Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2024
Running time: 2 hours 57 minutes
Director: C. Prem Kumar
Cast: Arvind Swamy, Karthi
Kid rating: PG
I had read many good reviews of Meiyazhagan and added it to my Netflix watch-list. And there it sat for quite a while, until one day it finally percolated upwards and I watched it. So, yes, high expectations and all that – but this film surpassed them. So good! I sobbed my eyes out with this one.
Arul lives in his family’s ancestral home with his parents and siblings. His life is built around friends and family in his hometown. But a legal dispute with the home forces his family to up and leave Thanjavur for the big city of Madras.
Arul is heartbroken.
22 years later, now a householder with a family of his own, Arul (Arvind Swamy) must return back to his hometown to attend the wedding of his young cousin Bhuvana. The return to familiar memories, because that is what this trip will entail, will be painful, but Bhuvana is very dear to him, so go he must. He plans to make a short trip, and return by nightfall.
Back in his hometown after more than two decades, Arul wanders the familiar streets, and even looks up his beloved old home, now lost to others. At the wedding venue, Arul meets many relatives and old friends. All remember him fondly and speak with great affection about his family. Then he meets one other person he does not recognize. This person though seems to know him very well, calls him “Athaan” (elder brother) and attaches himself to Arul for the rest of the evening, much to Arul’s annoyance. Then Arul misses the bus back to Madras, and the evening devolves from there.
Meiyazhagan is almost a quaint film. Where most films these days seem to blare out their message, Meiyazhagan is almost poetic and soft-spoken by comparison. It is a simple story told with great, nuanced detail. Not many big events happen in this film. A man goes to attend a wedding and he returns home. The people and the conversations during that short time make up the bulk of this film. Where a busier film would hurry through, this graceful film takes it’s time, giving importance to each glance, every shake of the head.
The beauty of this film lies in it’s ability to get us invested in it’s story and characters. There’s the bigger plot-line with Arul and his unresolved anguish/emotional baggage. But then there are smaller, almost anecdotal storylines which weave into the bigger plot. Each little plot line adds to the story and the the personalities of the characters. The characters too are wonderfully drawn, fleshed out in great detail and brought to life by some fabulous performances. Arvind Swamy and Karthi were just marvelous!
I found Meiyazhagan to be very elegant in it’s philosophy. And here’s what I mean by that. Like with any good story, it too has good characters and bad. And the characters meander, lose their way, and are beset with troubles. There is a struggle between choosing to do the wrong thing or taking the high road. But this film portrays that struggle so beautifully, by showing (not telling), that it’s a pleasure to watch! I’m also in awe of the people that populate this film, so dignified are they! There’s a sense of benevolence and goodness that pervades this film. Reminds me of this book.
The emotions ring true, the people feel real and relatable. This film could have gone into melodrama territory but doesn’t, such is director Prem Kumar’s skill. Meiyazhagan is a many-flavored tale. There is loss, hurt, anger and anguish, but there is also joy, hope and forgiveness. This was a gorgeous film, and an amazing watch. Highly recommended.
Kidwise: Clean.
