Paradesi - Depressingly brilliant

Will try to avoid spoilers as much as I can.

The film's milieu , which is set in pre-independent India about capitalists and religious fascists oppressing the poor and downtrodden , pretty much what's happening in today's world as well.

The film, ironically is less in the violence quotient ( unlike how it was projected in the Reality teaser) but high on the emotional quotient. As a matter of fact the reality teaser was more violent than the film itself.

Unlike other the Director's previous films , this one does not have glorified violence or the ultimate show down in the end with blood, gore and death. Bala has chosen to be true to the characters of the film, right till the end and has made no compromises for commercial purposes.

The film is not entertaining but it sure is hard-hitting and has an impact, to overcome which you will need a dozen beers and two joints.

The interval shot with the hand of a dying man in focus made me realize that even melancholy can give me goosebumps, with tears gathering around the corner of the eye.

In a corner of my heart, I did expect a violent ending but the cinematic genius personified -  Bala, surprised one and all . He showed that there are things which cause more grief and sorrow than death itself. Climax was brilliant!!!

As expected the Atheist in Bala does take a dig or two at the pestilence of evangelical Christians and God-men who are exploiting the already exploited plantation slaves.

Chezian's cinematography is definitely one of the best in recent times and is spot on in capturing the poignancy and despair.
The gloomy color tone of the movie did show the plantations of Ooty/kodaikanal really morbid unlike other movies where they would use the same location for/as the common man's foreign location song.

GV Prakash's background score was good but his songs were really a let-down, considering the directors previous films.

As expected acting was brilliant and the director proves once again, that when you are the best in what you do, you will deliver irrespective of whom you work with.

It's been a while since a movie had this kind of effect on me , Bottom line is that Paradesi is a film which gives you the pleasure of being sad. Please do watch and experience for yourselves.


"Don't hate it when you don't understand it"..
Adios.


  

Padam Paarthu Kathai Sol...

Before I proceed , I would like to make it clear that even if kadal was made by some other first-time filmmaker it still would have been dead meat, infact it gets a +5 for Mani for the hidden layers that were there (as per Baradwaj Rangan's encomiums on Mani ) and we dint get it .!

For a filmmaker nowadays, his/her previous film becomes a benchmark that they have to cross to make the film at least watchable. 

The exact same reason why Aadhi bhagwan is receiving flak right now. Given the filmmaker's earlier films we expect the same level of attention to detail and logic in his forthcoming films too , which to a level we ignore, if it is a first time filmmaker.

Nevertheless the viewers today are largely influenced by the stupidity of social media , their "liking/disliking" a movie has a direct impact on their social life/circle and end up succumbing to the peer pressure.

Audience, these days don't seem to enjoy the slick -  slow moving -  beautiful - feel good films on human emotions , whereas they expect some thing dramatic to happen every 15 minutes to keep them hooked or else they switch on their mobile and update "booooring movie #facepalm hahaha" in twitter and Facebook.

If a movie doesn't have the inevitable twist in the end, as a filmmaker you are doomed. It should at least have twists like the protagonist being the antagonist all this time or
the female lead turning out to be a lesbian and cheats the hero by having a foursome with a construction worker , plumber and a police officer , where they get into her .. er.... sorry , what was I talking about, got carried away a little bit.
Yes, there should be the inevitable Twist in the end.

If the movie does not have spell binding/mind blowing / quintessential scenes like these in the bullet-ed list below, then its just a lame film and the director needs to grow up ( who is probably already in his 40's now)

• Hero and heroine end up living happily ever-after , oblivious to the fact that everyone else is killed in the climax sequence
• Heroine gets raped or someone attempts to rape her and the one legged stout hero  beats the shit out of the well built muscular goons and ironically ends up sleeping with her
• Hero survives a brain tumor coupled with testicular cancer by singing one pep-up song at the gods - I know I went overboard with this one.

Excessive and abusive criticism against commercial cinema has become the next "being human" or "Che" T-shirt. Idiots seem to do that for being cool.

If the movie deals with a murder , then it is gory,gruesome and has glorified violence, Ok fine.Then if we tell the story as it is then it is boring like a documentary , so If we add some drama to it, then we are twisting the facts, -  enna than ya venum ungalukku #tamil

 Given the limited budgets and the people's mentality and IQ , I don't expect Indian films
 to do anything spectacular in the near future. It would continue to be the same old crass-joked Rom-Coms or the age old vengeance story with a new cast and crew . However, Salman khan being an exception , where the cast and crew too remain the same.

 All I wanna say is that "dude relax It's just a movie try and enjoy it, either you like it or
 don't but the movie is never bad unless it is an exceptional Ram gopal varma movie."

Once a wise man wisely told after a couple of beers " Expectations are the root cause of all disappointments"