Hakim Shah as Professor Sujith, the hero who joins the hunters
Teacher is the latest film directed by Vivek. The film, with Amala Paul, hit the theaters on December 2. Hakim Shah, Manjupilla, Chemban Vinod and others have played the main roles in the film. The film deals with a subject that is always relevant.
Sujith, played by Hakim Shah, is the husband of Amala Paul’s character Devika, who plays the female lead in the film. He is also the most volatile character in the film. The questions that Sujith often asks Devika represent our society. So, we can see the character of Hakim Shah as the representative of the society in the film.
Victim blaming has always been a feature of our society. Sujith tells his pregnant wife who is suffering cruel torture, don’t tie someone else’s baby on my head. It is a dialogue that exposes the traditionally masculine consciousness. At the same time, it is also clear that he is not trying to recognize his partner’s pain or hold her close.
But in the following scenes, the audience gets the answer why he says such things. Let us understand that the reason is the society. The character lives in fear of the questions that may arise from society.
One thing we don’t often discuss when we talk about victim blaming is the pain the victims’ families go through and the social tensions they go through. Later in the film, there is a scene where Sujith is teased by his friends and colleagues. Maybe he reacts this way because he is afraid of them all.
Perhaps Sujith’s helplessness is a product of this society when his partner says ‘you should stay with me and let’s file a case’ and says ‘let’s hold your feet and don’t file a case’. But that position cannot be justified in any way.
He reminds his wife of the questions and insults she will face at the police station and court. He still could not realize that Devika was not the culprit. In one scene he even asks ‘Hasn’t she gone there?’
Sujith asks Devika how will your sister-in-law’s marriage go. These are some of the questions that every abused girl or woman must hear all the time. In the film, Sujith keeps repeating the same questions to Devika.
Hakim has played that character very convincingly. But not the best performance. Some emotional scenes create no movement in the audience. The audience cannot relate to Sujith’s remorse at the end of the film. When Sujith’s mother, Baton Kalyani, was slapped on the face, the audience wonders how his male consciousness and overall consciousness changed.
content highlight: sujith’s characters in teacher’s film
