Driving Our Non-Malayali Friends Nuts - How “Aavesham” Fared On Our Lunch Table

By Anna Joe

Aavesham, meaning enthusiasm in Malayalam, is a word that has electric energy. It is the spirit of the Thrissur Pooram ground, as you sway to the beat of the drums, the goosebumps you get when Mohanlal delivers a killer dialogue, the energy of the college fest or a sports meet. Thumping and heady. It’s also very characteristic of the Malayali. 

We’re known for being enthusiastic about our food, our language, our art - perhaps to a fault. After living in Bangalore for almost a decade, I’ve heard how this enthusiasm can be annoying to people from outside the State. It takes up space, it is loud, and it’s in your face. So I kept my “aavesham” under check - allowing myself this celebration only when I was positive nobody was around to judge.

It was surprising, to say the least, when my non-Malayali colleagues came up to me to ask when we were going to watch the movie of the same moniker at the theatres. Actually, scratch that - in hindsight, perhaps it wasn’t so surprising. After all, we had spent a couple of weeks going gaga over the soundtrack of the movie when it launched. Prashanth, our Creative Visualiser and hip-hop aficionado, began introducing Sushin Shyam into his office playlist. Neelesh would walk around humming “Illuminati” - despite not knowing a lick of Malayalam. Sriram, our Founder, has been openly appreciative of Fahad Fasil’s performances in the past. 

So we went to the movie together - and it was an absolute riot. Although we caught the film in the last leg of its run in theatres, we were still left infected by the energy that the performances brought to a near-empty theatre. 

It’s a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, from Fahad’s over-the-top personality to the subtle digs at the culture of macho-ism - you’re not meant to take it too seriously either. After the movie, we spent some time outside the mall dissecting it - while Pakhi, fresh to the Mollywood scene, felt the humour was lost in translation, she also appreciated the performances and the storytelling of the film. Suraj, with his eye for production, commented on the finesse and artistry of the cinematography. Shashank, true to his reputation as a meme-connoisseur, appreciated the comedy of the film. And I for one, could not get over how great Fahad looked as his young avatar during the flashback sequences. Seriously, that hairstyle made the man ten times more attractive.

For those familiar with the Kpop wave, you might recognise the effects of “soft power” here. This is the type of power that isn’t exercised by rules or authority but rather through appealing to people, attracting them enough to change their opinions about a country or their people. This is how Korea and Japan managed to turn the world in their favour after the war - the power of anime, K-pop and heart-touching K-dramas.

And that’s how Kerala has been capturing hearts as well. As my coworkers say “eda mwone” in response to a cool outfit, as they share reels of FaFa making silly faces behind a pillar, as they hoot and whistle in the theatre - they make me feel a tiny bit more accepted in faraway home.

For the non-Malayalis - I got you. 

Thrissur Pooram: One of the most popular temple festivals in Kerala, involving drums, elephants, fireworks and more. It is held on the grounds of Vadakkunnathan temple.

Mohanlal: The GOAT of Malayalam cinema

Illuminati: An absolute bop of a song from the film. 

Eda Mwone: A popular catchphrase from the film meaning “hey kid” in an affectionate way

And if you haven’t watched Aavesham yet - it’s on Prime now. I highly, highly recommend you watch it (maybe with your Malayali friend).