Elippathayam is a critically acclaimed Malayalam-language film directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan and released in 1981. The title of the film translates to “Rat Trap” in English, which is a metaphor for the protagonist's entrapment in his own emotional and psychological struggles.
The story of the film revolves around Unni, a middle-aged man from a wealthy family, who lives in a large ancestral house. Unni is emotionally attached to the house and is unable to adapt to changes in his life or the world around him. He is also deeply attached to his sisters, who control his life and wealth, and is unable to move beyond his dependency on them.
The film portrays Unni's gradual descent into madness and his ultimate isolation from the world around him. It explores themes of family, tradition, and the struggle for individual freedom in the face of societal and familial expectations.
Elippathayam won several awards, including the coveted British Film Institute award for the Most Original and Imaginative Film of 1982. It is widely considered to be one of the finest works of Indian cinema and a masterpiece of world cinema.
| Directed by | Adoor Gopalakrishnan |
|---|---|
| Produced by | K. Ravindran Nair |
| Written by | Adoor Gopalakrishnan |
| Starring | Karamana Janardanan Nair Sharada Jalaja Rajam K. Nair |
| Music by | M. B. Sreenivasan |
| Cinematography | Mankada Ravi Varma |
| Edited by | M. Mani |
| Release date | 30 April 1982 |
| Running time | 121 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |