Kodiyettam (The Ascent)

 The film captures the ascent of the protagonist (Bharath Gopi) from a carefree individual to a matured adult. Shankaran lives a childish life even at his mid-ages.  The opening sequences, canned by the director himself , shows Shankaran attending a temple festival.  He spends most of his time playing around  with children, joining political processions and helping the villagers when he isn't attending temple festivals.  He is provided for by his younger sister who works as a house maid in the city.  His sister arranges a marriage for him .   Even after marriage, Shankaran continues his same life style often staying away from home for weeks.   His pregnant wife soon leaves him and Shankaran does not try to have her back at home.  His life takes a turn from there on.  He begins to come to terms with real human relationships through an encounter with a truck driver.
               
This is Adoor Gopalakrishnan's second feature film after his first hugely acclaimed Swayamvaram .  It's a very good character study , as Shankaran is faced with crumbling relationships-not just his own and experiences growth. Bharath Gopi (arguably the best actor of India) gave an outstanding performance in this film. This film garnered him a lot of awards and attention , kicking off a long and fruitful career. The main character's transformation to adulthood draws parallels to the social and historical changes in Kerala.