Kolaiseval Movie Review:
There have been multiple iterations of more popular epics in Tamil cinema. But films on the Nattaar Marabu/Dheivam (Rural Traditions/Deities) are few and far between. The clash of the Gods Pekkaaman and Virumandi entered common knowledge, but in broad strokes, in Virumaandi (2004). VR Thudhivaanan's Kolaiseval sparks an initial excitement about the story of one such Goddess, a woman deified after being killed in a caste-related incident. However, the makers struggle to maintain the excitement, despite a runtime of less than two hours. Thankfully, Kolaiseval doesn't dissipate quickly either.
Kolaiseval begins in Tiruvannamalai with Kaali's (Kalaiyarasan) family making preparations to conduct a prayer at the temple of their ancestral deity, Nirai Sooli (the pregnant Goddess), for the healthy delivery of their expectant daughter-in-law, Anusuya (Deepa Balu). As they prepare, the narrative shifts to two additional characters. They, too, are preparing to leave for the temple. The plot thickens as we learn more about these characters.
The film doggedly follows the singular event of what happens to the family that plans to visit the temple on a hillock. This choice pays off to an extent, but ultimately causes the film to come apart at the seams in the second half. It is fascinating to watch films like Kolaiseval that don't bother about too many things. Kolaiseval, the film, is as straightforward as its trailer. The film, despite making it clear it will be about honour killing, with scenes like Anusuya leaving her family for Kaali and retro songs playing in the background expressing concern over people's degeneration, like 'Ethanai Periya Manithanukku', arrives at this central point with a controlled pace. It is understood that the makers have worked on the first half as a set-up, but it is one of the rare occasions where you feel not everything needed such attention to detail.
Jokes centred on Kumar (Bala Saravanan), a film aspirant who spins stories on his 'Chennai dream', acted as a deterrent, and not as a brief comedy breather. Also, since Kumar gets placed in a very intense sequence later in the film, it would have been more useful to see him not wasting time resorting the generic sarakku and cinema jokes.
Director: VR Thudhivaanan
Cast: Kalaiyarasan, Deepa Balu, Bala Saravanan, Gajaraj
The flashback portion acts like a sharp needle unceremoniously stuck to a balloon that was filled with great labour. They bring the proceedings to a screeching halt. This time-bound film was already functional with the details provided about the characters in the first half. Instead of a flashback that gives us a better understanding of the protagonists, their families, and their deep-rooted casteism, the flashback simply sticks to their romance portions that, honestly, does nothing to the narrative. This portion, coupled with a gore-filled climactic sequence, shifts emphasis from the mental retardation of casteism to the idea of violence, which is only a consequence and not the cause.
It is commendable that the actors stay well within the scope of the film, and aren't indulging in a game of oneupmanship. However, on the writing front, the antagonists, played by Gajaraj and Co, needed more to chew on rather than just walk and go on a slaughter-spree.
In fact, the film is pregnant with good ideas. Moments such as Kaali’s mother telling his niece that the Nirai Sooli idol was merely discovered and then began to be worshipped, and Anusuya saying she feels as though she has already been in the Goddess’ abode, quietly add to the narrative’s mysticism, hinting that many rural deities emerged from structures of entrenched social hierarchy. The film needed a lot more of that.
As the end credits of Kolaiseval began rolling, the voice-over says, "Even if God says there is no caste, people will reject it as they want a god who approves this system," criticising how people have gone to a point of no return in the casteist mindset. The film might have been far more effective had it translated those words into a more powerful visual language.