0:24 What is written here? -What?! -To sleep is to die. And to wake up from sleep is birth. It is from Thirukkural. Oh, Thirukkural! It would make a good title for a play. Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam is elegantly, satisfyingly, One of the best films I watched recently When I say this, If you didn’t like this film, or if you didn’t understand this film, You will have a question that, Why some people are praising this movie this much! Or why did I like this film! This video is the answer to that!
1:20 The basic story of this film is, A drama troop travels to Velankanni, James in one of the main members among the group Played by Mammootty Don't create a ruckus, man! James is kind of a buzzkill character! This looks like a shabby place. There is no other place nearby. He doesn’t like sugar in his coffee, He doesn’t like Tamil food, He is a Penny-pincher He doesn’t like when people sing and party, Therefore he is defined as a buzzkill character at first. When they are returning from their pilgrimage They go into a afternoon nap after having food, Suddenly James wakes up from his nap. He gets down from the bus and walks away!
2:06 He walks in to a Tamil Village Nearby. He walks like he knows the place and routes. He reaches a house and he wears a Lungi which was hanging there. With that, James transforms to Sundaram, who went missing 2 years ago. it is not explained why, or how. We will come back to that. Sundaram does chores at his house as he usually does, But the family doesn’t recognize him nor understand what is happening! Sundaram talks to his wife, But she doesn’t recognize him. Sundaram leaves with his scooter, to buy groceries leaving them stunned. Meanwhile, the drama troop and James’s family comes to the village looking for him. And the Villagers chases Sundaram thinking he stole the vehicle!
2:52 They learn about Sundaram from them, That he went to a market 2 years ago and never returned! Two years ago, Palani's son, Sundaram, went to the Oddanchatram market. He never returned. Sundaram’s relatives say James is behaving exactly like Sundaram Even I was shocked. He looks different, but he speaks and behaves just like him. Your husband behaves exactly like him. The way he walks and talks. James who was a buzzkill, Transforms into a much easygoing character as Sundaram. Dude, I'm not diabetic. -Who is this man telling these stories? -Yes, who is this man? That is what I am wondering. Sundaram’s mother is the only character who is happy about his arrival.
3:41 She is watching TV throughout the whole film. The dialogues from her TV serves as a subtext to the current situation of the characters. Also the Mother character doesn’t sleep throughout the whole film. Almost every other character is introduced as they wakeup from their sleep, -Who is inside? James! James, it is morning already. Get up! But Sundaram’s Mother doesn’t sleep throughout the whole film. Sundar continues to do his daily chores, But he doubts that something is off about his life! No need, we are buying from someone else. You can go! -Who is this man? -We don't know. He doubts something is really off in the way people treat him! Hey, don't you know that I hate chutney?!
4:27 How would I know? Eat, and get lost! What are you all saying? Who are all these? -Leave him. -Look, they are calling you. Go home. Sundaram asks about the temple under construction wondering how it is possible! Because earlier in the movie, it is stated that Sundaram went missing before the Temple’s construction began. After that Sundaram goes to the barber and has a realisation after watching himself in the mirror Sundaram returns to his house questioning his existence! He eats and goes into another mid day nap
5:14 And he wakes up as James! Shall we go? Let us go. James and party returns to the bus after waking up, That is the first time when we see They are a Drama Troup. and its a Drama Troup’s Van They depart, and Sundaram’s dog goes running behind the van, and the movie ends! So now that you understand the basic story, we can go into deeper levels of the story!
6:05 The simplest explanation for this movie is, Sundaram went missing 2 years ago. We don’t know what happened to him or whether he is dead! It's stated earlier that they searched for him and even filed a police complaint We searched everywhere. We even filed a police complaint. So we can interpret this movie as the story of sundaram, who died somewhere, somehow, returning to his village to see his family! We might not understand what is happening to James and why he is going to Sundaram’s home at the first glance, But the director has left clear hints throughout the movie for the audience to find. Sundaram’s soul enters James body while he was asleep. Closely watch this shot where James is getting off the van.
6:59 James’s body completely dissapers in this shot. And in the next shot, neither James nor the way he went is shown. Returned Sundaram is unrecognised by the family and natives Even Sundaram doesn’t understand who he is until a point But when he looks at the mirror, He realises it’s not him, Listen to the BG Sound in this scene. This is the same sound in the bus, Shown before James waking up
7:49 In the end, He sits down to eat, We see shots of a bunch of crows while he is eating. Crows and death have an important & intricate connection in Hindu mythology. There is a Hindu ceremony where we call crows to eat the offerings made for the dead person. It is also believed that Crows are temporary vehicles for our ancestors to visit the earth. In the interval sequence of the movie, Sundaram says, That his family root is here, his ancestors lived here, and he will also live and die here. This soil belongs to my grandfather and forefathers! And I will be buried here, in this land! This is my land. So when we read all this together, Sundaram was eating his own Sacrificial rice! And to watch this ceremony, His forefathers gathered there as crows!
8:36 And when Sundaram leaves after eating, There is a shot of a crow which flies away. This indicates that the forefathers left after the ceremony. And take a close look at this shot. Sundaram completely disappears in this shot. As same as James disappeared. James disappeared to become Sundaram, & Sundaram Disappeared to become James again! Also Sundaram leaves a shadow behind while he leaves!
9:34 A man who died somewhere, Goes back after completing all his deeds Even though we can give multiple interpretations for this movie, What I would like to believe after watching this is, A mother who lost his son and who is in deep sorrow! So the son returns from dead to see his mother, because of her unconditional love! That is how I, Personally interpret this film. Listen to the dialogue from the movie played in the bus. Where's my son? What happened to him? Where is my son?! My son…
10:19 My son is right in front of my eyes. In the dialogue we hear “Where is my son?” That might be the Mother herself asking the question. Sundaram sits beside his mother the first time he comes. Also the the mother laughs when the dad asks ‘who is inside’. The mother knows its sundaram who came back! She takes care of Sundaram amongst all the chaos happening outside! And when Sundaram Leaves, The mother cries! Mother’s character is the only one who have a visible reaction and closeup shot while Sundaram Leaves. When Sundaram is about to leave, Mother’s TV dialogue says ‘say you will come back’ I am leaving, my child.
11:06 Say you'll be back, Grandpa. So beacuse of all this, I like to believe, That this is a story of a Mother & Son. I can’t ignore a political layer and subtext while explaining. This might be hard to digest for some people, Still I’m gonna say it! Before that, little context, S Hareesh wrote the script for this film. If you dont know him, He wrote a Novel named ‘Meesha’ and some controversies followed it! The novel was in controversy because it supposedly ‘defamed’ Hindu religion. And obviously he was attacked (Not literally) by RSS, BJP political parties. I believe this Subtext has meaning because of the writer.
11:53 The film throughout discusses Dravidian Politics. In the big interval sequence, Sundaram says, That this is my land, my home and no one can send me away from here. Darling, Muthu, didn't you hear? They say I don't belong here! I belong to this village! I belong here! The villagers half-mindedly welcome the outsiders while understanding that James is not Sundaram. Had it been in Kerala, we could have done something. But here, we don't have anyone. Please don't say that! We are here for you. Sundaram talks about the money he needs to get from the village office, He asks about it to the officer. He even goes to the office to receive the money.
12:40 We don’t know if the ‘original’ Sundaram got the money in the past, But the politician character says the temple construction is progressing with the help of the government. On top of all this, The brother character who is coming to kick out Sundaram from the House and Village, Have a Raksha Bandan in his hand! Sooo, Understand what you can, from that. That’s all I’m gonna say! We can also connect this to LJP’s personal life He have a drama background as some of you know. The whole film is made like a stage play. Frame blocking, Music and everything makes it feels like a stage play on screen. Haven't you heard, "The whole world is a stage"? That is what this is.
13:29 Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam is one of the finest films from Mollywood this year. For me it was 1.47 hrs of pure ecstatic experience. Still I can understand that this is not everyone’s cup of tea. If you ask me, is there any need to watch films with this much critical thinking, The answer is no. We can watch films just to be Entertained. There is no problem in that. It’s everyone’s choice. But I believe cinema as an art form, has to ask questions than answering them. So for those who watch films for that, and seek questions Im sure this movie will be a phenomenal experience!
