The Hindu Business Line : New action

Have you ever come across an Indian movie in which the heroine’s name is not known, either to the audience or to the hero himself? Or have you come across a movie that doesn’t seem to have a climax at all? These have happened in recent Tamil movies, which are treading a new path with success.

The name of the heroine in Vennila Kabbadi Kuzhu (Vennila Kabbadi team) is not known at all. Chennai – 600028, based on tennis-ball cricket, didn’t seem to have a climax at all, even though it zips through with fun and frolic.

Tamil cinema, all of a sudden, seems to be experimenting with new ideas — a throwback to the time when, in 1977, Bharathiraja’s 16 Vayathinilae (Sixteen years old) sparked off new ways of filmmaking. Vennila is a continuation of a trend that began two years ago with offbeat movies such as Chennai – 600028, Paruthi Veeran and Imsai Arasan 23 aam Pulikesi (Tormentor king Pulikesi the 23rd). It has continued with Veyyil (Sunray), Subramaniapuram, Abhiyum Nannum (Abhi and I) and Naan Kadavul (I am God).

Where it all started

Paruthi Veeran deals with a happy-go-lucky ruffian, whose only ambition in life is to be imprisoned in Chennai central jail! The story revolves around how his lady love tries to reform him. However, towards the end, she is gang-raped and pleads with him to kill her; he ends up getting killed by a mob. Director Ameer Sultan justifies the hero’s death, saying that’s how justice has to be meted out.

Veyyil, on the other hand, is about a guy who had run away from home as a child after suffering harsh punishment from his father. He comes back, only to be ridiculed and even beaten up by his father for a theft he didn’t commit. This movie too ends on a tragic note. Directed by debutant Vasantabalan, the low-budget movie, interestingly, was produced by Sankar, who’s usually known for his extravagant budgets.

Chennai – 600028 has an urban setting and the heroine mouthing just two words in the entire movie. It largely revolves around cricket, with sub-plots focusing on the hero’s love affair. It was released immediately after India’s disastrous World Cup sojourn in 2007, and, surprisingly, was a big hit.

Unusual themes

Subramaniyapuram, like Paruthi Veeran, has a rural setting, dating back to the 1980s, in a village that gives the film its title. The hero and his friends commit a murder to show their gratitude to a local politician, and then get trapped. One murder leads to another and finally claims all of them. The highlight, of course, is how the heroine is forced to get the hero trapped to death for the sake of her family.

Abhiyum Nanum, set in an urban milieu, dwells on the bond between a father and daughter, with Prakash Raj and Trisha essaying the roles convincingly. Radha Mohan, of Mozhi fame and one of the underrated directors in Tamil film world, brings alive the joy of raising a girl child and the tangled relationship between a possessive father and his only daughter, who falls for a Sikh boy. A scene which takes on our Sardarji jokes is worth its weight in gold. “You can never find a Sikh begging,” is the message that rings sharply in you.

Unexpected twists

A still from Naan Kadavul

Naan Kadavul takes the viewer on a religious journey and, at the same time, gives an insight into the begging racket. The hero is an Aghori, while the heroine is visually handicapped and forced to beg. If you think they will fall in love as in other movies, you are thoroughly mistaken. The heroine turns to the hero for help when there is an attempt to sell her. The climax is rather unusual: the heroine begs the hero to kill her so she will never be born again; and he obliges before returning to Varanasi!

Vennila centres around the game of kabbadi and a team hailing from a village that has never won a match. It resolves to change that by finding a great coach. But at what cost it wins a State tournament forms the story, which has a tragic twist.

The producers and directors appear to have banked on the faith that new faces and novel themes can guarantee success. With newcomers, wouldn’t production costs too be lower, ensuring better returns? These movies had good music too, with some of them making impressive debuts.