Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers and the author expects the readers to have watched the movie before reading the article. This article doesn’t proclaim that Aayirathil Oruvan is the greatest movie ever made in the history of Tamil Cinema. It’s a brave new welcome attempt which will promote new genre like this. As every other film, this film also has its own set of flaws and the content here only tries to bring out the flavor of the movie.
One of the most anticipated movies has finally arrived and opened to houseful shows with great expectations. But sooner, after the movie was screened, there were predominantly these kind of audience, a mixed response.
a) loved the movie so much that they wanted to watch it again to understand the nuances and other details about the movie.
b) Weren’t impressed with the movie which fell short with their expectations.
c) Found the first half to be engaging while they couldn’t make out what was being conveyed in the second half.
d) Found that the movie had gore and unwanted scenes in the movie.
e) Yet another movie
To answer them all, here is a conversation between Clap and Boo had after a few rounds of vodka at the local bar; Apparently, I snooped on them to find out their opinion. Guys, It cannot get bigger than this…Clap and Boo discussing the movie together!
Read on to know what they felt about this film!
Boo: What the hell? Are you going to tell me some connection to this scene of ‘Therukoothu’ and the storyline?
Clap: Hang on, Boo! One step at a time!
Boo: Aah! I think we must concentrate on the narration here! Now I know why Selva has kept that ‘Therukoothu’ scene. Oh man, looks interesting.
Clap: Wow! That was quick! Also note the credits title then and there in the movie. If you observe the first frame of the movie, you will have the credits indicating ‘One small village’ Tanjore (now). Immediately, the focus shifts to Tanjore in 1279 with the same story, where Parthiban recite, wait till the messenger comes and followed by the narration by Selva.
Boo: I guess I got watch the movie very keenly!
Clap: Of course you need to! I hope you don’t shoot any question in the title credit!
Boo: Hopefully not! Seems like the adventure going to start! So this team headed by Reema will head to find the Professor as well as the Chola kingdom where they lived is it?
Clap: Bingo!
Boo: Do we really need this MGR song?
Clap: Come on man! Living in Tamil Nadu, are you not a fan of MGR? Stealing his title Aayirathil Oruvan, you should at least pay some justice!
Boo: Oh yea! I love this song!!!
Boo: How come Andrea can speak that Tribal language? Isn’t it funny? Why does the head of the tribal people leave them without killing them???
Clap: I seriously don’t know how a tribal language will be? Moreover, the guide who accompanies them will understand that language, so obviously, Andrea being an archeologist, would probably knew that language. The Tribal head is warning them and they just threaten them. This is quite evident from the guide who speaks to Azhagam Perumal.
Boo: Hmmm, yea, what about the slide what contains the painting?
Clap: Hold On! Like I said; one step at a time!
Boo: Wow, thank God, Karthi didn’t die because of the Red Indians. Oh man, why did the leader of the Red Indians kill himself, what’s there show a clip in black and white?
Clap: I myself don’t know what’s the reason behind this? Let’s wait and see!
Boo: Who is this Azhagam Perumal? I thought he belong to Indian Army! Lols!
Clap: Did you notice that he was asking Reema Sen that he mistook them and he needed additional men from ex military army, private forces, mercenaries, armed forces and weapons.
Boo: What’s there to notice this point?
Clap: Just a heads up!
Boo: Why are they threatening Karthi? Can’t they just leave him when he is not interested?
Clap: I feel something fishy here!!!
Boo: Ah song!!! Can I get you something?
Clap: Hang on! Did you infer subtext from this song? Oh Eesa, which means Oh Shiva, The protector. They have realized that they have intruders in their path and a song for protection. Of course, it’s not needed though!
Boo: Man!!!!!!!
Clap: Observe this closely Boo! Check out the traps Andrea says. It seems there are 7 traps and she says they have surpassed 3 traps. Kadal, Kaatuvaasi, Kaaval Veerargal, Sarpam, Pudhakuzhi, Pasi & Dhaagam and Grahamam. If you had noticed, initially they while coming to the island, they will be attacked by some sort of jelly fish followed by the threatening of the tribal and then the attack of Red Indians who are supposed to be the protector of the forest. Now it’s the time to Sarpam, that’s snakes.
Boo: Yea, I can co relate them buddy! I guess after escaping from this trap, these three might get separated!!
Clap: Wow, you can become a screenwriter too!!!
Boo: Reema and Karthi – why are they always out of sync??
Clap: Don’t think too much dude!!!
Boo: Don’t you think this is too much dude!!! She shot him and he didn’t die!!!! Funniest part of the movie with rubbish logic.
Clap: I guess, there should be some connection Boo! Remember, when the red indians tried to cut his neck his uncle rescued him and now Reema Sen shot him but nothing happened. Remember man! Selva is not a Perarasu!
Boo: “Ennaala Pasi Thaanga Mudila” is it the 5th trap man? What a horrible BGM!!!
Clap: You got it right man!
Boo: Oh nice of Cactus Plant that drenches their thirsty. So I assume it’s their 6th trap?
Clap: Clever!!!!
Boo: Oh man! What’s this? Is it another trap?
Clap: It’s quick sand. You will have sand pit in the desert! Clever Cholas, they have planned brilliantly well to save them from their enemies.
Boo: Is she reciting some mantra?????
Clap: She is trying to get some clue and she got one? It looks like whenever there is a sunshine and sunset, it forms a shadow in the shape of Nataraj idol and they have to follow that shadow in order to reach the next point!
Boo: Don’t tell me you have some justification to this shadow!!!
Clap: Of course not. It’s pure fantasy!!!!
Boo: Just for finding one Professor and the existence of Chola Dynasty, they are losing so many people?
Clap: Yes, I agree. As I said, something fishy! We have to wait and watch!
Boo: Oh man, they have finally found the village??? But do you think this song is absolutely necessary here?
Clap: I don’t think this song is necessary, but let’s wait and see!!!!
Boo: Who is that black guy running here and there!
Clap: I have a feeling that the Cholas still live here!
Boo: What the hell is happening to them? Are they going mad? Man, Karthi is shot!!!!!!
Clap: I think this is the 7th trap and because of the terrible sound, they are gone mad. Yea Karthi is shot, but I don’t think he can realize that he is shot because of madness. But certainly he needs some cure. Let’s get some popcorn Boo!!!
Interval Conversation: The movie looks good, but still what happened to the Parthiban that they showed in the beginning. Will he come again? Now the interval has shown them that they are gone mad! Will they recover?? Still clueless!!!!!
Boo: Oh no, is this scene so mandatory that they need to remove their dress? I think Selva is so obsessed in having sexual scenes in his movies.
Clap: Did you notice dude? Karthi had a tiger symbol when he removed his dress? Do you know that the tiger is the symbol of Chola??
Boo: Interesting!!!! Oh yes! Karthi had the symbol from the beginning.
Clap: Do you remember the initial scene when Parthiban said wait until a messenger come? They are eagerly waiting for the messenger for some message.
Boo: Can you tell me what does this scene indicate???? I can see that the kind is Parthiban whom we saw in the initial scene and it seems that he is still ruling the kingdom in this place with poverty.
Clap: This is just an introduction of Parthiban scene. Please for Christ sake; don’t assume that this is the same Parthiban whom they showed in the initial scene. It looks like Cholas are living here for ages.
Boo: Why did the lady squeeze her breasts?
Clap: That’s just to show the sign of poverty. If you don’t eat, instead of milk, you will get blood and the scene conveys just that. She asks the king that she needs the first meal.
Boo: Hats off Selva.
Boo: Why did they trap Karthi? Why did Parthiban trying to kill him? What’s happening???
Clap: Man, as you can see, there is a tiger symbol in the back of Karthi and the priest believes that he is the messenger and informs Parthiban. Parthiban on checking Karthi seems like he is blabbering something and he insults the priest.
Boo: Holy Christ! One more time he is saved. Isn’t look artificial? Tamil Cinema never wanted the hero to die before the Climax.
Clap: Good one, at least you remember that he is saved for the 4th time. It looks like some destiny. Well at the first instance, it was his uncle who saved Karthi by sacrificing himself to the Red Indians. Second instance, though the gun was loaded, Karthi didn’t die. And then, Reema will shoot him when they go mad, even then Karthi will not die. Now it’s the lightening that saves Karthi. These series of instances conveys that it was a destiny.
Boo: Wow, what an interesting twist to the screenplay? But I wonder how come Anita can showcase the tiger and make if disappear? Why does she want to show the tiger symbol?
Clap: That’s Black Magic!! She must have learnt from her ancestors!!! She is trying to fool the Chola king Parthiban to make him believe that she is the actual messenger! Well, but were you able to differentiate between the Tiger symbol that Reema had and the one with Karthi? It’s kind of inverted with the Tiger unusually not roaring!
Boo: I have been told that Cholas speaks pure Tamil. If that’s the case, why is the tamil spoken in the movie by Cholas are very hard to understand and I don’t think it’s pure Tamil either!
Clap: Actually speaking, the Chola Tamil will have abundant Telugu as well as Singhalese in it. I have to agree with you that it’s quite hard to understand their language! But you can’t use subtitle in Tamil for Tamil. At least, Selva should have done a voice over narration to make the audience understand.
Boo: What were these tests conducted to Reema Sen?
Clap: These are Virginity test! Now you know the real color of Reema Sen!!!!
Boo: Oh man! Now it’s interesting! Is she trying to seduce Parthiban?
Clap: I too feel the same! She says that all she left with her is her body and her mom has taught her how to use her body!
Boo: She is trying to seduce Parthiban and Parthiban makes use of the same to get the message from her? Am I right!
Clap: Exactly, she is asking Parthiban to have sex with her to know the message, but Parthiban suspects on her identity and they fight and finally Parthiban uses the same seduction to get the actual message from Reema. You can also see these paintings carved by Cholas about the messenger. It looks like Rain will come and then they can hit their hometown, Tanjoor.
Boo: What’s this battle scene? Is it so necessary?
Clap: Perhaps;This is kind of a game that was played 8 centuries ago. It’s a kind of game where the courage and bravery is praised.
Boo: How come Karthi get supernatural powers?
Clap: I don’t think he got any supernatural power. It’ just realizing his sub conscious mind that he is a Chola.
Boo: Why does Karthi visualize everyone in the audience as Skeleton?
Clap: Its game of death and Karthi visualizes the others who enjoy this game of death as skeleton (man without flesh and blood).
Boo: Who is the girl who gives message to Azhagam Perumal?
Clap: It’s the messenger whom Reema sen sends to Azhagam Perumal and you can also see Azhagam Perumal sends a signal via Satellite to alert the mercenaries.
Boo: Yes I noticed it. What’s special about this Celebration of Life song?
Clap: Well, you can notice that this song comes just before they evacuate the place and you can see Parthiban dances in front of Karthi and Karthi reciprocates him that whatever you do is for good for the people and follow me hereafter is the message Karthi wanted to share to Parthiban. In the mean time, you can also notice that Reema mixes something in the water.
Boo: Wow! Now he realizes that the actual messenger is Karthi based on the paintings is it? And also the power of the priest is being transferred to Karthi because of which everyone worships him?
Clap: Exactly! Series of events happen sequentially and Parthiban tries the series of events to that of the paintings carved by the Cholas and confirm that he is the actual messenger. The priest actually knows that Karthi is the actual messenger and since Reema Sen make Parthiban believe that she is the messenger, Reema will try to kill the priest and mixes poison in the drinking water. But the priest will not die until he transfers his power to the actual messenger.
Boo: What did Parthiban visualize? What are the ships?
Clap: He just visualizes that there are ships which were waiting to take them to their hometown but since these are just myth, Parthiban dies.
Boo: Why would the other people want to die and why did they take Parthiban’s body and submerged it into the sea?
Clap: It’s just paying respect to their king.
Boo: Wow, the initial scene and the climax where Karthi takes the last kind of the Chola dynasty is the same!
Clap: You rock man! Don’t tell me that you did not understand the movie anymore. It’s just that you need to observe the movie pretty closely.
Now, our deluded friend with woody surname and “backish” first name meets up with these 2.
Backwoods: You are giving crap justification? How can three men escape from the snakes, how can they easily escape from the Red Indians? Why didn’t the group take the aerial route? When the army can come to the place in helicopters why can’t they come? This is probably one of the worst logic that I have seen in the recent movies!!
Clap: Welcome Mr. 0.5!!! When Harrison Ford escapes single handedly from a group of men, you will give the creator a standing ovation. Only dumb person can ask such a stupid question why couldn’t they choose the aerial route? Do you have any idea who discovered the route? Without discovering the route, how on earth, it’s possible to take the aerial route?
It’s always better to accept what you don’t know than to showcase wrongly as if you knew everything!
Special thanks to Daran Murali, Gokul, V4Vendakka, Vela & Prinz who have contributed a lot to frames in this article.