Malaikottai Vaaliban, Lijo Jose Pellissery’s latest outing with Mohanlal, has hit the theatres. This film is unique because it blends LJP’s unconventional making with fantasy elements, making it a movie in the Magical Realism genre. Apart from his unconventional making style, LJP is also known for sprinkling easter eggs and references in his work. Malaikottai Vaaliban is no different. Let’s look at such easter eggs and references in Malaikottai Vaaliban.
Spoilers Ahead!
Main Theme BGM
The main theme BGM of Malaikottai Vaaliban is sure to remind you of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly main theme, composed by Ennio Morricone. If you didn’t catch this one earlier, give them a listen and see if you can spot similarities.
The Wild West Setting
Malaikottai Vaaliban’s world seems to have a geography similar to that you see in Westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. While the desert looks very similar to the terrain in the Western part of India, you can see strata (rock formations most famously identified with that in the Grand Canyon) in some background shots. This, too, could be a nod to Spaghetti Westerns.
The Shawl
Vaaliban uses a shawl to defeat the first champion he faces in the movie. The use of the shawl as a weapon might remind you of Michelle Yeoh’s character from The Touch.
The way Vaaliban uses it to subdue the opponent reminds you of Chinese martial arts movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Quite a few of the action sequences in Malaikottai Vaaliban will remind you of Chinese martial arts movies. Like Malaikottai Vaaliban, these movies belong to the genre of magical realism and, thus, have over-the-top action sequences and acrobatics.
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The Samson Reference
You might have spotted the Samson reference from the trailer. In the movie, we see the Samson story referenced further with Vaaliban being drugged into being weaker, being chained to pillars, and later bringing the pillars down all around him. Samson’s source of strength was his hair. While Vaaliban’s earring might have some significance, his eyes seem to play a role in his capabilities (“kann kond kandath nijam”).
Dancing on spikes
Making Rangarani and Jamanthipoovu on spikes could be a reference to “naach Basanti naach” from Sholay.
The Spartacus Escape
Vaaliban and the group escape from the arena using an iron gate. This is sure to remind you of the scene from Stanly Kubrick’s Spartacus, where Spartacus and his group escape their ludus using an iron gate.
Kamal Hassan, too, recreated this scene from Spartacus in his directorial venture Virumaandi.
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The Japanese Connection
Vaaliban is quite similar to Toshiro Mifune’s character, Sanjuro, from Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo. Both are warriors who wander the land and end up in major battles. Even their physical appearance and clothes seem similar.
Another Japanese connection is the use of Katanas (Samurai swords) by some of Macaulay’s soldiers in Malaikottai.
Chamathakan’s Joker Laugh
Did you find Chamathakan’s laugh eerie? Did it not remind you of Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker? Like the Joker, Chamathakan laughs sarcastically at people laughing at him, as if to tell them that he’ll have the final laugh (literally and metaphorically).
A Shakespearean Tragedy
The third Act of Malaikottai Vaaliban is a clear Shakespearean tragedy – a reimagination of Othello. You have Thenamma poisoning both Rangarani’s and Chinnappayyan’s minds, which leads to Chinnappayyan’s and Jamanthipoovu’s deaths.
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Did we miss any easter eggs or references in Malaikottai Vaaliban? Tell us in the comments.
