Onbathu Roobai Nottu (2007)
Thankar Bachan mastery lies in two things first his Camera secondly his Literary works.Bringing together his literary work to celluloid is the biggest challenge for him and he had done it a artistic way.Onbathu Roopai Nootu is based on the novel by Thankar Bachan which he wrote in the 90's.A Critically acclaimed novel based on the life of Madhava Padayatchi who live in the village near Banrooti,the native place of Thankar Bachan.
Satyaraj as Madhavar Padayatchi and Archana as Vellayi in their late 50’s forms the base for O R N.Satyaraj had given a performance of his life overcoming Vedham Puditu and Periyar.I don’t have words for his composed performance which took me for a pain struck mood through out his flow of emotions.Truly and honorably Satyaraj has given his soul for this performance and has underpinned why he is Satyaraj .He has shed his image and appearance to give a performance for which he will be celebrated for years.
The story is about the man Madhava Padayatchi who lives a wealthy life with his wife and children.in Pathirakottai near Banrooti.Due to circumstances created by his rival he was forced to leave them with his wife to live a nomadic life.Hajabhai and Kameela once supported by Madhavar rescues the later by offering them land.Life turns bad for Madavar when he finds his sons suffering in poverty and slavery in Pathirakottai .Rest is tears ,pain but lesson for life.
I am sure not every body will be impressed with the movie for two reasons 1.Thankar Bachhan had made an art movie ,he had made only minimum compromises for it,Secondly the movie carries lots of pain and the mood easily gets captures viewers .But still the movie is a beautiful presentation of emotions in a natural way.There are many characters who are very raw to cinema but still shown the culture of Banrooti in a evident manner.I can understand the efforts of Thankar Bachan to bring out the world about the Banrooti culture like Madurai Culture and Nellai culture.Thank fully he had not efforted much with small children as he did in Thendral,Azhagi,Pallikoodam.
To bring out the chemistry between an old aged couple is not so easy when they are treated in poverty and loneliness and Director has handled it well throughout.Camera in a particular scene was stunning to me,the scene when Satyaraj walks around his village in the midnight after coming back to his village after 11 years.The lighting was so immaculate and the visuals was stunningly precise to be clear ,but the whole frame was dark.The scene was definitely shot in night but it would require a clear knowledge on lighting angles for combining darkness and lightness .I am sure many would agree with that if they watch the particular scene.
The movie has many drawbacks,The character of Archana should have be moulded still with regard to voice and dialogues.It is acceptable village women weep as similar but for which the same scene of her tears will irritate any audience be it A,B,C class.Thankar Bachan is a skilled technician in terms of his department but his activities to stress his political inclination is a unauthorized entry in to a class movie.
Comments