Meiyazhagan: A thing of true beauty

Disclaimer: the write-up does have spoilers. You may want to read it AFTER watching the film.

Walking out of C Prem Kumar’s “Meiyazhagan”, I thought of something that is quite obvious about characters in a film.  We really don’t know them at all before a film's projection begins.  Sure, we can always guess the genre and the flavor of a film by the first look, teaser, trailer and so on.  But every creator has the task of making us care - especially in a drama - about the characters early enough in a film to be invested in them for the duration of the movie.  Let’s first look into what Prem does in the opening sequence of the film.

The prelude of “Meiyazhagan” has to establish the core character of AruL (played masterfully by Arvind Swamy; more on him later).  And what the house and the city that he grew up in, meant to him.  As if to suggest an impending ‘death’ of sorts that AruL is about to experience, the film opens with the shot of a lamp being put out.  We realize that he and his family have lost possession of the house that was, and will always be, an integral part of his identity.  A few deeply poignant moments among the family members play out.  And as they are about to leave, we see a shot where the camera is inside the dark house.  As AruL shuts the door, we, the audience, are in darkness.  The scene does not cut away immediately.  We experience that darkness, that dread for just that one extra second.  Without quite realizing it, we have already felt the pain of a character whom we did not know up until a few moments ago.

In a cute homage to his debut film, the time gap between the events described above (which happen in 19…96!) and the ‘present’ is 22 years.  The scene is now set in 2018. (We even see a poster of "96" later.)  AruL is in Chennai, happily married to Hema (Devadarshini).  He is about to head back to Thanjavur to attend the wedding of his cousin, whom he is very fond of.  We realize that he has resisted the urge to revisit the place - more accurately, his past - all these years.  But he decides to return, nevertheless.  At the wedding, he sees a character (Karthi) who showers all of the world’s affection on him.  But there is a catch.  AruL cannot, for the life of him, remember who he is.  This conceit leads to several laugh-out-loud moments, yes.  More importantly, this leads to a marvelous payoff in the concluding moments of the film.  The rest of the film is about what AruL gets to learn about this character, but more importantly what he learns about himself in the process.

We saw in “96” what Prem was capable of in terms of shaping characters and extracting nuanced performances from the entire cast.  He has taken that trait to stratospheric heights in this film.  Not everyone outside Arvind Swamy and Karthi have a lot of screen time.  But not only are they cast perfectly but also given the chance to shine.  Prem lets each of the characters breathe.  Take the example of Jayaprakash, who plays AruL’s father.  There is a scene where he speaks to Raj Kiran on the phone.  During the course of the conversation, he mists up.  But after they hang up, one would expect the focus to shift back to the wedding hall where the key characters are present.  But Prem has too much delicacy of touch to miss capturing what Jayaprakash’s character would be experiencing.  So, we see an extended shot of him tearing up uncontrollably.  Not only is the actor marvelously expressive.  But we also feel the pain caused by the separation.  That mood is built up moment by beautiful moment, by the filmmaker and his supremely talented actors.

It is not just the heavier, emotional scenes where we see the stamp of a filmmaker that knows exactly the note of performance that he needs from his cast.  We also see it in quieter moments.  Like the moment where Devadarshini switches from the speaker phone to holding her phone to her ear because she can barely contain her excitement.  Or that lovely moment where Sri Divya’s face lights up at the realization that her husband is having a genuinely nice time. 

I have always felt that what separates a lazy director from a thoughtful one is what he does with the persona of an actor.  An actor's persona is just the foundation for the performance, not the performance.  What Prem does with his actors is exactly that.  Devadarshini has a sprightly side to her.  Sri Divya has a charming innocence about her.  Karunakaran has a deadpan hilarity about him.  Raichal Rabecca (who played the kind-hearted magistrate in “Kadaisi Vivasayi”) projects an innate kindness.  These are all on-screen personae which Prem exacts maximum mileage out of by giving the actors some wonderful lines and gorgeously quiet moments to work with.  

And finally, the two lead actors who carry the film - and the trust placed by Prem - on their broad shoulders.  The two actors turn in what are arguably the best performances of their respective careers.  At the start, Arvind Swamy comes across as a crusty, cynical character.  But the moment on stage where we hear his voice quiver, as he tenderly says, “Unaku thane da,” we immediately fall for the character.  Even in scenes where Karthi is doing more of the talking, his reaction shots are precise.  He is equally adept at the conversational moments, like the crucial phone call at the end of the film, as he is at the quieter moments.  Watch him gently embrace Devadarshini from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.  It feels so perfect for what the character has gone through in the hours leading up to that.  And Karthi is a delight.  He plays a do-gooder with the right amount of charm and seriousness.  He delivers his searing monologues beautifully, with voice modulations that we have rarely seen in modern-day actors.  The monologue on people who lost their lives in a protest is a standout.  And he is the life of many a scene, be it singing Ilayaraja songs with gay abandon or engaging in earthy banter with the folks at the wedding hall. He is a livewire yes, but with a lot of heart.  

That Prem (who started his career as a cinematographer) has immense mastery over craft is evident throughout the film, as I had mentioned in regards to the opening sequence too.  But his writing in “Meiyazhagan” is deserving of as much approbation.  The humor is so organically woven into the scenes that it feels like we are laughing at the jokes cracked by people in daily conversations.  But one must not fail to notice some of the subtle elements written into the humor.  For instance, the presence of a snake in the house.  Firstly, it leads to an uproarious moment where Arvind Swamy suddenly switches from English to Thamizh in a moment of panic.  Later we see a shot of a snake by itself, seeming totally comfortable in the surroundings.  And finally, we see Karthi waving a fearless salute at the snake while continuing a conversation.  Through these humorous moments, we also get to realize how Karthi inhabits a world where he is integrated - in all ways - into nature and its beings, in their full glory.  

Some of the social commentary that we see in the second half too, don’t feel out of place, one because of the way they are part of a vibrant dialogue between the characters.  But also because, as Arvind Swamy tells his family at the end, the Karthi character embodies the true definition of love in every facet of life.  Be it his unconditional love for his fellow human beings or his affection towards animals, the latter leading seamlessly to the discussion on what the Jallikattu ban and protests truly meant to those who took care of the bulls.  His love for his city, his ancestors, his heritage, his society are all part of who he is as a person.  And that is precisely why when we hear Arvind Swamy state that he feels ‘small’ in comparison to the Karthi character, that the line truly resonates.  

The music by Govind Vasantha and the cinematography by Mahendran Jayaraju are in perfect sync with the director’s vision.  If “Yaaro ivan yaaro” rendered soulfully by Kamal Hassan is an ode to a life that AruL craves for, the background score also accentuates the impact of several scenes.  Even for the seemingly incidental moments, the score adds immeasurable impact.  Listen to the majestic nadhaswaram that plays when the elephant strides in the temple.  The cinematography not only brings to life the magnificence of Thanjavur (the director’s hometown) but also, in its own way, envelops us in the world inhabited by Karthi. The streets, houses, temples and monuments all develop a life of their own, thanks to the brilliant work of the DOP.  

Genuine love and affection are getting scarcer by the day in this world.  During these times, it is a pleasure to watch a supremely well-made, well-written and well-acted film like this.  It is a movie that re-infuses our faith in humanity and chips away ever so slightly at the cynicism that has seeped into us as a result of all the inequity and depravity that we witness in our society.  In essence, “Meiyazhagan” is a three-hour exhibition of rays of hope that C Prem Kumar and his team have projected onto the silver screen.

The "I" word

The recent tragic death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil has raised more questions than we will find timely answers for.  Terms such as “work pressure” and “stress” have been mentioned in multiple forums.  What truly ‘caused’ her death may, unfortunately, never be fully established in a watertight fashion.  But it does not require a scientist launching spaceships to Mars to piece together the undeniable facts of her story.  And it requires one with a heart as cold as the Arctic Ocean to not be sensitive to what she went through in the months leading to her death.  And what her parents will go through for the rest of their lives.  Amidst all the sadness and all the commentary that I have been reading, there is one word that comes to mind.  And that is impunity. 

The first time that I had truly understood the meaning of the word was when my Aunt Va. Geetha shared with me that the title of her book on sexual violence was, “Undoing Impunity.”  Even though I sort of knew the word, only when she explained to me the essence of the book did I truly understand the gravity that the word carried.  It is a word that I think of quite often when I witness or hear of a demonstration of people ‘getting away’ with things that they should not.  Some of the details that we have read regarding Anna’s work environment clearly point to people abusing the power and authority vested in them.  The people in positions of power clearly did not look at their role as one of an enabler that could shape the life and career of those under them. 

Especially early in their careers, when they are still impressionable, young minds can truly bloom or wither depending on whether they have the support and backing of those more ‘senior’ (I am using that term loosely) to them. Across industries, we have heard old-timers use terms such as “trial by fire” and how their inner core was strengthened by the tough experiences and uncharitable insults that they had endured in their early years.  Many wear it with pride as a badge of honor.  It is a dangerous idea to propagate.  A lot of times, the status quo remains as such because there is no propulsive force to dismantle it.  There is a much smaller set of people that can stomach negativity and channel that into a driving force for their lives than the number of people who crave a positive influence that would enable them to succeed and surge.  Author Daniel Pink wrote of how the primary drivers of motivation are autonomy, mastery and a sense of purpose.  Unreasonable exercise of authority is not even in the ballpark, as you can see.  

Another perilous line of thinking that has been advanced as a way out, in recent times is, “if it doesn’t work for you, quit.”  Yes, on paper, it might sound fair to urge people to place a premium on their health and leave a toxic environment.  As some perceptive people have pointed out, not everyone has the privilege - financial or otherwise - to do everything that they wish to, nor might they have the power or authority by themselves to cause sweeping changes for the better.  Systemic changes will occur only when there is a clarion call that is generated by both people in authority as well as people that are rising up the ranks.  The latter is an especially important group since they aren’t as set in their ways and haven’t accepted certain unhealthy ways of working as the norm.  

One aspect that does not get mentioned often enough in this context is fear.  It is hard to deny that there is a sense of fear and dread that people experience when they do not have the power or the environment that encourages active candor and freedom of speech.  Lack of financial security, social support and many other reasons can drive people into a shell where they silently suffer.  During these times, a support system - professional or otherwise - is a must.  The same society that turns a blind eye to the acts of impunity has absolutely no business in stigmatizing or ridiculing people who seek help for the mental - and physical, I might add - health issues that result from this impunity.  And if we can be that source of support to a sufferer, we must consider it an honor and privilege to be let into their lives.  It behooves us to extend thoughtfulness, sensitivity and empathy towards them as we assume the role of a shoulder that they can lean on.

I am writing this piece with the realization that there are no easy solutions to the issues that people like Anna face(d).  But as we have seen with so many significant movements in history, it all has to start with an honest acknowledgement of harsh realities.  Widespread acknowledgement at that.  If we continue to accept certain realities as immutable, it is akin to a team losing a game before even setting foot in the stadium.  The plea from Anna’s grieving parents should not be just seen as a note to an employer.  Instead, it should be imprinted onto our collective consciousness.  It should be a reminder that toxicity - in whatever form - when unaddressed will lead to disastrous consequences.  The only antidote for that can be a systemic change that lays the foundation for a conducive environment.  An environment where every person has the feeling that those more senior have their back but are not looking over their shoulder.  That way, future generations can subconsciously feel that they have the license to think, to act and to shape up a bright tomorrow for themselves and their microcosm of the world.  All this will eventually lead to them ‘undoing the impunity’ that pervades our society in myriad forms.