I have to give due credit to Bala for having made such a movie which, only he could
make in Tamil film industry. Focussing only on the subject without any paraphernalia
which passes out as entertainment in other movies is the USP of this movie. As usual
he draws good performances from all his actors especially the conniving and ruthless
villain who employs people in the tea estate. When film people want us to believe
that nothing new or a novel can be told anymore in a film, Bala, as always springs a
surprise and this movie is another surprise from his staple. Only God or for an
aetheist like Bala; only he knows how many surprises he has in his kitty. My personal
favourite is the tone and colour of the movie. It aptly showcases the gloom and
barren lives of the people in it. In my opinion "art" per se has no limits and has
not rules. There is no one way or limited by a group of methods through which one has
to work or even has to perceive a piece of art. Bala in my opinion qualifies as an
artist. Of course one can argue over the quality of his work but not whether he is an
artist or not.
Having given due credit to the filmmaker, when I look at the movie I must admit I am
disappointed. First his characters in this movie like all his other movies with some
exceptions look the same. Especially the heroines who either seem to have lost a few
nuts & bolts holding their heads or grumpy and angry over something. Bala may claim
that's the requirement of the character for the movie. I won't deny the existence of
such characters but when you treat them the same way again and again I am afraid to
say that it speaks of his personal opinion about women. In addition to this his
contempt for religion and belief is well known and is again showcased in this movie.
Once again I do not disagree with what had been shown. In fact I also acknowledge the
facts stated in it. But my only concern is that here more than the facts or the
truth, his anger and loathing has come to the fore.
I agree that a film is a director's medium and he can choose to protray as per his
liking.But again, in my opinion the medium of expression, in this case the movie;
should have occupied the front stage instead of his personal choices. Some of the
scenes like the doctor and the english lady doing a song and dance number to convert
the hapless people into christianity is a result of that. Though it is a fact the
scene starts very very casually and ends as abrupty as it had begun. In order to
emphasise his personal beliefs, he made the movie a two dimensional entity without
any depth. All characters suffer and cry in the beginning of the movie, suffer and
cry a bit more during the middle and suffer and cry a lot in the end.
I have no complaints about crying while watching a movie, as I had wept a lot while
watching movies like "Schindler's list", "Tare zameen par", "Pithamagan" and recently
"Haridas". But where Paradesi fails is that, it has cried even on your behalf leaving
nothing to you. Technically speaking as far as my understanding goes, his wide angle
shots are great but unfrotunately the AGS theatre where I saw the movie was pathetic
as everything appeared out of focus. I guess that could have been a major contributor
to my disappointment. Anyway "Gatham gathaha".
VERDICT: A good and daring attempt worthy to be just grim and gloomy.
