Meiyazhagan
Tamil / Drama/Family150 mins Netflix
A 100th blog post deserved a wonderful movie to celebrate.
Prem Kumar directed one of my most favourite romantic movies of all time, 96. A movie that seeped in subtletly and simplicity. The cinematography, the score, wonderful songs by Govind Vasantha , everything felt as gentle as the breeze that blows when VJS goes back to school. The music is a favourite on my drive home list!
The dialogue, the silences in between, the chemistry ( the 4 protagonists barely ever touch each other) made for so many memorable sequences in the movie. In today's times when life is all about excess and everything is "in your face" and loud, 96 felt like beautiful expression of pure and simple love. It sits very high on my yearly rewatch list.
When i watched Meiyazhagan, the movie felt even closer to my heart. It was a reflection of a life principle which i hold very dear. I try to make sure that i do not harm or hurt anyone, to my knowledge and control. Be nice, make every interaction memorable, be helpful in any way that i can. I want them to carry something back in their mind. i have no expectations in return, but that if ever they remember me, it should be in a nice way. I am human - Age, circumstances, situations, get the better of me , no doubt, but my intention is to be like this.
Many instances in life small gestures, random acts of kindness, or being selfless can unknowingly leave a lasting impression. They may even be potentially life changing for the recipient. I am fortunate to have benefited from it a few times and in all humility happy to have been the source of some happiness as well. That is truly a blessing.
Meiyazhagan operates on a very similar philosophy. A man Arul (Arvind Swamy) has to attend his cousin sister's wedding, back in the village which he had to leave many years back. He meets a talkative man Karthi who claims to be a distant relative and chaperones him across town.
As night falls, the two men bond over beer chilled in earthen pots! Over conversations, the man explains how Arul changed his life, to the point where he is looking to even name his unborn child after him! At this very moment, Arul's guilt at not being able to recognise the man reaches a point of no return and he hastily dissapears in the quiet of the night, never to return (or does he?)
Yet again, Prem Kumar writes and directs a movie so simple and almost utopian for today's times, but not totally unreal. There is no "bad person" . The family feud which causes Arul to move out of his family home isn't also shown in a bad light. Everything is about circumstances.
The women in the movie, who have perhaps one or two sequences only, absolutely light up the screen! Kudos to Prem for celebrating them.
- A sister meeting her brother after ages, holds up the queue in her reception while she unhurriedly unwraps every single gift that he has given.
- A childhood crush meets Arul at the wedding, coy at first, then lamenting about her life before realising that even for that brief moment, she is reunited with the one she wanted to marry and lighting up ! Note a lovely gentle touch of his shoulder when she gets a chance
- The man's wife, who is shown as a strong and forward thinking educated woman, in her conversations with Arul, conveys how much he regards Arul, she doesnt want anything in return, she probably senses that Arul isnt really digging this, but she is just happy that her husband is happy.
- The lady at the temple - reads so much, says so little and yet makes such an impact.
- Even Arul's daughter makes a pivotal contribution in the narrative.
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