A ‘Blue’ lining in the storm clouds
Days after watching this movie, the effect of it was still getting administered drop by drop as in an intravenous infusion, sending in doses of horrific realities of inequality in a caste obsessed society and the dire consequences of it tainting the very fabric of humanity and our next gen cropping bang in the middle of it. Thus a debate sparked within.
Some 10 minutes into the movie, Karuppi was seen in blood and flesh scattered all over the railway track after she got tied onto it to get hit by a train. Pariyan was still running towards the track, giving his all, but still no where near to save her. He eventually falls on the ground and helplessly watches it all unfold as the shroud of dust descend. The scar, one of many, will remain forever. And so will be the pain. His scream was so deafening that it could have filled that entire barren landscape. But all we could hear was that haunting background score followed by a creepy elegy in the voice of an old woman. As she laments, screen goes black and darkness ensues. The title card flashes open here.
Pariyerum Perumal. BA BL. “மேல ஒரு கோடு”
The movie clearly establishes its premise even before the title appears and from there on, it begins to slowly absorb us in. Into the the world of Pariyan. A world where he was given a caste identity. He gets stripped of all his essential rights and dignity and gets squeezed in a corner to an extent where his every breath was a gasp. His father gets humiliated in front of his eyes. He was seen as not more than a speck of dirt. So cold and cruel. But his only retaliation to all these was to pursue his dream of studying law. A dream that can lend him voice which can be heard.
His liberty to express gets curtailed. He finds his love in Jo. Not quite. He vents out indignation. Not quite. He walks a tightrope balancing love and rage. In fact he wants to move away from both as that was all he could afford. To move away and move on. His would be the last shoes we would want to step in. But the movie ensures we step right in, tread his terrain and shed tears for him.
And then there was a spate of honour killings tactically executed. But how is a murder honour? They believe killing restores honour of their community. Savagery marries pride and the offspring could be nothing but disgrace to the whole of humanity.
Every character, every scene was carefully crafted that leads to that one final conversation at the end. A conversation between the dominant and the deprived. When the dominant feels it to be very awkward and gets engulfed completely in guilt, you know there is a dialogue developing in a progressive way. A reform is underway. After the conversation when they get up and walk together, it was like saying to the casteists, “Stay put. We move on”.
A quintessential anti-caste movie that is deeply rooted showcasing the ruthless nature of casteist society and ends on a positive note.
Only when the lights come back do we realise that it was a slap on our face. We leave the cinema red faced and with a debate sparked within.
Are we going to be mere mannequins luring our next generation into what to wear and discriminate fellow passers-by on the basis of it and be unapalogetic about it or are we going to be just humane?
The effect of this movie. It was still getting administered drop by drop.
Pariyerum Perumal. Slaps such as this are few and far between.
“ஒசத்தி கொறச்சல் என்னவோ எனக்கெதும் புரியல”
