From 'Varavelppu' to 'Hridayapoorvam': P Rajeev uses Mohanlal’s films to trace Kerala’s business transformation

Industries Minister P Rajeev has drawn comparisons between Mohanlal’s films to illustrate how Kerala’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has transformed over the decades.

Referring to Sathyan Anthikad’s 'Varavelppu', Priyadarshan’s 'Mithunam', and the recently released 'Hridayapoorvam', the minister said that characters like Murali from 'Varavelppu', who failed in his bus business, and Sethumadhavan from 'Mithunam', who struggled with his biscuit factory, reflected the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the past. In contrast, Sandeep from 'Hridayapoorvam' symbolises the modern face of Kerala’s entrepreneurship, he noted.

“The late 1980s saw Murali return home from the Gulf and start Gulf Motors. In 1993, Sethumadhavan began his attempt to set up Dakshayani Biscuit Factory. Both ventures faced difficulties. While there were external challenges, Murali’s downfall stemmed mainly from a lack of understanding of entrepreneurship. He invested all his savings in a field he had no experience in, bought buses without proper research, and recruited staff based on recommendations rather than skill or merit,” Rajeev wrote.

The minister added that Kerala has come a long way since the days of Murali and Sethumadhavan. “Three decades later, Sandeep (from 'Hridayapoorvam') represents a new generation of entrepreneurs. Despite undergoing a heart transplant, he continues to run a successful cloud kitchen business in Kerala, untroubled by the kind of bureaucratic hurdles that once held back entrepreneurs.”

Rajeev pointed out that Kerala now tops India’s Ease of Doing Business index and provides extensive support for startups and small businesses. “Systems like single-window clearance, MSME clinics that function like hospitals for industries, and multi-level grievance redressal mechanisms are now in place. Officers who once made life difficult for entrepreneurs like Sethumadhavan have been replaced by officials who actively help them. One no longer needs to bend rules to get an ISI mark.”

He concluded by noting that the evolution of these on-screen entrepreneurs mirrors Kerala’s real-world progress. “It’s interesting that both Murali of the 1980s and Sandeep of 2025 were brought to life by the same filmmaker, Sathyan Anthikad. The struggling entrepreneurs of the past have now made way for confident, successful ones who define Kerala’s new business era,” the minister wrote.