Tamizh Cinema: Going the Red way...

No. This is not crossword jargon, where red refers to communism. The money’s still pouring and all is well in tinsel town. ‘Red’ could also symbolize the overwhelming lèvres rouges of Tamil heroes. But it does not in this case. I am talking about the monopoly of gore and unnecessary violence in films released in the last one year. However each movie has been refreshingly different! Kudos to the filmmakers for coming up with a variety of weapons that the actor sports; sometimes a dagger or an automatic or a traditional veecharuvaa. All sarcasm apart, there has been a conscious attempt to make ‘different’ movies. But the question is, should they be made differently or should they be movies with a difference?

Three hours to kill (pun intended); A has been mercilessly thrust into the real world where he realizes he must kill to stay alive (a predator instinct I’d much rather watch on National Geographic); meanwhile we have an item number (with drunks drooling over an absolutely not sensual bar maid or josiya kaari) in the midst of which A cuts someone’s throat. A is the utopian assassin, no emotions no ties. Not for long though. A falls in love, tries to turn new leaf, A’s boss tips off the cops, a few women are raped at random and finally, A is riddled with bullets and killed/mutilated. Oh! and not to forget a barrage of profanity that features all through the film.

Nevertheless at the end of all this mindless gore and about three packets of popcorn (if you are lucky) comes a message. A message, that every man will eventually get his comeuppance. Fine. Very noble indeed. However, is the message driven home? The period of penitence and reform take up just 25 minutes out of a whole of 3 hours. Hence it is no rocket science to guess which aspect of the film would register better and faster in the mind of the audience.

Whatever happened to subtlety? By subtlety I do not mean zooming the camera on a pair of dolls when the bridegroom embraces the bride at their nuptials. I am talking about the likes of Life is Beautiful where the horrors of life at a concentration camp are brought across without the slightest trace of bloodshed. Why can't more be left to the viewers' understanding without insulting their intelligence?

This article maybe the rant of a minority since a significant percentage of movie-goers have applauded these films. Pattiyal, Thalainagaram, Pudupettai and whole host of others have all been declared hits. These films have also had their share of foreign audiences who must have gone home thinking the streets of Chennai must be full of people being chased to their brutal deaths. Thus, ladies and gentlemen, we have a new genre in Tamil cinema, kill-at-will for 2 ½ hours but someone will get you in the end!