| Ozhimuri | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Madhupal |
| Written by | Jeyamohan |
| Produced by | P. N. Venugopal |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Alagappan N. |
| Music by | Bijibal |
Production company | PNV Associates |
| Distributed by | PNV Associates |
Release date |
|
Running time | 127 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Ozhimuri (transl. Divorce Record) is a 2012 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film, directed by Madhupal, written by Jeyamohan, and starring Lal, Mallika, Asif Ali, Bhavana, and Shwetha Menon in lead roles.[1] The original songs and background score were composed by Bijibal.[2] The film opened to critical acclaim but did not fare well at the box office. It was an official selection in the Indian Panorama section of the 43rd International Film Festival of India.[3] It is widely regarded as one of the defining movies of the Malayalam New Wave.[4]
Ozhimuri is based on the book 'Uravidangal' by veteran bilingual writer Jeyamohan. The title of the work refers to the matrilineal system that prevailed in the Nair community in the erstwhile southern Travancore. A prominent feature of the matrilineal system was that properties were enjoyed by successors of the women in the family. The women were educated and bold, with mothers often being stronger than fathers. They enjoyed freedom in all respects [citation needed]. However, when the system was marginalized in the 1940s, women lost all their powers and soon became 'slaves' in the hands of a feudal male-dominated society[citation needed]. The movie exposes the complexities of a period of transition from a matrilineal to a patrilineal society. "Ozhimuri" refers to the 'divorce record' in both Tamil and Malayalam. In the matrilineal system, women were free to divorce their husbands if they did not have a sound relationship. The 'ozhimuris' or small palm-leaf pieces recording divorces of couples still stand testimony to the freedom which women enjoyed those days.
- ^ "Asif Ali, Bhavana in 'Ozhimuri'". Sify. 22 May 2012. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
- ^ "Madhupal gets ready for 'Ozhimuri'". IndiaGlitz. 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
- ^ "A Panorama of choice" Archived 20 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Khaleej Times. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
- ^ Nagarajan, Saraswathy (19 December 2019). "The 25 best Malayalam films of the decade: 'Premam', 'Maheshinte Prathikaram', 'Kumbalangi Nights' and more". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 July 2021.