Movie Review – Magamuni

Masterclass

I went in with a lot of expectations for the movie because I loved Mouna Guru. That one dialogue where Arulnidhi tells her mom that his sister is using her just like ayah is epic. There are so many honest dialogues/conversations in the movie but that one dialogue was brutally honest, takes you back a step. It was like how when I first listened ‘Girlfriend’ song, I was not sure whether I could sing out loud at home or not, but when my younger sister did, I was like okay, no big deal. Similarly, I didn’t know how to react for ‘Varaaru Varaaru’ song in ‘Em Magan’ (I prefer to call it with the original title ‘Emtan Magan’) because my dad has constantly talked about respect to elders. But when he himself enjoyed the song I was relieved. Third and the tensest movie scene for me was the confrontation of Dhanush with his father after he comes home late night, drunk. This type of confrontations is quite usual between my dad and I, only that I wouldn’t be drunk at that time and wouldn’t have stolen money, but that scene was quite tense which my dad seemed to have liked so I was okay to enjoy it. Santhakumar is a type of director who uses this language in his film making.

The best part of the movie was the moments where audience were not sure whether to clap hands or not. They’d have got so intrigued in the story they’d forget to clap hands. For example, the scene where Maga (Arya) takes revenge is a scene for the gallery, the audience should have erupted but Arya doesn’t take time to kill people, there are no slow mo’s, hair rising tension, just a man who stands there to complete the job. Even when he throws the dagger, the look is so intense, as if the dagger piercing the heart. That’s a brilliant sequence for a lot of reason. One, for Arya’s acting. Two, for one of the best ‘aal maratam double action’ scene. The ‘aal maratam’ here is so organic. When they search for Maga in hospital and Muni (Arya) in bungalow, it’s just the right amount of mix. Nothing over dramatical. Three, for the revenge in the style of how Maga says to his wife. One whose head burns, other with a dagger and the last with some time, also avenges for his wife by pushing one person in the well. But my doubt is when Maga says that his friends have been killed that way, is it a lie to wife, because three friends would be there with him. Are they the same or are they different?

Then comes the dialogues, lots of it are great. Some might feel preachy but its not. Because the one who talks about god and divinity, Muni, is a person who is into spirituality, practicing yoga and bramacharyam and the one who talks about goons, the ‘cuppi’ dialogue to his kid is spoken by a person who is real rowdy. So, they know what they are talking and they do it rightfully. One thing about ‘cuppi’ dialogue tells how the whole film had been made. The sequence before that is an extended built up to Maga going to school with his dagger. On the way he sees some rowdies making noise. And when the rowdy turns to his side we expect an action sequence, it doesn’t happen. He just advises his son to not look into the eyes of those people because they’re like stray dogs who’ll bark at you. Next scene where he goes to school, we expect some kind of violence against the teacher, the tension elongates as it’s a lengthy scene with the principal but eventually he doesn’t do anything. The whole film is structured in way where a relaxed us would come to the edge of the seat then go back. Take a bow, Santhakumar!

I got to know a spoiler, that they both are identical twins, so it spoilt a little bit of surprise for me. I regret to have seen that line because in the entire first half the story is so confusing; we don’t know what’s happening where. And the questions in the present goes to flashback of some other part where the answer is right but the question is wrong. It’s confusing isn’t it. Just watch the movie you’ll understand. More than editing its great storytelling. I was not even sure of the timelines, I thought it was a flashback within flashback. So, to decode all that was very interesting.

The thriller felt interesting because of the pace and the minimalistic music, just like Korean films. The pace was minimal but that’s what made the film tense. Something people who didn’t like the movie complained. But that’s what worked for me. Second point is there is a lot of motif like Kim Ki-duk’s, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring. Like Spring, Summer… even this film talks about philosophy of life. There are many aerial shots of lakes, mountains and many shots of lingam. It was like how the protagonist there prays with buddha on top of a mountain. I had doubts whether I was reading too much into the movie but the climax answered my question as well as the title. It’s the final piece of the jumble.

When we expect Maga to go forward and kill those people he just retires to life, becomes a saint, one guy even applied holy ash on his head thinking that he’s a saint. Thus, becoming Magamuni. Remember he’s the same guy who was considered an untouchable for being of lower caste. He swims across the river, if you had seen till the end of titles you would have noticed it happens till the point where the credits get over, he traverses from one end of the frame to other. Thus, completely imbibing with nature. In his words, spirituality. For others, godliness. For me Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring

For me this is the film of the year.