2021, Tamil, Amazon Prime, 9.1/10, Directed by Pa. Ranjith
A sport film that does complete justice to the Boxing sport it features and sweeps the audiences with its authentic representation of the intriguing ‘Boxing Clans’ that existed in north madras in the 70’s. A talented ensemble that lets you sample the lives of people of that era and surprisingly unlike the director’s earlier films, he doesn’t chalk the chronicles of oppression but principally sticks to the suppressing politics of the game.
‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see‘- the director not only uses these quotes of the American Professional Boxer- ‘Mohammed Ali’ in the film but also derives his inspiration from the legend’s political activism in layering the tale of the suppressed community within the sport. The narration is about the leap of an individual from being a lover of the sport, to making it big in the same sport-all this for his respect on the coach, whom he had lionized while growing.
A ‘Hulk’ bodied ‘naive’ Arya in a period film- its inevitable not to think of the actor’s similar character in the decade old ‘Madarasapattinam’, but a few minutes in to the film, assures that this is a completely different body of work from both the directorial perspective and the etching of the character. Arya scores with his lean-ripped physique, gracefully adapting Mohammed Ali’s classic foot work and nailing the master’s ‘lean back defence’ technique. The actor does score in couple of emotional scenes expressing his ‘fear of losing’ like a school kid and it sure is amusing to see the muscle man cry like a toddler.
The actors seemed to have surrendered themselves to the director and its Ranjith’s presence that is felt in the backdrop of every sequential choreography. The fact that the director choose not to depend on props and uses the political scenarios like the emergency of 1975 and the DMK party’s dissolution, to hint the time period is intriguing. But the director never misses his opportunity in making the voices of the suppressed heard through the ‘self-respect’ lyrics that urges to ‘rewrite history’ and ‘use every opportunity that comes their way’.
The drama of a mom restraining her child taking the macho sport because her husband turned a goon because of it and later she insisting her son take back the same sport, for it might help him get out of his addiction- plays well onscreen reiterating the significance of sports as a deaddiction tool. A much-needed solace amidst the recent murkier news reports of the wrestling world’s involvement in crime.
The seasoned theater artist Pasupathi’s subtle mannerism of a bulged neck muscle and the drooping shoulder that’s unique to boxers and trainers adds so much life to the character. The rigorous dialect training and boxing training that seems distinct to every individual boxing character is strikingly evident. The dialects at some places are so complex that it does needs decoding even for the Tamil audience, thanks to the OTT’s subtitles.
The Dancing Rose character, played by Shameer Kallarakkal, is inspired by the likes of Emanuel Augustus who was called the ‘The Drunken Master’. The bodily movements that confuse the opponent were well illustrated, a little dramatically though, but never failed to amuse the viewers.
‘Daddy’ character, is undoubtedly the life time’s best for actor John Vijay. The actor savours playing it and its visible onscreen. So did the women folks Dushra, Sanjaya and Annupama Kumar, like in all Ranjith’s films, women have clear demarcating characterizations that enhances the onscreen relationships of characters.
Kalaiarasan’s character ‘Vetri’, as the son of the coach, who thinks his father deliberately lets him down- is a complex one, which the actor surprising plays with ease- the way he emotes the dejection, the moment he spits venom, his innate goodness and the love for the sport, involuntarily comes forth, making good all the evil he intended.
The combination scenes of the characters are the strength of any Ranjith film and this one is no exception. The untold respect between Rangan Vaathiyar and Kabilan an earnest student who had never been his direct student, the vigilant mom and the shielding wife, the unique relationship of the loser husband Vetri and his defending wife, the very brief expression of Pasupathi when his wife holds his foot on insisting him to have more food after he is released from prison, the way Pasupathi walks into the auditorium for the finale and how he enters the ring to hold Arya’s face and claim how wrong he was for not choosing him to play against Vembuli- such a tear jerking coach and student moment.
The north madras milieu just sets the right mood and the ‘not so loud’ mise-en-scene elevates the scenes, be it the harbour, the clock tower, the boxing ring, the women with two nose rings, (a hallmark for all women folks in Ranjith’s films), the commentary of Vijay TV fame Thangadurai, it is a time travel experience indeed.
The stirring sequences of the nights before all the main board matches were a compelling watch especially the final match. Arya and his wife spend the night in the middle of the sea while Pasupathi is sleeplessly walking and waiting for it to dawn. The wealthy boxer Raman is contemplating at his house on how to handle the victory of a co-contestant, if Kabilan wins. And when Kabilan does win, the director elaborates what ‘Victory’ is and how it is cherished- a celebration for the commoner, a dedication to the clan’s coach, a proud and undeniable milestone for the people of the same clan and a true sportsmanship by the opponent in gracefully accepting his defeat.
A treat to watch a realistic drama that brought to light an untold story and many fresh talents. A true sports drama that wipes away the cliche surrounding the boxing movies of the industry’s recent attempts of Ravi’s and Karthikeyan’s, with only a few exceptions that spoke the art behind the game, like ‘Irudhi Sutru’.
The rationalizations are plenty as in all Ranjith’s works, but some makes you think deeper. The one that persistently bothered me for a long time after the credits rolled was, what Kabilan’s wife Maariamma ingeniously asks- ‘Why does one associate ‘Pride’ with ‘Clan’, for it’s only a sport and what if one loses’? On a reflective thought process relating to larger picture, it does make lot more sense, I thought.
Must watch.