I like Manikandan films. Even in dealing with profound, perhaps even dark, themes, there’s a stillness to them, a tranquil quality. He isn’t hurrying; he isn’t forcing conflicts or outcomes. There’s tragedy here, sure, but it is not in what happens to the protagonist, an old farmer called Nallaandi; it is in how his system of life that seems so beneficial to the mind and the body seems to have been carefully, systematically obliterated. It’s depressing, and yet, this film is so full of life. Peacocks, cows, elephants, bulls… it’s about harmonious living. Kadaisi Vivasayi fills you up with appreciation for what’s around us and concern over what’s going into us.
The film is a paean to idyllic life, to self-sufficiency. The film doesn’t treat farming as some ‘high concept’ that everyone should reach towards. It’s not interested in making you bow in devotion to farmers. It’s saying that like the air you breathe and the water you drink—which are instincts that aid your survival—farming is an essential survival exercise too. In recent times, we have been bombarded with films that claim to stand up on behalf of farmers, stories that have macho heroes thumping their chests and proclaiming their identity as farmers. These films so often end up disassociating them from us. I really liked that this film, this love letter to agriculture, tries to take you under its wings.
You can see a lot of kindness in Kadaisi Vivasayi. It is for that reason that this film has no villains, even though it would have been quite easy to tag the ‘evil’ label on a few characters. Take, for instance, the police officials who take in Nallaandi for questioning and end up remanding him for days on end. In another film, these men would be evil; Nallaandi would be a pathetic victim. Manikandan refuses the temptation. He aims to humanise everyone. That’s why you get the memorable shot of a police officer taking off his uniform and enjoying a relaxing bath under the pump set. As for Nallaandi, it helps that the man himself doesn’t have any self-pity. The old Nallaandi isn’t interested in looking inwards too much; I suppose it’s not really by choice. His way of life is an instinct for him, and his deafness has insulated him from the corruption around him.
The film is full of such simple people. Even a man who claims to have murdered a peacock isn’t ‘evil’; he just didn’t think any better. Films have typically romanticised this naivete—and perhaps there’s even utility in doing so—but Kadaisi Vivasayi just aims to show. Theres also some great everyday humour in the film, as you’d expect in this filmmaker’s work. Each time Nallaandi stands in the court, oblivious to the proceedings around him, and says, “Polaama?”, the simplicity is hilarious, and at once, affecting too. This filmmaker is terrific at operating in these real spaces.
‘Murugar’ references are littered across this film. Places like Pazhani and Thiruchendhur are referred to… The story of how Vinayagar beat Murugar by circling around Sivan and Parvathi gets mentioned. Peacocks are everywhere. But all this isn’t because the film wants us to begin worshipping deities. It’s simply paying homage to Murugar, who’s thought of as the lord of agriculture in many places. The film’s interest is more in documenting traditional rituals that kept alive a healthy, sustainable form of living. You also see the occurrence of strange phenomena in this story, like the sudden disappearance of Ramaiah, for instance—but that’s more mysticism than mythology. It’s about how the phenomenon of life cannot be easily contained into a box of comprehension, and how the refusal to do so could fill us up with potentially more wonder and gratitude for what we have.
I really liked the casting, with many of the debutant actors communicating ideas beyond the limitation of dialogues. Watch that scene as Nallaandi stands frozen at the sight of destroyed crop… There are no tears, there’s no bawling, and yet, it is extraordinarily affecting, and reinforces the film’s point that even a grain of rice is a living being. I also particularly enjoyed Raichal Rabecca Philip as the good-hearted magistrate who tries her best to do her job with a good conscience, while exuding an inherent regality befitting the role.
I enjoyed that at a time when farmer films are dime a dozen, Kadaisi Vivasaayi manages to stand out effortlessly. That’s because it seems less interested in making a profit out of their misery, and more interested in communicating genuine affection for their occupation. In a profound scene, you see Nallaandi, who has no problem with his body being soaked in dirt, attempting furiously to remove a hint of an ink stain from his fingers. That single shot… that’s worth pages of dialogue. That’s the stamp of this filmmaker.
Direction: Manikandan
Cast: Nallaandi, Vijay Sethupathi, Raichal Rabecca Philip, Yogi Babu
Rating: 4/5