June 7th 2010
Aval apapdi ondrum azhagillai;
Avalukku yaarum yinai illai.
Aval appadi ondrum color illai;
Aanal athu oru kurai illai.
Translates to
“ She is not that very beautiful;
There is none equal to her.
She is not so very fair;
But there is nothing wrong with that.”
The lyrics of this song not only describe the heroine in my opinion but also the whole movie and the message it tells. In this wonderful movie Vasanth Balan takes on the challenge of telling the story and plight of the sales girls and boys working in the huge multiplex stores like Saravana that have changed the face of Chennai in a way.
I don’t mean for this post to be a review as first off it has been a long time since the movie originally released. Second off it has almost been a month since I have seen it but have been able to channel some time to pen my thoughts only now. What I do want to say is if you have not seen this movie, please do if you are able to and I guarantee you will look at shopping in these multiplexes and interacting with these workers in a whole new light.
There are many heart wrenching scenes and some that make you outright want to throw up at the plight of the poor; but it is a beautiful tale told in a way that reinforces the strength of the human spirit and that it will survive all odds.
“Pasi thaan miga perum mirugam” –“Hunger is the most terrible beast”; and “Kai Kaal illamal manushan undu aanal vaay um vayarum illamal manithan unda”- “There are people without hands and legs but is there anyone without a mouth to eat or a stomach to feel hunger?” These questions rankle the viewer.
I am very happy that Tamil cinema has such talented and conscious directors who bring these small stories to the forefront and highlight the plight of these nobodies. From each of us customers, a cheerful smile and a thoughtful word will do a lot to bring some respite into their otherwise prison lives.
P.S. It does not hurt to think twice when we ask for another color or another shade of a saree or a kurta or a dress, whether we really will buy it and if it involves another useless trip to the godown for these poor workers.
