Plots revolving round the Sri Lankan ethnic war and its aftermath, like the plight of the displaced ethnic minority, have hit theatres at regular intervals. Sivappu depicts a group of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who, surviving various odds, entered Tamil Nadu with the hope and expectation of a better life. But with their hopes dashed and future uncertain, they like many of their ilk decide to take the hazardous route to Australia where citizenship was apparently granted in a short time.
Romance and political interference is weaved in here, the narration hovering somewhere between the realistic and the formulaic. Strongly inspired by Majid Majidi's Baran (2001), it’s about a love affair set against the backdrop of political uncertainty.
The film opens at a construction site where an accident had taken place. In dire need of labourers, Konar the supervisor (Rajkiran) secretly ropes in a group of Sri Lankan refugees who had escaped from their camp. Konar is depicted as a man who tries to play fair and balance the equation between his employer and his workers. Rajkiran is the mainstay of the film. His convincing take on Konar, who is caught between loyalty to his employer and sympathy for the refugees, infuses life in the role.
There is Pandyan the tea-boy at the site, aggressive and antagonistic to Parvati the refugee girl. And more so, when she is handed over the tea-making task and Pandyan put on heavy duty. Amusing are the moments where Parvati futilely tries to do hard labour at the site.
The lingering fear of the refugees who had gone through traumatic experiences is reflected in the actions of Parvathy. The sound of a chopper flying above was enough to send her scampering into hiding. For, all she could connect to it was the spray of bullets and blood stained bodies. The scenes at the construction site capture the anxious moments illegal immigrants go through as they strive to earn their livelihood.
When there is a sudden arrival of cops, or officers from the Labour Commission and refugee camps at the site for inspection, workers are bundled into a dingy make-shift underground cabin. Pandyan thawing towards Parvati and their love affair has a natural flow.
Pandyan’s transition from an aggressive youngster to an unselfish lover is brought out effectively by Navin Chandra. Seen in glamorous roles in earlier films, Rupa Manjari dons a plain and simple look here and suitably fits into her character as Parvati.
Sivappu would have been a meaningful experience if only the director had treated the relevant issue with the seriousness it warranted, avoided distractions and focused on sustaining the mood and feel.
