CHENNAI: Mr. Local is a film that should have never been. It is supposedly a summer entertainer, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone wanting to escape the sun. The comedy it tried to be, ended with the director having the last laugh — at the audience. But I am glad I did not heed my uncle’s warning to pass the film. Even when the couple sitting next to me at the theatre left in a hurry (even before the intermission but only after declaring that the movie is mokka) I stayed in my seat. Boring the movie may be, and that is the kindest adjective that can be used, but believe me when I say that this movie, Mr. Local, belongs in every classroom that teaches film for a lecture titled ‘How not to write a woman character’. The following would be lecture notes:
● Thank you for giving Nayanthara a name in this film — Keerthana Vasudevan — a thing to do — producer of mega serials, a class status — rich, and thing she dislikes — ‘local’ men. But that’s still not enough a sketch of the character, or a whole person.
● We need three-dimensional characters, not caricatures created only so that they can be ‘tamed’ into kudumba-kuthhtuvillaku or a ‘homely woman’ by a man.
● We don’t want stereotypes, certainly not one of the rich, head-strong, independent woman who happens to be heartless, unapologetic, manipulative etc. Lots of ‘bold’ women say sorry when they get involved in a road accident.
● We don’t want a dude in a skirt. The cat and mouse game has happened in a hundred hero-villain scenarios. Having a woman aka Keerthana be the shrew, when it could’ve just as well be pulled off by a man is only an excuse to kickstart a criminal (literally) romance.
● This is a successful woman we are talking (off-screen too). Then give her a past without a sob story and motivations, dreams, aspirations. Does she really want to fall in love with a man she bumps into quite aptly at a traffic signal? Does she really have to act in such movies anymore (off-screen)?
● Give a working woman more to deal with than just an annoying man. Surely we need to see her tackle a few challenges at her job, maybe even fail in them. Any woman on average meets at least two creeps a day, and usually can’t take all of them down, especially if she needs to keep the job.
● Stalking usually ends in violence, the death of the woman, and hopefully will land the man in jail. If you want to write happily forevers, kick the stalking bit out, if also like in this movie you want to have the man in jail, stalking should be the crime, not a conjured up situation.
● Give the ‘strong’ woman a range of emotions. She is still a person who goes through the full spectrum of feelings.
● Be clear about the woman’s relationship status. She becomes a girlfriend only after she says yes, and that usually happens after she asks or is asked, preferably after having spent some time with this potential partner.
● Give the woman sensible clothes. What does she wear at home when she’s by herself? Does she really wear heels to the beach? Or dresses every single day in this Chennai heat?
● Consider all parts played by women in the film, and write more than sister, mother, friend. A role well-played only when a character is well-written, and each deserves a commitment to depth.
● Write women we know or want to know, and if they are fictitious use them in super hero movies (actually let the super power be managing stilettos on beach sand).
● Allow her to win once in a while if the woman is taking on the patriarchy. Evil always lost to the good, now it is time for misogyny to lose to women.
● Attempt to write better women characters first — run them by real women, incorporate the feedback. Till you nail this, do not even try writing non-binary or queer characters. Transpersons are people, and this should not have to be a reminder.
● Actually, just hire women writers.