Malayalis love to quote, midway through a conversation, some old line from a movie that they think is 'just apt' for the situation. Over the years, a number of such dialogues and scenes have become the most commonly quoted, either for the fun of it or owing to the performance of the actors. For many of them, we have Innocent to thank. The much-loved actor, who passed away on Sunday, March 26, had many such memorable scenes and dialogues, remembered for the unique Irinjalakuda slang he rendered them in, and the expressions that could make the toughest person laugh out loud. Here are a few.
1. 'Adichu mole' from Kilukkam
From the Priyadarshan film led by the likes of Mohanlal, Revathy, and Thilakan, it is this scene of Innocent’s that is perhaps the most quoted. In an attempt to drive Innocent's character Kittunni away from the house, Nandini (Revathi) tricks him into thinking he won the lottery. Upon seeing that even the last number has matched, Innocent breaks into a number of emotions, laughing and crying at the same time, saying 'adichu mole' (I won, dear) before passing out. Playing a domestic worker in the film, the next scene in which he makes some loud angry remarks to his shocked employer (Thilakan)’s face before leaving the house is equally hilarious. As is his return home a week later.
2. 'Nee mundu' from Ramji Rao Speaking
This is one of those hard to translate kind of comedy gems, which has to do with the dialects in Malayalam. How ‘mundu’ can mean two different things because of the way you say it in two different places. Here Innocent, playing Mannar Mathai, the owner of a failed theatre group, is in the midst of two of his young tenants fighting each other, trying to placate them. The three are looking like children in a mud fight when a young woman walks in. At this point Mathai has lost his mundu in the tussle and is proudly standing in his boxer shorts. Mukesh, playing one of the young men, mumbles “mundu mundu”. Innocent with a straight face says "nee mundu, eniku parchyonulla, njan mundula". Here, by mundu, he means 'talk'. Mathaichan says he won't talk to the woman, he does not know her. Until it dawns on him that his mundu is missing, and the straight face becomes adorably shy and blushing.
3. ‘Ithinappuram chaadi kadannavana KK Joseph’ from Vietnam Colony
Poor KK Joseph. He had warned Swamy (Mohanlal) not to take up this job, but now here he was stuck in a colony terrorised by goons. To top it all, Swamy plays loud morning prayers rousing him awake and draws kolams across the floor making it difficult for him to walk. But in a sort of self pep talk, he announces, “ithinappuram chaadi kadannavan aanee KK Joseph” (This KK Joseph has made bigger jumps), as he tries to jump over the kolam. And ends up slipping and falling down the stairs. Down at the bottom step he wonders, “Now where did I come from?”
4. ‘Thakkol edukkatharunodayathil’ from Manichithrathazhu
One of the most memorable characters of Innocent is Unnithan from Manichithrathazhu, a rationalist who rubbishes the ghost stories surrounding Madampally, an ancestral house, and then turns into a most paranoid man, jumpy and scared of everything. 'Thakkol edukkatharunodayathil' slips out of his tongue in the beginning of the film, amid a friendly akshara slokam match under the banyan tree. It is also his turning point, he is just realising he has forgotten the key of Madampally. Going to retrieve it will end up a most scary experience for him and Dasappan (Ganesh), who tags along due to a misunderstanding. What is scary for them is fun for the audience though, such is their wit. Another popular sequence in the film is his scene with KPAC Lalitha, where both are on vows of silence and it becomes a totally hilarious misunderstanding.
5. ‘Kochu kuttikal kuttam cheythal’ from Thoovalsparsham
Sishupalan's entry in Thoovalsparsham, a film inspired by Three Men and a Baby and yes, where three men are looking after a baby, is marked by Innocent's trademark humour. The whole sequence of him coming into the house and taking charge is filled with funny quips said in a lighter voice and a different tone. ‘Kochu kuttikal kuttam cheythal kolumittayi dai dai’ is a song he sings for the baby, when in fact he is holding a doll thinking that it is the baby.
6. ‘Tony kutta’ from No. 20 Madras Mail
This is another song that Innocent sings, as he plays a train TTE who gets friendly with a gang of men led by Tony (Mohanlal). He takes a drink and breaks into a song about Tony in a deliberately funny voice and tone. It works and how. The whole sequence is hilarious.
7. ‘Enthina padikkunne’ from Godfather
Swaminathan is supposed to be the most celibate among the four brothers of a family, all of whom have vowed to remain bachelors for life. But of course, he is the first to get married. All those “pilgrimage” trips were a lie to go visit his secret family. The film has too many funny scenes featuring Innocent as the easily piqued Swami ettan, but one of his most quoted lines is what he says to Jagadish’s Mayin Kutty after a chase. Mayin Kutty, a friend to one of the brothers, unnecessarily runs away screaming, leading the other brothers to chase him. In the end when the confusions are cleared, Swami ettan asks him, “Neeyokke enthina padikkunne" which Jagadish takes to mean, “what are you studying”. But Swamy ettan was asking "enthinaaaa padikkunne", as in what is the point of you studying.
8. The silence in Mithunam
He is a troublemaker in Mithunam, the rogue brother-in-law who always messes up everything. So when a bit of black magic is found on the premises of the family house, they all suspect it is his doing. But lineman KT Kurup (the character) is unmoved. A sorcerer comes to find out the truth and claims that once a coconut is thrown on the ground, the head of the person behind the ‘misdeed’ will burst open. Kurup has a defiant expression that is simply too good, commonly used in memes today. He remains completely silent despite repeated threats and pleas. When the coconut is finally thrown, the scream comes from somewhere else.
9. ‘Dasa, ee chekkante samsaram’ from Nadodikkattu
In Nadodikkattu, Innocent appears as a sort of saviour to the two clueless men who have landed in Chennai. Balettan saves them more than once, but he does not like the way Vijayan (Sreenivasan) talks back to him. “Dasa, ee chekkante samsaram enikku theere pidikkunilla tto” (Das, I don’t like the way this boy talks), he complains to Mohanlal’s character. It is the way he says it perhaps, but this is yet another line Malayalis like repeating every so often.
10. ‘Aramanikoor munne purapettu’ from Mannar Mathai Speaking
Part two in the iconic Ramji Rao series, Mathaichan by now is a successful theatre company owner, touring with his plays. One day they are late to start for a venue and he keeps getting calls from the people who booked the play. Tired of answering them after a number of calls, Mathaichan says, “We started half an hour ago. If you like, we can start earlier.” One line unpunctual people love to quote.