Magizhchi

It depicts the relationship between the siblings, love, friendship, and also touches on relevant social issues.
Magizhchi
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2 min read

After wielding the megaphone for both the small and the big screen, Gauthaman turns hero in Magizhchi, apart from penning its screenplay and directing it. An adaptation of Neela Padmanabhan’s novel Thalaimuraigal, the story is set in 1989 in Kanyakumari.

It depicts the relationship between the siblings, love, friendship, and also touches on relevant social issues like the caste system and dowry.

The plot revolves around Thiravi and his older sister Nagammai (Gauthaman, Kartika), the duo devoted to each other, and willing to go any length to make each other happy. When a marriage proposal comes for his sister from an affluent family, the brother doesn’t hesitate to sell the land — their sole source of survival, to tide over the marriage expenses.

Nagammai’s return after suffering physical and mental abuse at the hands of her husband and motherin- law, and Thiravi’s sacrifices to tide over his family’s financial crises forms the crux.

The film has an interesting opening. A grandma (Sukumari fitting in aptly) narrates to her grandchildren the old legend of two sisters, patron Goddesses of the place, the poignant story is depicted on screen in fascinating comic-book style sketches (Trotsky Marudhu).

What goes against the film is it’s old style of narration, and it’s dragging pace. Gauthaman’s performance is laboured and dramatic, and could have done with more spontaneity. He, however has brought out fine performances from the rest of his cast.

Seeman lends sobriety and dignity to the role of the friend Kutralam, who tries to bring in a progressive change among the caste-ridden people.

The film does have its good moments. Like the scene where Thiravi furiously confronts his brother-in-law with the secret that the latter had tried so hard to camouflage.

Ganja Karuppu’s tryst with an old woman, after he eagerly accepts her invitation for a sumptuous feast and finds it all going awry, is hilarious. Appreciable is its ending, which is warm and positive. But this film could have been made in a way more appealing to the audience.

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