What do you call a movie that is more than breath taking?? I haven’t seen one until I saw this movie!! A murder mystery, thriller, non psychotic killing spree, evidence based medical explanation for all the on screen happenings- and all this relating to a social element. Mysskin (the director) just goes “OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST” to showcase that his “CLOCKWORK ORANGE” of a movie has been “INCEPTION”ally envisioned in such a way that “THE PRESTIGE” of his entire casting is based on the “TRUE GRIT” of all “THE FIGHTERS” and “DARK KNIGHTS” irrespective of them being “GOOD, BAD OR UGLY”!! Mysskin is “GODFATHER”!!
Movie starts off with very crisp editing sequences. Watch every scene carefully. Listen to every character’s on screen name carefully. Movie starts off with some sequences which are meant to be disturbing but this guy just delivers the platter and smashes it on your face and you are made to accept it. 2 murders take place one after another. The case is handed over to CBCID and it falls into the hands of Cheran who is made to accept the case in spite of his very recent personal loss. What is his personal loss?? (Hold that question right there.) The case unfolds slowly and steadily. At one stage this murder case can proceed only when another case is re-opened. Exactly at the interval point you are made aware of what is happening on screen to a decent extent. What is the inexplicable link between Cheran’s personal loss and the murder case that he has taken up?? Mysskin does not waste a single split second to say something else than what he wants to say. This is a no non-sense film. Soon after interval, the story is very cleverly unscrewed and that bolts us with a jolt. You HAVE to like it, for this technique of story telling is uniquely universal. He does not say anything but he says everything!! (Pls do not think I’m over awed or going over the board or I’m acting like a crack pot. I’m just so on a high after seeing such a movie). He very clearly portrays what Y.GEE Mahendiran does and why he does so. In fact Mysskin forces you to form the entire storyline on your own. He just shows you the conversations. There are very few movie makers who consider the audience as intelligent individuals!! And Mysskin treats you as one!! Thanks to him!! The entire mystery of all the murders, and the mystery revolving around Cheran’s personal loss, is solved 20 mins before the climax. Even after the mystery is solved you’ll want to know what happens next. Now comes the most intelligent part of his direction!! Mysskin just makes you to sit tight through the last twenty mins too!! What a befitting final sequence of shots!! Excellent closing scenes to Y.GEE, his family and the protagonists!! Many thrillers and mystery subjects have been made in tamil and Indian cinema. But one such phenomenon happens very rarely!!
The casting crew – perfect!! Cheran pulls off a Jason Bourne stuff with immeasurable ease and grace. His supporting group has their roles to play and they play it with perfection. Dialogues are razor sharp. BGM – blows your mind and racks your brain, silently and slowly. I really haven’t seen such camera angles in any motion picture. I ain’t saying this is the best. All I’m saying is that, it is one of a kind and is really innovative. A special mention has to be made about the person handling the scissors. Picture perfect, clean cuts are made so that editing lends beauty to the movie making. Kudos to the editor!!
You hear only what the director wants you to hear. You watch only what the director wants you to watch. And sometimes you would really want to know what happened in the end of a particular shot. And Mysskin just cuts it at the penultimate step and delivers the ultimatum with such a silent thrill that it either makes your heart or breaks it completely. Lot of murders happen on screen and none is shown to us and yet the images are so violent!! It is not necessary to show knife piercing the guts in order to show us a brutal killing. A stronger aversion to blood and a deeper impact of a killing can be left on the audience even without showing them directly. This is what Mysskin does to us. When is the last time you saw a movie and felt like really solving the puzzle??
Movies based on anti-social elements need not be high budget ones, and it is absolutely not needed to have all commercial elements, it just needs to have an intelligent captain with a really willing & talented crew & a small ship with basic amenities – it will sail very smoothly!! Where was Mysskin before CHITHIRAM PAESUTHADI??
4.25/5.0!!
Will come back soon with my take on road to the Oscars!!
