These days disclaimers and warnings are a common feature in movies, perhaps 'Paava Kadhaigal' should have also added a warning at the beginning of the film, saying that 'you might not enjoy the next few films you watch, specially anthologies, because we are going to set the bar really high'. These kind of films are not everyone's cup of tea because they don't make for an easy watch, but some of these films are so powerful that you end up wondering, as to why can't all movies be this good. Paava Kadhaigal is one such film. This film holds a mirror to the society and fearlessly calls out the hypocrisy and shallow nature of its evil practices that are considered more precious than even human lives.
1. THANGAM Director - Sudha Kongara Starring - Kalidas Jayaram, Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, Bhavani Sre
Thangam is the story of a transgender, his unrequited love and the tragedy that befalls him. The screenplay is interspersed with small moments of love and happiness, which not only help you get attached to the lead character but also allow the viewers some breathing space in an otherwise difficult to watch. Kalidas Jayaram, playing the role of Sathaar, the protagonist of the film, has completely immersed himself into the role, making you feel every single emotion that he undergoes in the movie. Kalidas is just outstanding in the film. Music is another highlight of the film, with the title song being extremely melodious and enjoyable. The movie is extremely sad, but kudos to director Sudha Kongara for taking the bold step of showing us all a story, that all of us know is real but most of us don't want to acknowledge it's existence.
2. LOVE PANNA UTTRANUM Director - Vignesh Shivan Starring - Anjali, Kalki Koechlin
Patriarchy, caste system, honour killing and homophobia are the social issues touched upon by this short film. This is the only story, the tone of which is not entirely serious. While watching the film, I was anxiously waiting for some kind of tragedy to take place, after all that's what I had signed up for, but what I didn't expect was the amount of humour this story had. All actors involved in this film have done a pretty good job, but Jaffer Sadiq deserves a special mention for his sinister as well as hilarious portrayal of Narikutty. The only thing that felt odd in the storyline was the twist it offered towards the end. In my opinion, it was completely unnecessary and made no sense at all. Considering the subject this film had picked up, I never thought I would say this, but the truth is that this short film was quite enjoyable to watch.
3. VAANMAGAL Director - Gautham Vasudev Menon Starring - Simran, Gautam Vasudev Menon
There are quite a few scenes in this film that are capable of giving major anxiety to it's viewers. This is the story of a family that follows all the religious traditions and rituals, perhaps due to the pressure of their relatives and society in general, but deep within have moved on from them and never stop their children from having big dreams and aiming for the sky, a place from where all the senseless beliefs that the world religiously adheres to, become completely insignificant. This movie shows how problematic our belief system is, how much unnecessary relevance we have given to them and how easily they control our life and the actions we take. But this film also tells us, that ultimately it's in our hand to make the right decision, and its very easy to free ourselves from the clutches of customs and traditions that are purely evil. All you have to do is think about what's more precious to you, the love of your family, the moments of happiness that you share with your dear ones, the smiling faces of your children, or the senseless beliefs that want you to fill your heart with hatred and bow down to the demands of the society that finds pleasure in the miseries suffered by your loved ones. It's an easy choice to make, if you think about it. Think, don't follow blindly. Brilliantly acted by Simran, Gautam Vasudev Menon and Adithya Bhaskar. Probably the only flaw of this short film is that it spoils the story of 'Oor Iravu' in one of its scenes. Thankfully I didn't pay attention to the subtitles in that particular scene.
4. OOR IRAVU Director - Vetrimaaran Starring - Prakash Raj, Sai Pallavi
Generally speaking, one thing that is truly commendable in some South Indian movies and 'Oor Iravu' specifically, is that the performances of actors is just too real. The way Sai Pallavi talks with her family, the way she shows affection towards her brother and sisters is so endearing, one can't help but wonder that it's not a movie anymore, we are witnessing reality, a story that is probably unfolding in a house near us. Sai Pallavi and Prakash Raj are absolutely outstanding in the film. In the other three films of this anthology, either the tragedy doesn't take place or happens off-screen, but in 'Oor Iravu' we get to see how a man turns into a monster when he allows religion and traditions to take control of his life. The movie shows two different worlds, one where everything is white and clean, and the other which is still dark. One representing a society that has moved on from the clutches of religious hypocrisy, superstitions and senseless beliefs, while the other represents a society that hasn't and is still living in darkness. The climax of 'Oor Iravu' is extremely gut wrenching and is bound to shake one's conscience. I did not expect to see such a graphic depiction of the evil act committed by the father. It feels like director Vetrimaaran wanted the audience to feel uncomfortable and suffocated, and he has truly succeeded in doing that. Oor Iravu is the most powerful film of this anthology, with performances that are nothing less than a masterclass in acting.
This anthology is not about the beautiful ice capped mountains or the dazzling colourful clothes, it's about the ugliness that resides within our society and within ourselves. This anthology is bound to leave you scarred. It's a hard to watch film, but a compelling one nevertheless.
1. THANGAM Director - Sudha Kongara Starring - Kalidas Jayaram, Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, Bhavani Sre
Thangam is the story of a transgender, his unrequited love and the tragedy that befalls him. The screenplay is interspersed with small moments of love and happiness, which not only help you get attached to the lead character but also allow the viewers some breathing space in an otherwise difficult to watch. Kalidas Jayaram, playing the role of Sathaar, the protagonist of the film, has completely immersed himself into the role, making you feel every single emotion that he undergoes in the movie. Kalidas is just outstanding in the film. Music is another highlight of the film, with the title song being extremely melodious and enjoyable. The movie is extremely sad, but kudos to director Sudha Kongara for taking the bold step of showing us all a story, that all of us know is real but most of us don't want to acknowledge it's existence.
2. LOVE PANNA UTTRANUM Director - Vignesh Shivan Starring - Anjali, Kalki Koechlin
Patriarchy, caste system, honour killing and homophobia are the social issues touched upon by this short film. This is the only story, the tone of which is not entirely serious. While watching the film, I was anxiously waiting for some kind of tragedy to take place, after all that's what I had signed up for, but what I didn't expect was the amount of humour this story had. All actors involved in this film have done a pretty good job, but Jaffer Sadiq deserves a special mention for his sinister as well as hilarious portrayal of Narikutty. The only thing that felt odd in the storyline was the twist it offered towards the end. In my opinion, it was completely unnecessary and made no sense at all. Considering the subject this film had picked up, I never thought I would say this, but the truth is that this short film was quite enjoyable to watch.
3. VAANMAGAL Director - Gautham Vasudev Menon Starring - Simran, Gautam Vasudev Menon
There are quite a few scenes in this film that are capable of giving major anxiety to it's viewers. This is the story of a family that follows all the religious traditions and rituals, perhaps due to the pressure of their relatives and society in general, but deep within have moved on from them and never stop their children from having big dreams and aiming for the sky, a place from where all the senseless beliefs that the world religiously adheres to, become completely insignificant. This movie shows how problematic our belief system is, how much unnecessary relevance we have given to them and how easily they control our life and the actions we take. But this film also tells us, that ultimately it's in our hand to make the right decision, and its very easy to free ourselves from the clutches of customs and traditions that are purely evil. All you have to do is think about what's more precious to you, the love of your family, the moments of happiness that you share with your dear ones, the smiling faces of your children, or the senseless beliefs that want you to fill your heart with hatred and bow down to the demands of the society that finds pleasure in the miseries suffered by your loved ones. It's an easy choice to make, if you think about it. Think, don't follow blindly. Brilliantly acted by Simran, Gautam Vasudev Menon and Adithya Bhaskar. Probably the only flaw of this short film is that it spoils the story of 'Oor Iravu' in one of its scenes. Thankfully I didn't pay attention to the subtitles in that particular scene.
4. OOR IRAVU Director - Vetrimaaran Starring - Prakash Raj, Sai Pallavi
Generally speaking, one thing that is truly commendable in some South Indian movies and 'Oor Iravu' specifically, is that the performances of actors is just too real. The way Sai Pallavi talks with her family, the way she shows affection towards her brother and sisters is so endearing, one can't help but wonder that it's not a movie anymore, we are witnessing reality, a story that is probably unfolding in a house near us. Sai Pallavi and Prakash Raj are absolutely outstanding in the film. In the other three films of this anthology, either the tragedy doesn't take place or happens off-screen, but in 'Oor Iravu' we get to see how a man turns into a monster when he allows religion and traditions to take control of his life. The movie shows two different worlds, one where everything is white and clean, and the other which is still dark. One representing a society that has moved on from the clutches of religious hypocrisy, superstitions and senseless beliefs, while the other represents a society that hasn't and is still living in darkness. The climax of 'Oor Iravu' is extremely gut wrenching and is bound to shake one's conscience. I did not expect to see such a graphic depiction of the evil act committed by the father. It feels like director Vetrimaaran wanted the audience to feel uncomfortable and suffocated, and he has truly succeeded in doing that. Oor Iravu is the most powerful film of this anthology, with performances that are nothing less than a masterclass in acting.
This anthology is not about the beautiful ice capped mountains or the dazzling colourful clothes, it's about the ugliness that resides within our society and within ourselves. This anthology is bound to leave you scarred. It's a hard to watch film, but a compelling one nevertheless.