Mathilukal (Walls) is a Malayalamnovel written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer in 1965. It is one of the most cherished and well-known love stories in Malayalam.[3] Its hero, Basheer himself, and heroine, Narayani, never meet, yet they love each other passionately. Despite being imprisoned and separated by a huge wall that divides their prisons, the two romance each other.[3]
Theme
The theme of the novel, focusses on the love between Basheer, a prisoner, and a female inmate of the prison, who remains unseen throughout the novel.[4] In Mathilukal, though the broad frame is autobiographical and the narration is first person, the details
seem to contain sprinkles of fantasy.[5]
Plot summary
As Basheer, who is jailed for writing against the then ruling British, Gopakumar delivers a memorable performance. Basheer befriends his fellow-inmates and a considerate young jailor.
One day, Basheer hears a woman's voice from the other side of the wall – the women's prison. Eventually the two jailbirds become lovebirds. They exchange gifts, and their hearts, without meeting each other. Narayani then comes up with a plan for a meeting: they decide to meet at the hospital a few days later. But before that, Basheer is released, unexpectedly. For once, he does not want the freedom he had craved for. The novel ends with Basheer standing outside the prison with a rose in his hand.[3]
The portrayal of Basheer by Mammootty, is regarded as one of the finest performances in world cinema. About casting Mammootty, Adoor says: "To play someone when he is living is no mean challenge, and the Malayalam star rose up to it".[6]
