Everyday we are sick and tired of so many things that happen around us. For people like me - the bike in front cuts the lane to make you brake hard, one rain and the whole city is inundated, authorities are not bothered, people jump the STOP LINE at the signal and take off 4 seconds before the Green signal. people park their vehicles on the main road and block the traffic.. the list goes on.
For an average educated man, lets say middle class - who is either a government employee or has a bank job, its a little different. He struggles to make ends meet. His life runs on a budget. Even a slight shake given by an external force would trouble his normal life and routine. And this is what we see about Sridhar Vasudevan (Madhavan) - a middle class Brahman bank employee.
Let me not spend time in writing about what the story is. It would be better if we concentrate on the main characters and the screenplay.
The main credit goes to the handling of the story. Although Nishikanth Kamath - the screenplay writer and director of this movie is giving us a re-production of Dombivili Fast, the original movie, we still need to give him extra credit for showing us a protagonist who feels just like how many educated individuals do.
Madhavan plays a character who is affected by corruption and malpractice happening around him. He has his own principles and his principles aren't anything strange that this society would mock at. He wants to be honest, hard working and sincere. He expects the elements around him to work quite like him. This is when all the trouble starts.
The long queue to get a bucket of water, the street vendor who charges extra money for aerated drinks, the depositor who gets a loan sanction without submitting proper documents, policemen who are not bothered by neighborhood unfriendly activities, the school principal asking for a hefty donation to provide admission - all these incidents show extreme pressure on a middle class individual who expects the system to help his existence.
The monotonous middle class life that runs like the hands of a clock - the daily alarm at 5.30am, the same vegetables, packed curd rice, train journey to office, punching a few checks at the bank, the 5pm bell and you are back home - ready to start another day. Along with this, you have the wife and children.
Sangeetha plays the wife character. Very genuine and typical - the way you'd see it in most families. Her life just goes in preparing lunch, taking care of the house and running behind the uncooperative children shouting at them to get ready for school. She is annoyed that her husband lives by the rule book. She wants a moderately happy lifestyle for family and she is prepared to let the system function the way it does, even if its taking a toll on their family budget.
Seeman, the police officer, is perhaps the best character. In a supporting role, he is able to understand the emotions of an educated man. He accepts the fact that the inefficiencies and loopholes in the system coupled with the people that exploit the same are reasons for anger and despair. At the same time he is unable to do anything to change the same. The same reflects in the climax. He succumbs to the system.
For me it was a very hard movie, especially when it was a night show. I walked out feeling heavy. But the society has to learn a lot from this.
I feel bad that such movies will just go away with the screen impact. IT professionals like me, who have new found wealth will further ruin this - we will not bother about paying a small premium for no better service. And this will directly impact the people in the middle strata, because their salaries will not rise like ours, but the system will demand more from everyone.Labels: chennai, india, movies, review, tamil |
I completely agree with you viewpoint. The last few lines of your article is something that really made think about this whole issue! I haven't watched this movie yet. will definitely watch it.