Ronth (“The Patrol”): Unpacking the mental health themes

I have been wanting to write about the depiction of mental health in movies for a really long time. But my writings are usually about my journey, because there are always twists and turns in my journey.

Ronth means patrol in Malayalam. Ronth is a detailed story of two police officers (Dileesh Pothan and Roshan Matthew) on the incidents that occur during one day of their night patrol.

The intent of the post is not to comment on the merits of the movie, but mainly the mental health aspect that has been touched on in the movie.

Roshan and Dileesh have both been involved in mental health challenges as caregivers. For Roshan, the trauma of his father’s suicide (who was a psychiatric patient) makes him anxious when he sees any other mentally disturbed person. The depiction of Roshan’s anxiety, which is borderline a panic attack, shows how the movie is limitlessly depicting male vulnerabilities in the context of mental health.

Dileesh’s home is shown as him managing the kitchen, and his wife just sitting and ordering around things. Dileesh then tells Roshan that people think he is afraid of his wife and does everything she says. But then he immediately breaks down and says that she is a psychiatric patient who has attempted suicide multiple times due to the shock of the death of their child. He says it is not fear, but it is his love that he is showing her. The unconditional love and helplessness of a caregiver are like two sides of the same coin.

The portrayal of mental health in Ronth is so raw and real. I appreciate the movie more because it shows the vulnerabilities of men, which is a taboo in our society and especially in Kerala. The emotions of anxiety, panic, and helplessness are all part of a caregiver’s journey; it is just that the degree of it varies depending on the intensity of the patient’s condition.

Let’s remember that just because they are carrying it doesn’t mean it is not heavy.

[I dedicate this post to all the visible and invisible caregivers out there.]