Meiyazhagan

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‘96’ filmmaker C.

Prem Kumar gives us a thoughtful


character study brought to life by some brilliant
performances, and it’s a treat to watch the relationship
between Arvind Swami and Karthi’s characters blossom
into something gorgeous

While most filmmakers focus on the bigger aspects of their story to


substantiate the so-called big-screen experience, C Prem Kumar belongs to a
niche group of directors who like to concentrate on the finer, intimate
moments of life. Probably because of his time spent behind the viewfinder as
a cinematographer, Prem’s scenes look like animated still photographs, and
just like his directorial debut 96, his sophomore outing Meiyazhagan is
a series of moments in motion.

In Meiyazhagan, Prem poses several questions that you believe to have


answered ages ago; for example, apart from the obvious answer, have you
ever wondered why your birthplace is called your
hometown? Meiyazhagan starts in 1996 (clearly not co-incidental) when a
young Arunmozhi Varman a.k.a Arul is subjected to a pain seldom captured
on celluloid. Cut to 2018, his cousin’s marriage forces him back to his
homeland and hoping to find closure, Arul (Arvind Swami) embarks on what
he expects to be a swift and hasty trip. Fate adds a tail to the full stop he
long wished for and introduces him to a relative (Karthi), whose name Arul
can just not recall.
Macroscopically, Meiyazhagan feels like it’s cut from the same cloth as 96;
the primary story unfolds predominantly within a night, involves two
individuals with a common past, the flashbacks unravel knots which the film
skilfully ties... and more. But while 96 was a story of unrequited
love, Meiyazhagan is an exploration of human emotions. Beyond the
overarching intriguing story of a reticent urban man retracing his roots with
an exuberant small-town do-gooder for company, several other aspects
work in favour of the drama.

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.

What makes Meiyazhagan work majorly is how it never succumbs to


melodrama even when dealing with the rawest of emotions. Of course,
there are occasional missteps, like the shot of a row of onlookers in a
reception weeping to the proceedings onstage — which is actually one of
the film’s best scenes — that looks out of place. But these niggles are no
road-blocks; they are like sand castles in front of the mighty Cauvery that
blesses the Delta region which doubles as this film’s backdrop. Speaking of
‘Ponni nadhi’, an over-enthusiastic Karthi hanging around with an Arulmozhi
Varman should become a sub-genre in Tamil cinema!

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.

That said, it would be understandable if Meiyazhagan doesn’t resonate as


much as 96 did with the audience. Apart from having a predictable ending,
the film lacks the material to warrant a 178-minute runtime. Still, it does not
take away the fact that it is a thoughtful character study brought to life by
some brilliant performances; for that very reason, Meiyazhagan, in every
way, deserves its title.

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