Meiyazhagan
Meiyazhagan
Meiyazhagan
For starters, the film toys with the idea of stark extremities; right from the
characteristics of the leads, to the smaller details such as the photo of Periyar
next to lord Murugan adorning a wall, the stories behind their respective
current houses, and so on. Prem’s brilliant setups and pay-offs also offer
flourishing returns... be it the subplot involving a cycle that underlines how
one’s trash is another’s treasure, to minor callbacks to a temple elephant, or
an episode where the duo mistakenly wear the other person’s pair of
slippers.
When Prem isn’t converting the product of pen, paper and prose to picture-
perfect poetry with his lead cast, he lets his secondary characters take over
the frame. Except for Arvind Swami and Karthi, the rest of the film’s cast
have minor roles to play, but they are written strongly enough to warrant
lengthy discussion. When these characters interact, the conversations feel
organic as they are accentuated by the maker’s decision to let us linger in the
moments. Be it the scene where a distant relative speaks to Arul about how
her life would have been different had he married her, before brushing her
hand against his shoulder as she leaves, or the other one involving Arul’s
father (Jayaprakash) speaking to his relative Sokku (Rajkiran) that leaves
them inconsolable, Prem proves his mettle over showcasing interpersonal
relationships.
It’s a treat to watch the relationship between Arvind Swami and Karthi’s
characters blossom into something gorgeous. Not only do they play roles
that form the unlikeliest of bonds, but it’s arguably Arvind Swami’s best
performance to date while it also brings back the mirthful Karthi we enjoyed
in films from his earlier days. Karthi’s nameless character and his innocent,
mischievous behaviour is a constant, while Arul goes from considering his
relative a menace to slowly warming up to his affectionate nature; Prem has
not only come up with one of 2024’s best films but also an opportunity for
two fine actors to give career-defining performances. Add to the equation
some fantastic shots by Mahendiran Jayaraju and a lilting score by Govind
Vasantha, with Kamal Haasan crooning the poignant ‘Yaaro Ivan Yaaro’ as
the cherry on the cake.