In a U-turn from the great Indian style of matinee idols grabbing political seats, in Kerala, it is political heroes who are gulping down larger-than-life tinsel homage.
Just on the eve of CPI(M)?s crucial State Committee meeting in Kerala, the spat between the two politburo members (CM VS Achuthanandan and party?s state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan) has leapfrogged to a quick round of shadowboxing on Malayalam big screens.
Having their celluloid say to sway indecisive party workers are ?Of the People? and ?Roudram? running in cinemahouses this week.
It was `Of the People? (part of a `People-trilogy)? that was released first. `CM? was the hero for idealistic youngsters, it told viewers. And also that his crusade of evicting `land mafia? in Munnar was tripped by a big bad man in his own party.
Pat came the reply in the form of `Roudram?, a Mammoty-starrer. Roudram?s hero makes it a point to laud the late Chief Minister EK Nayanar to skies, smartly drowning his successor LDF CM in unflattering light. There is also reference to `a CM?s son?s role? in fixing the ongoing Cybercity land deal in Kochi. Predictably, both films wear their disclaimers right, but nobody is fooled over what they say.
Meanwhile, the party meet- arguably, the Waterloo for the 84-year old Achuthanandan – is scheduled to be held in Kottayam from February 11 to February 14. If his thinning intra-party mandate is any signpost, come February-end, the veteran may have to step down from the CM?s chair or dance to the tunes of his beta noire.
In an uncanny parallel to the political graph, `Of the People? is at a loss for crowds. `Roudram?, on the other hand, has the party workers beating the Mammotty fans associations in keeping the cinema houses full.
In Kerala, movie moghuls are often buzzing a happy tune at their brush with CPI(M) politics. But for the party moghuls to return this compliment, they would also need to know how clairvoyant the length of the moviehouse queue is on the leadership question. By next week, the first footage of the answer would be ready for all.