Katrathu Tamil ( 2007)
Jeeva :How much people are there in the city?
Karunas : some 60-70 laks?
Jeeva : Neah ..there are two people in this society
One inside the Spencer plaza and one out side Spencer plaza
One inside ATM and one out side ATM
One inside Satyam complex and one outside Satyam complex
First thing about the movie : “Katrathu Tamil "is one of the most darkest and radical movies made in Tamil cinema. But darkness explores in the mind of a psychopath. Some times movies of such characters had to be told as a journey ,Katrathu Tamil is no exception. It’s a journey of a Young Tamil postgraduate from beautiful days to evil and then back to normal. The slaughter, victims, evolution, thirst, search, frustration and love along the journey is Katrathu Tamil. I could not remember when a character in Tamil cinema was portrayed so bluntly and brutally like the character Prabakar.Even a single moment I never felt the pity for him .That says the success of the story.On the fag end the director speaks of the societal imbalances mentioning IT,BPO spoiling the society,for a long time many were aspiring to make on this theme.
The film is told in a narrative style with a disturbing narration locality with journey starting from a beautiful child hood of a young boy Prabakar(Jeeva ) and his friend Anandhi (Anjali).After the death of Prabakars mother death the movie travels to his schooling and then to St.Xaviers college of Arts ,Tirunelveli and then the life looks different for Prabakar with out Anandi .Prabakar goes in search of Anandi and reaches interiors of Maharashtra and finds her. How life changes for Prabakar after this with out Anandi is the metamorphosis of mind which is shown so brutally. I have never see a film in Tamil which goes inside the mind of Psychopath there was Sigappu Rojakkal and then Kudaikul Mazhai ,but this is so explicit from exposing the internal compulsion a maniac undergoes.Phenomenol level of experimentation is displayed with the breath taking performance.
The screenplay is a rare piece of mastery ; it is unconventional its complex, its dark and above all its annoying .Director never wanted the viewers to love the character Prabakar nor take pity for him. One scene when he speaks with the BPO employee on the roads is the example of the unconventional screenplay and the way he explodes the present unreal life of the call center life is really daring attempt. I can not make out the real pain he undergoes with that particular scene with regard to Jeeva’s character but it was stunning shot which is new and annoying for Tamil Cinema.
I could compare this movie with Varumayin Niram Sigappu and Martin Scorsese’s TaxiDriver.If Kamal Character was frustrated with societal imbalance and evil practices but he was build with positive thoughts and courage ,Same way with Taxidriver where Robert De Niero slowly transforms in to a psychopath being lonely and let down by society and his acquaintances.Prabakar character of Jeeva here is Kamalhasan in Varumayin Niram Sigappu with out positive out look + Robert De Niero in taxi driver with the level of brutality. How often you see so truth ful characters in a movie.
For a Film maker the biggest challenge is to synchronise the resistance he faces in carving his mental character to a screen character .Often 99% of the film makers get convinced with the celluloid characters.There are very few character which has come out as the way Director’s thought.How is that with Jeeva in Katrathu Tamil.Off late Jeeva has grown as a superlative performer with E&Ram.The thirst and aggression is evident in his eyes.I haven’t seen such a vicious character in the screen so beautifully brought through Dialogues.Jeeva joins the league of Extraordinary actors of Tamil Cinema ,as a normal fan I give two thumbs up for him for the Prabakar Character.I was annoyed ,irritated by that character. Even a moment of the film any viewers will not fit themselves with the character.Because the world is different for us ,its not as like Prabakar’s Life.Tamil scholars are always poetic, unpractical(I don’t know whats the meaning of Practical for them),stubborn and intelligent ,Prabakar is no different from them.The choice for Prabakar to study Tamil Literature is highly justifiable.Great Going Jeeva ,stunning performance.
The character Anandi is the boon for the movie, it is highly appreciable that director had fit a new face Anjali for this.The character is the only lovely character of the movie. Its childish ,stupid ,innocent who was driven by the family. Tirunelveli Tamil is so real and fresh from Alagamperumal as Tamil Ayya.
Music by Yuvan and Camera by Kathir had to put their real and poetic efforts along with the director.And the Back ground score is astonishing from Yuvan like his Maestro Dad
Director Ram is an assistant of BaluMahendra ,There is no traces of his Guru in any of his shot in the sense he had chosen to be different and had gained a equity to prove his worth.One of the powerful debut and Ram has shown a different level of netting in the screenplay.Its difficult for any film maker to create screen play for such a dark character.
One part he never justified is the anger towards the society though the character had chosen its own fate.
Karunas : some 60-70 laks?
Jeeva : Neah ..there are two people in this society
One inside the Spencer plaza and one out side Spencer plaza
One inside ATM and one out side ATM
One inside Satyam complex and one outside Satyam complex
First thing about the movie : “Katrathu Tamil "is one of the most darkest and radical movies made in Tamil cinema. But darkness explores in the mind of a psychopath. Some times movies of such characters had to be told as a journey ,Katrathu Tamil is no exception. It’s a journey of a Young Tamil postgraduate from beautiful days to evil and then back to normal. The slaughter, victims, evolution, thirst, search, frustration and love along the journey is Katrathu Tamil. I could not remember when a character in Tamil cinema was portrayed so bluntly and brutally like the character Prabakar.Even a single moment I never felt the pity for him .That says the success of the story.On the fag end the director speaks of the societal imbalances mentioning IT,BPO spoiling the society,for a long time many were aspiring to make on this theme.
The film is told in a narrative style with a disturbing narration locality with journey starting from a beautiful child hood of a young boy Prabakar(Jeeva ) and his friend Anandhi (Anjali).After the death of Prabakars mother death the movie travels to his schooling and then to St.Xaviers college of Arts ,Tirunelveli and then the life looks different for Prabakar with out Anandi .Prabakar goes in search of Anandi and reaches interiors of Maharashtra and finds her. How life changes for Prabakar after this with out Anandi is the metamorphosis of mind which is shown so brutally. I have never see a film in Tamil which goes inside the mind of Psychopath there was Sigappu Rojakkal and then Kudaikul Mazhai ,but this is so explicit from exposing the internal compulsion a maniac undergoes.Phenomenol level of experimentation is displayed with the breath taking performance.
The screenplay is a rare piece of mastery ; it is unconventional its complex, its dark and above all its annoying .Director never wanted the viewers to love the character Prabakar nor take pity for him. One scene when he speaks with the BPO employee on the roads is the example of the unconventional screenplay and the way he explodes the present unreal life of the call center life is really daring attempt. I can not make out the real pain he undergoes with that particular scene with regard to Jeeva’s character but it was stunning shot which is new and annoying for Tamil Cinema.
I could compare this movie with Varumayin Niram Sigappu and Martin Scorsese’s TaxiDriver.If Kamal Character was frustrated with societal imbalance and evil practices but he was build with positive thoughts and courage ,Same way with Taxidriver where Robert De Niero slowly transforms in to a psychopath being lonely and let down by society and his acquaintances.Prabakar character of Jeeva here is Kamalhasan in Varumayin Niram Sigappu with out positive out look + Robert De Niero in taxi driver with the level of brutality. How often you see so truth ful characters in a movie.
For a Film maker the biggest challenge is to synchronise the resistance he faces in carving his mental character to a screen character .Often 99% of the film makers get convinced with the celluloid characters.There are very few character which has come out as the way Director’s thought.How is that with Jeeva in Katrathu Tamil.Off late Jeeva has grown as a superlative performer with E&Ram.The thirst and aggression is evident in his eyes.I haven’t seen such a vicious character in the screen so beautifully brought through Dialogues.Jeeva joins the league of Extraordinary actors of Tamil Cinema ,as a normal fan I give two thumbs up for him for the Prabakar Character.I was annoyed ,irritated by that character. Even a moment of the film any viewers will not fit themselves with the character.Because the world is different for us ,its not as like Prabakar’s Life.Tamil scholars are always poetic, unpractical(I don’t know whats the meaning of Practical for them),stubborn and intelligent ,Prabakar is no different from them.The choice for Prabakar to study Tamil Literature is highly justifiable.Great Going Jeeva ,stunning performance.
The character Anandi is the boon for the movie, it is highly appreciable that director had fit a new face Anjali for this.The character is the only lovely character of the movie. Its childish ,stupid ,innocent who was driven by the family. Tirunelveli Tamil is so real and fresh from Alagamperumal as Tamil Ayya.
Music by Yuvan and Camera by Kathir had to put their real and poetic efforts along with the director.And the Back ground score is astonishing from Yuvan like his Maestro Dad
Director Ram is an assistant of BaluMahendra ,There is no traces of his Guru in any of his shot in the sense he had chosen to be different and had gained a equity to prove his worth.One of the powerful debut and Ram has shown a different level of netting in the screenplay.Its difficult for any film maker to create screen play for such a dark character.
One part he never justified is the anger towards the society though the character had chosen its own fate.
I am little doubtful about the commercial success of the movie, but critically the movie will be celeberated for its presentation and it will be a piece of versatility in the years to come with regard to performance and screenplay. For movie lovers who can tolerate a level of brutality and abrubtness this movie will be a treat to watch but for other I am sure it will be annoying thoroughly.For any body on the whole Katrathu Tamil is a different experience either Positive or negative it depends.
Rating :8.25/10
Comments