Praise pours in for ‘Sukhamano Sukhamann:’ V Sivankutty calls it a reminder of loneliness

Education Minister V Sivankutty has praised ‘Sukhamano Sukhamann,’ the new film directed by Arunlal Ramachandran and starring Mathew Thomas. In his remarks, Sivankutty said the movie highlights loneliness as an inescapable reality of life. He also emphasised how small gestures, like a kind word or a simple act of kindness, can ease this loneliness—something the film beautifully reminds us of. “Every generation should recognise this,” he added. Sivankutty also mentioned that the director is the son of his private secretary, advocate Ramachandran Nair.

From a mental health perspective, psychiatrist Raghunandan Ramanathan also weighed in on the film. He said mental health is often portrayed in movies through dramatic and exaggerated lenses—like hallucinations being linked to supernatural forces or ghosts. However, ‘Sukhamano Sukhamann’ offers a refreshing, more grounded take. Raghunandan said the film presents pseudohallucinations not as something frightening, but as a coping mechanism for the protagonist, shaped by his childhood trauma.

“Mathew Thomas delivers a stellar performance, particularly in his portrayal of "restricted affect" - that surface-level emotional numbness that often masks a mind where childhood trauma is rewinding on a loop. Watching him, you see a person trying to survive his own memories. The movie isn’t just about one guy; it’s a study on how loneliness manifests differently in different people,” he wrote.
At its heart, ‘Sukhamano Sukhamann’ is a family drama that follows Theo, a young man consumed by loneliness. But despite the heavy subject matter, the film is told through a humorous lens.