Aparna Reghunathan
LEC052012
Quest
for the Maestro’s Finesse – Locating Macbeth in Joji
A
lush plantation hosting a wealthy family becomes ground zero for the family’s
underdog to unleash his pent up frustration and desire for authority and wealth.
A tale of unchecked greed, Joji
(2021), written by Syam Pushkaran and directed by Dileesh
Pothan, could draw easy comparison to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. A detailed analysis however
suggests that the artists have taken the creative liberty to build upon the
popular play’s thread a story that resonates and remains true to the cultural specificity
of Kerala and its patriarchal households. By occasionally drawing parallels to
the play, the film does tip a hat to the maestro’s genius while wholly
indulging in its own.
Any
attempt to evaluate the degree of adaptation perceivable in Joji would require an analysis of its
setting, characters and plot. The vast plantations, captured in an impressive
aerial shot (Joji 03:37 - 04:27), is suggestive of the wealth that marks the ‘Panachel’
house. It is as expansive as the foreboding physicality of Panachel Kuttapan,
the patriarch of the house. His house is home to his three sons Jomon, Jaison
and Joji as well as Jaison’s wife Bincy and Jomon’s son Poppy. The house as
well as the estate function under the yoke of Kuttapan who is a daunting figure
willing to pin down his own son to show him his place (Joji 10:45 – 11.25).
Joji, the son he takes down, is an aimless young man unwilling to put himself
to any use. Living off his father’s money and meals cooked by Bincy, Joji, who
otherwise spends time asserting authority over Poppy, exudes no redeemable quality.
This is in stark contrast to the titular character, the brave warrior Macbeth,
who is a noble hero and public favourite. Macbeth, in fact, wins the praise and
trust of King Duncan, who describes his indebtedness to Macbeth through the
words “More is thy due than more than
all can pay” (Mac. 1.4.21). Duncan is a magnanimous king in Macbeth, contrasting all that Kuttapan
stands for.
Shades of Lady Macbeth and Banquo can be noticed in
Bincy and Jomon respectively. However, drawing such parallels would require one
to overlook the relations they have with Joji in the movie. Unlike in the play,
Bincy is Joji’s sister-in-law and not wife. Similarly, Jomon, truly loyal to
Kuttapan, is Joji’s elder brother. Even after establishing the shifted
relation, it is difficult to trace Lady Macbeth’s decisive assertiveness in
Bincy. Bincy, whiling away her life cooking for the men in the house she feels
trapped in, is for most part silently seething. She exudes helplessness (Joji
41:13 – 41:41) and hopelessness (Joji 42:40 – 42:45), impossible to be found
even remotely in Lady Macbeth before the murder. The wilful compulsion of Lady
Macbeth is pivotal to the murders that take place in Macbeth. When she proclaims “But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
and we'll not fail” (Mac. 1.7.60-61), it underlines her undaunted spirit that
eventually spurs Macbeth into action.
The central action of the play, the murder of King
Duncan is fatally conclusive. Macbeth performs it with a finality expressed in
his words “The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons
thee to heaven or to hell” (Mac. 2.1.62-64). Lady Macbeth plays an instrumental
role in shifting the suspicion of the crime. In Joji, Joji initially banks on a ‘stroke’ of luck to fulfil his
desires. When fate decides otherwise, Joji resorts to replacing Kuttapan’s
tablets to murder him. Bincy, choosing not to intervene, is only a silent
accomplice to the crime. The death has to be long anticipated, leaving Joji to
wait for the fish to take the bait (Joji 50:24 – 50:33). Similarly, while
Banquo’s murder is well conspired, Jomon’s killing is instinctual and
haphazard.
Apart from these stark differences traceable in the
characters and their actions, the film also leaves out some of the very
compelling elements of the drama – the three witches and their omens. The movie
also strips the wrongdoer of guilt, painting Joji as a character sans remorse.
His actions are neither excused nor repented, allowing Joji to own his crimes
with an agency Macbeth never managed to claim. For the very reason Joji deserves an appreciation as a
compelling film in its own right. Staying firm rooted in its setting, Joji manages to convey a tale of
vaulting ambition through a tale as effective, albeit distinct from Macbeth.
Works Cited
Joji. Directed by Dileesh Pothan, Performance by
Fahadh Faasil and Unnimaya Prasad.Bhavana Studios, Working Class Hero and Fahadh Faasil and Friends.
Amazon Prime Video, 2021.
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited
by A.R. Braunmuller, Cambridge University Press, 1999.
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