"Guna"

 

"Guna" is a special kind of movie that is a total antithesis to mainstream films.  It is so non-mainstream that I feel that I should look at this movie from an altogether new perspective.  But let us take this movie for what it is.  I've seen this movie a number of times and every time I get this feeling that Kamal looked at the script, saw extensive scope for him to perform, and with scant regard for box office response, made this movie.  The result is a marvelous excursion into the deepest corners of our minds as well as our hearts.  His amazing performance, Illayaraja's score and Balakumaran's profound dialogues make this quite an experience for the unbiased, broad-minded cine fan.

 

This is the story of Guna, an obsessional psychoneurotic who lives in a red light area.  He lives in this seedy area with negative influences abound--an Uncle (Janakaraj), a small time crook with several machinations up his sleeve, his (Janakaraj’s) cohorts, his mother, and a mentally challenged person (Ananthu) who creates illusions that Guna is divine and that there is a girl "Abhirami" destined to marry him on Pournami.  A kind prostitute (Rekha) who nurses a unique kind of love for him and the goodhearted Doctor (Girish Karnard) are the only ones who try, in vain, to bring a modicum of sanity in him.

 

One day he spots a girl in the temple who he thinks is Abhirami, and kidnaps her.   The 'signs' in this scene are so convincing that we unequivocally accept Kamal's reactions as well as his actions as a result of this.  He kidnaps Roshini, a rich girl, and takes her to a god forsaken hilltop house.  The rest of the movie is about how Roshini gradually falls for Kamal, and how their 'divine' love transcends human levels and achieves immortality.

 

I have read a few reviews of this movie and have been slightly disappointed for one reason--nobody mentioned the power of Balakumaran's dialogues.  There are some gems in this movie.  The best piece of dialogue comes in the scene in the cave when Roshini asks Kamal to tie the 'thaali:'

Kamal says "Aiiyyo, Innikki Pournami Illiye."

Roshini replies, "Nila Enna Aagaysathiliyaa Irukku?  Manasula Irukku-- manasu thaan Nila.  Neranja Naall. Kattu..."--Simple yet so striking. 

 

He also provides Kamal with several lines that might seem superficial and are yet loaded with meaning and fit the character of Guna perfectly.  Take for instance the scene where Roshini tells Kamal that she is going to kill herself.  Kamal does not react in an emotional way.  Nor does he admonish her for saying so.  He just replies, "Hmm..nee ellaam edhukku saaganum?"  This is probably the only way a person in Guna's shoes would've responded.  He is supremely confident that she cannot die.  This increases the impact of the last scene where Kamal cries out, "Idhu poi, Idhu poi."  Kudos to Balakumaran!

 

This is one of Kamal's most extraordinary turns as an actor (nowadays, I seem to say that about every serious movie of his!).  I generally dont find good use for the term 'overacting.'  Some of Sivaji Ganesan's theatrical stuff has impressed me a whole lot than the lack of expressions of inept 'actors' like Kunal or Srikanth.  I say this because some people find Kamal to go over the top in trying to steal the show.  Well, in my case, more often than not, I find myself totally hypnotized by his performances.  Such is the case here.  There are a handful of scenes that I am confident, cannot be done by any other actor with this level of conviction and headlong confidence.  The best scene in this movie--its most famous too--has Kamal walking inside a room in a circular path in a single unbroken take for (I did have a timer!) 3:29 minutes.  It is a completely 'senseless' piece of dialogue (where he talks about his Abirami) that is given great significance by the Master Actor.  He starts off walking slowly and increases his pace as the intensity of the dialogues increases till he bumps into the wall with such force that the viewer is bound to feel dumbfounded at the end of this shot.  It is in this masterfully conceived and executed sequence that Kamal traps us into the world of Guna (this scene occurs even before the title sequence) and never loses grip until after the movie has ended.  What makes sense to the deranged man starts making sense to us in a sort of magical, maddening way.  Suddenly Guna seems more human and normal than most of us.  Suddenly we forget about the fact that his mind was clouded by the negative influences around him.  It is the power of Kamal's emoting that makes us comprehend Guna's strange, almost divine notions of love and also makes us accept him for who he is and what he wants.  There are two other special scenes, or 'moments' that I've found to admire more with every subsequent viewing.  The instant when Kamal rescues Roshini from the car (which is about to fall off the hill)-- the moment she holds his hands, he gives a reaction that should go in the annals of reaction shots as one of the most subtly splendid ones.  The other is the climax where he has her resting on his lap and he renders the "Punniyam Seydhavane Maname" poem.  And then he rises, and with a high-pitched voice, utters a line from the "Kanmani Anbodu" song, which probably out beats every other way to end this movie.

 

 

Roshini fits the part of "Abhirami" perfectly.  Her mysterious face, good screen presence and spontaneity make her an apt foil for Kamal.  Rekha is superb as the prostitute who has resigned to her lot.  Janakaraj is good as the villain with the most hideous of intentions but SPB as the CBI officer and Sharad Saxena as the mercenary guardian of Roshini are very ordinary.  Late. Ananthu has an interesting cameo as one of the inmates of the asylum.

 

Illayaraja's "Kanmani Anbodu" is literally and figuratively a visual poem.  It is a mesmerizing tune and the way Kamal's lines are sung by S. Janaki (in chaste Tamil) creates magic on the ears, senses and the heart of the listener.  There are two lines which by themselves should've fetched the bard (Vaali) an award--

Enthan Kaadhal Ennavendru Sollaamal Yaenga Yaenga Azhugai Vandhadhu...

Enthan Soagam Unnai Thaakum Endrennum Pozhudhu Vandha Azhugai Nindradhu.

 

"Paartha Vizhi Paarthapadi" is another soothing melody that brings a sense of serenity to the situation.  "Unnai Naanariven" has an ordinary tune but some very meaningful lyrics (Rekha's line contrasting Kamal and herself is the best).  Of course, every paragraph about a movie's musical score should include atleast a line about the bgm but I have more than one line about the bgm for this movie--I was watching this movie with one of my friends when he said, "Hey, does the music (during the title sequence) not have an eerie mix of divinity and pathos?"  I suddenly realized (having seen the movie a number of times before) how *perfect* the theme music was.  And notice how the last frame of the movie has the same theme music slightly altered to fit the mood of the scene.  This is why Raja is unbeatable when it comes to scoring the bgm--the music seems to speak volumes that no line of dialogue can do full justice (this is even more conspicuous in "Sethu").  Cinematographer Venu ("Minsaara Kanavu") does a stupendous job, especially in the second half where most of the scenes are in the dilapidated hilltop house or the caves.