Punarjanmam is a 1972 Malayalam erotic thriller directed by the famous director K.S. Sethumadhavan, based on a case study published by the psychiatrist A.T. Kovoor. The film stars Prem Nazir (as Aravindan) and Jayabharathi (as Radha) in prominent roles. The film is regarded as one of the first erotic thrillers in Indian film history.
Punarjanmam’s plot revolves around Aravindan, a Malayalam lecturer, who develops feelings for his student Radha. They get married, and the initial days of their marriage go well. But soon, things start falling apart. The main reason for their drifting apart was Aravindan’s inability to engage with Radha sexually. Initially, Radha assumed that it was Aravindan’s inhibitions that made him shy away from sex. Eventually, she realises he needs professional help and gets him to consult a psychiatrist.
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After a few evaluations, the doctor is able to conclude that Aravindan does not have any biological problems and that the problem is psychological. He invites Aravindan for a hypnotherapy session. Through hypnosis, the doctor delves into Aravindan’s unconscious mind and understands his inner conflicts and fears. The psychiatrist discovers that Aravindan’s issue is the Oedipus Complex (making Punarjanmam the first Indian movie to talk about it).
Oedipus Complex refers to the desire, feelings or attraction of a male child towards his mother. The term was introduced by the Austrian Neurologist and the founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, in his book Interpretation of Dreams (1899). He stated that during the Phallic stage (3rd stage of psychosexual development by Freud), which is around the age of 3-6 years, male children develop this kind of attachment.
The term derives from the story of Oedipus, a Greek mythological figure who killed his father and married his mother. The theory is criticised by other schools of psychology. However, core believers of Psychoanalysis still believe in this Complex. The Oedipus Complex is also characterised by a fear called the “Castration Fear” – male children fear that their father will castrate them for having incestuous wishes towards their mother.
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The psychiatrist figures out that Aravindan has strong affection and attachment towards his mother, and this love has outlived his mother. When Aravindan met Radha, he unconsciously found similarities between her and his mother. This is what attracted him to Radha, and eventually displaced the feelings he had for his mother, towards her. This is why Aravindan finds it hard to have sexual interactions with Radha.
Now, you might be wondering how Aravindan’s case in Punarjanmam is about the Oedipus Complex as it, by definition, is about having sexual feelings. That’s because, in Aravaindan’s case, he realises that his feelings for his mother are unacceptable to society. Therefore, to avoid feeling guilty, he unconsciously masks it as motherly love.
This happens in real life too; it is how our minds find reasons to support our problematic behaviours, thoughts or feelings so that we don’t experience anxiety or tension. Aravindan finds this helpful as it prevents him from misbehaving with his mother. But this problem reared its ugly head when he displaced his feelings for his mother to Radha. This is also why this movie was titled Punarjanmam – it does not refer to the rebirth of Aravindan’s mother, but the rebirth of his feelings towards her.
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Aravindan eventually realises his condition and overcomes the Oedipus Complex through therapy. Punarjanmam does not go into detail about what methods are used to treat him but is heavily focused on the clinical presentation of the condition. Punarjanmam explores how family and society deal with something like the Oedipus Complex, and how the main source of treatment is Radha who provides Aravindan with unconditional support.
Punarjanmam is one of the finest psychological thrillers from Malayalam cinema and is still relevant. It is available for free on YouTube, so don’t miss out on this erotic psychological thriller.
