. His transformation (from asuran to devan, hence the title of the movie) is driven in equal measures by failure, flashback and female.

Doubtless, Sreesanth has seen this movie, and like every Mallu young man, his conceptions of masculinity have been shaped by Mohanlal's portrayal of the hero. Sree was ten when the movie released and when the time came for his testicles to descend, the memories of the asura Mohanlal (the pre-interval Neelakantan) would have inspired in him (as it did a generation and more of similar young men) a degree of showy thuggishness.

Along the way, after he discovers that he is a bastard and not really entitled to all the wealth that he has squandered, Neelakantan is attacked and left for dead by his enemies who somehow do not manage to kill him. With his own star on the wane he finds himself deserted by friends and having lost the faith of loved ones. In one of the most moving scenes of the movie, Neelakantan asks his only friend, "Why do you think I became like this?". This moment of self-reflection is a turning point.

If Sreesanth has reflected honestly, he can emerge as the post-interval Neelakantan - the devan who has control over himself, conquers his enemies and yes, gains the love and respect of the girl.

Neelakantan inspired a series of movies starring Mohanlal in a larger-than-life role. There was even a sequel, Ravanaprabhu, more than ten years later. What can Sree inspire?

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