No matter where they are in life, many have an incessant desire to go back to the “good old days,” even though they know that time moves in only one direction. However, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that director Lal Jose’s Classmates (2006), starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kavya Madhavan in the lead roles, took many — both the characters in the movie and the audience — back to the good old days.

Revolving around a group of people who gather at their college after 15 years for a reunion, Classmates showcases their emotional journey back to their golden era and reliving a simpler time. The movie also gave audiences the feeling that they have turned back time and landed in a period when even the simplest stories in Malayalam cinema carried depth and weren’t superficial.

Unlike the 1970s and 1980s, which could broadly be described as the industry’s “golden era,” when it produced narratively and aesthetically impressive works that were anchored in the social fabric of Kerala and the daily realities of the masses, the 1990s witnessed a massive paradigm shift, with filmmakers beginning to churn out superficial comedies and star vehicles.

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Although great movies like Mathilukal (1990), Amaram (1991), Bharatham (1991), Manichitrathazhu (1993), and Vidheyan (1994), among others, emerged during this period, many filmmakers focused simply on making a quick buck. As a result, a lion’s share of movies became one-and-done watches, leaving only an ephemeral impact on audiences.

The subsequent downfall of Malayalam cinema was such that it even led to a period when softcore adult films became bigger hits than many mainstream movies. Although Mohanlal and Mammootty still delivered blockbusters, and a few excellent works emerged in between, the 2000s can undoubtedly be described as a period of quiescence, characterised by intellectual and creative stagnation.

How Classmates broke the superstar monopoly

In last week’s report, we discussed the history of Onam box office showdowns in Kerala. While the battles were mostly between Mohanlal and Mammootty, 2006 witnessed a rather intriguing scenario. Not only did the Big Ms’ films underperform, but one movie — without even a single major star — bested four superstar flicks to emerge as the Onam winner. And that was Classmates!

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The Lal Jose directorial hit the screens on August 25, according to M3DB, alongside Mammootty’s Bhargavacharitham Moonam Khandam. They were soon joined the following week by Mohanlal’s Mahasamudram, Dileep’s The Don, and Suresh Gopi’s Pathaaka. Despite all four movies being headlined by massive stars, they didn’t stand a chance against Classmates. The campus film earned a whopping Rs 24 crore, according to Onmanorama, and almost dethroned the then-industry hit, director Anwar Rasheed’s Mammootty-starrer Rajamanikyam (Rs 25 crore).

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Aside from becoming a blockbuster, Classmates also emerged as a cultural phenomenon, sparking a wave of college reunions across Kerala and leaving many nostalgic adults yearning to sing “Kattadi Thanalum” with their old buddies. It made them realise that they no longer had to just reflect on the good old days; they could actually relive them, even if only for a short time. Moreover, those who were actually in college when the movie was released began creating more core memories together, which they could cherish when they got back together years later for a similar reunion.

Beyond romance: A deep, layered take on campus life, politics and friendship

The reason Classmates reminded many viewers of Malayalam films from the 1970s and 1980s was not simply that a large portion of it unfolded in a bygone era through flashbacks. Rather, it was because the film wasn’t just another campus movie revolving solely around the romance between its male and female leads. The Lal Jose directorial was deep, layered, thrilling, and dramatic. It not only transported the audience back to the ’90s but also immersed them in its world, making each viewer feel like an invisible classmate of the central characters.

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The movie opens with a brief flashback where P Sukumaran aka Suku (Prithviraj Sukumaran) is fighting Satheeshan Kanjikuzhi (Jayasurya) in the middle of their college as other students look on. Suddenly, the sound of his alarm ringing startles Suku awake. He is no longer that college student. Fear crosses his face; he looks exhausted. Why is that memory a nightmare for him even after years? What happened that day? Did he accidentally harm Satheeshan, thus changing their lives forever? Why were they fighting?

A masterclass in unhurried storytelling: How James Albert built the mystery

One of the beauties of Classmates is the slow manner in which writer James Albert unravels the story. He doesn’t jump right into the flashback, trying to take the easy route of evoking nostalgia in the audience from the word go. Instead, he utilises the first act to plant several questions in the audience’s mind.

At the college reunion, we also see Satheeshan, now an MLA, but he talks about settling past scores. What are they? The reunion also serves as a memorial for their classmate Murali (Narain), who died during college. What happened to him? What is plaguing Suku, making him look like someone who has lost the battle with life? What happened between Suku and Tara Kurup (Kavya Madhavan), prompting Pious (Indrajith Sukumaran) to say, albeit jokingly, that she might exact revenge on Suku on their reunion night? What happened to Raziya (Radhika)? Why did Suku, who initially appeared depressed, describe himself as the “happiest man in the world” after the reunion?

Aside from becoming a blockbuster, Classmates also emerged as a cultural phenomenon, sparking a wave of college reunions across Kerala. (Credit: IMDb)

The sharpness of James Albert as a writer becomes most evident when he concludes the first act by showing a near-dead Suku in his hostel room. While most assume that it’s a suicide bid, Pious and Murali’s father, their lecturer Iyer (Balachandra Menon), isn’t ready to believe that. James Albert’s unrushed, layered writing sparks questions in the audience’s minds without confusing them, building intrigue early on and quickly drawing them into the film’s world.

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A love letter to campuses in Kerala

After Classmates cuts to 1991 to show the characters’ college lives, the movie assumes a fresh tone, marked by exuberance and liveliness. One of the film’s most attractive facets is its grounded, relatable humour, where almost all jokes land well. The impressive chemistry between the actors — particularly Prithviraj and his brother Indrajith Sukumaran, who play best friends — adds to the film’s charm.

At a time when new-age campus films were becoming highly apolitical, Classmates was inseparable from politics. While older movies like Sarvakalashala (1987) and Cheppu (1987) also shed light on campus politics, more recent films like Niram (1999) and Nammal (2002) had completely turned a blind eye to it, almost to the extent of making one wonder if campus politics was a myth. But Classmates offered a realistic portrayal, showing both the good and bad sides of campus politics.

Interestingly, Suku and Tara belong to opposing parties in college and are mostly at loggerheads for much of the movie before eventually falling in love. The film also gives a fresh spin to the enemies-to-lovers trope by infusing it with politics, making the story even more intriguing and relatable to Malayalees, especially since campuses of that period were politically charged.

Considering the era the movie was released, Classmates also contains some misogynistic portrayals, particularly at Tara’s expense, with body-shaming and sexist remarks directed at her during the initial flashback scenes. However, James Albert does not reduce her to just Suku’s enemy or his lover later; Tara has her own identity, as do most characters in the film. None of them merely exist in the background; they all contribute significantly to the narrative’s overall progress.

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Lal Jose’s brilliance as a filmmaker is evident throughout Classmates, as the movie’s pacing and aesthetics never waver. He doesn’t just stick to one style, which could have undermined the film’s multiple layers. Instead, he treats each facet of Classmates according to its unique requirements. The stark difference in the staging and even the pace of cuts in the comedic scenes set in the hostel compared to the romantic moments of Suku and Tara in the chemistry lab underscores how much thought Lal Jose put into the film’s visualisation.

How Classmates crafted nostalgia through Rajeev Ravi’s lens and Alex Paul’s music

Cinematographer Rajeev Ravi and editor Ranjan Abraham also deserve immense praise for their contributions. Instead of treating Classmates — shot mostly in the legendary CMS College, Kottayam — as just another campus film, Rajeev gives its visuals a distinct style, where the frames not only showcase the characters but also always focus on the ambience, capturing and establishing the era effectively throughout. The rhythm Ranjan Abraham brings to the story’s progression also contributes immensely to the viewing experience. Art director AV Gokuldas also deserves commendation for recreating a bygone era with extraordinary skill.

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One of Classmates’ biggest wins was that everyone involved understood and touched the film’s soul, giving their best in return. Composer Alex Paul’s work highlights this. Not just the songs “Kattadi Thanalum,” “Ente Khalbile,” “Kathirunna Pennalle,” and “Vote,” but even the background score — particularly the romantic track — is ethereal, adding to Classmates’ brilliance.

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Towards the end, as James and Lal Jose slowly begin to answer all the questions we had at the start, one might even feel that many of the clues had been right in front of us all along. But we were so invested in the movie that we missed the obvious. Credit goes to everyone involved, including the cast, for doing a brilliant job of consistently misdirecting us.

Cinema cannot exist in a vacuum; it’s all about the discussions that follow. In the Cinema Anatomy column, we delve into the diverse layers and dimensions of films, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourses.