Kerala Mix-II

Series-II
This is the second in the series on growing social obsessions in Kerala. Gold and Alcohol are the late entrants into the mallu psyche. If all others are vices of materialistic nature, there is one virtue that no other Indian possesses. The gift of comedy. Humour comes easily to a malayalee. How and why? read on

Comedy: Mallu comedy actors take a bow!. Over 50% of malayalam movie actors are comedians.
This blog is going to make the Innocents [a funny name for a naughty comedian], Jayarams [one time mimicry artist turned super star], Dilip, and Lals [again a mimic turned director] proud. Every malayalee loves a hearty laugh, whether it comes from the slapstick comic movie scenes, or double entendre "skits" and "mimics parades". Make no mistake; mallu's are very particular about good comedy. Ask the all time favorite comedian of Malayalam cinema "Jagathi Sreekumar"[ His actual name is Sreekumar, Jagathi is the name of his home town, mallus have a special affection for place names, but all that in a later blog]. If you say this is common to all Indian cinemas, Kerala comedy has more to offer. Keralites love mimicking any TDH, including themselves. Mimicry artists have a special penchant to mock actors and politicians. Some superstar actors and politicians admit that some artists who mimic their mannerisms are better than themselves. A "mimics parade" [there is no march past, this parade is just a two hour program when various artists parade before the audience showcasing their vocal magic and funny histrionics] is a hit be it in birthday parties to Gulf entertainment shows. There was even a call to ban mimicing leaders and personalities which never found any takers in Kerala [Gulf Today, January 14 2004]. Some "mimics videos" [of Kalabhavan, Cochin variety] will find place with many a blockbuster Malayalam movie. The Malayalam film industry owes a lot to this comedy factory, though of late mimicry is loosing the spontaneity and situational comedy, made a cult classic by Jayaram, Late Sainudeen, and Harisri Asokan. Probe further, you will find numerous television shows that rake in TRP ratings by just showing a collage of comedy scenes from malaylam movies [Asianet Cinemala, Comedy time, Jagapoga]. These shows have TRP ratings at par with the weepy feminine soaps. Now, to beat the TV soaps loaded with sentiments is no mean achievement and that shows how popular humor is in mallu land. If you think director Priyadarsan is a genius, you are wrong. He was one. Today, all comedy movies made by him in Hindi and all blockbusters are frame by frame copies of hit malayalam comedy movies from the 80's and 90's.