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harigarakumarv
Reviews
Maheshinte Prathikaaram (2016)
Makes you notice your little town a little more
Malayalam film industry has this gifted sense of taking a day out of life, draining all the noise around it, write a screenplay and make a masterpiece. Like the industry, the actors also don't need to put any extra effort into impressing the viewers, they basically live the characters they are given. Fahad, Soubin, Alencier ..you name anyone in this movie..they would be the people you would randomly meet in Kerala. What actually grabs the first place in my opinion is the cinematography. I go to the hilly regions in Kerala every year when I was a kid, and this movie just brought the little things I used to remember. Such lovely frames that capture Idukki and moss clothed town.
The story is about how Mahesh Bhavana, the portrait photographer avenges the shame of getting beaten up while coping with his break up, realizing how he could be much more than a studio photographer and finding love, only to find that it is his brother-in-law that beat him up. Comic elements are elicited naturally, romance is heartfelt and the little things like Mahesh clutching his father's fingers are heartwarming. The pup was a metaphor of hope- to me at least. The background score never lets you know that it exists yet pushing you to the moments it want you to. There is literally no make-up except where Aparna applies some in the studio or thats how less it is was used. At the time of writing this review, I've listened to the opening song atleast a 50 times in the last week and would continue to do so.
People from anywhere can watch this movie and they should. It is a quiet acceptance and gleeful celebration of all simple things in life without all the drama.
Asuran (2019)
A realistic take on caste discrimination and the violence surrounding it
Vetrimaaran's adapted feature film of the novel Vekkai is a realistic and raw reflection of how caste based discrimination affects a family through violence. Everyone who has acted and involved in the technicality deserves the adulation the film is garnering. The story captures most of the real issues and violence around the caste issues that the underprivileged are subject to and how deep rooted discrimination runs into the hearts of people. One good example of the ground reality is the character that often mediates the issues between Sivasamy and Vadakuran, who could never actually bring any change and often maintains silence on the activities of the villain's perpetration. This guy would reflect the bystanding attitude of the society perfectly.The music mirrors the emotions that the scenes portray. The soundtracks "Pollatha Bhoomi" and "Bloodbath" are a treat ,penned and composed to near perfection. "Pollatha Bhoomi" in my opinion expresses the conversations between Sivasamy and Murugan as well as Sivasamy and Sithambaram about the actuality of the disposition of a a pair of wounded, discriminated sons and their pacifist father. The flashback is placed properly and one can see the versatility of Dhanush and Manju easing into their roles in both the timelines. The fight choreography was riveting and details were thoughtful, like, where in one of the early scenes Dhanush fights to stop the gang and not kill them by using the flat side of the machete consistent with his character at that point. The cast is pretty much usual Vetrimaaran cast with newcomers Teejay, Ken and Abhirami from Ratchasan. GV has shown his brilliance, lighting and editing realistic and the screenplay is smooth. There is more than one reason to watch and assimilate this movie. Asuran is dark and gripping.