R.Partheban’s “Pudhiya Paadhai”

 

"Pudhiya Paadhai," the debut of actor-director R.Partheban marks the boldest debut effort by any Tamil filmmaker in the past couple of decades.  It is an incredibly frank, emotionally honest picture that is bold enough to show sinners, sins and redemptions in a way that is brutal, power packed and rings true, giving us a loud wake up call to the atrocities that pervade our nation--those atrocities about which we hesitantly read news items about, and do not do much other than feeling indignant and helpless.  But R.Partheban brings it all in front of our eyes with redoubtable images and with a resonating voice that boasts of supreme confidence and authority.  In the process he delivers a punch-laden lesson without ever having the need to sermonize (A mistake he made in"Ivan").

 

"Pudhiya Paadhai" would've fallen flat on its face with a thud if Partheban had made the decision to soften this movie to make it appealing and more importantly, palatable to the squeamish moviegoer.  In choosing to forcefully project the darker side of his lead character, the director comes out with flying colors in conveying his message effectively.  The last frame of the movie stays in our mind not just due to the beauty of the words in his simple epilogue but because of the terrific impact created during the previous 2 1/2 hours.

 

This is the story of a rowdy (played by R. Partheban) who was abandoned in a roadside dustbin as an infant by his Mother.  A childhood spent in poverty and hunger makes him hate the world around him and disrespect every soul on earth.  The fact that he would do anything for money doesnt necessarily point to his greediness but more towards a general apathy towards everyone.  The characterin the first half is selfish not because he loves himself but because he hates virtually everyone else surrounding him.  There are some unforgettable moments in the first halfimages that linger years after the movie’s theatrical run (1989).  The black-and-white clippings of a baby in a dust bin, Partheban lighting a beedi from the flames of a burning hut, his outburst at a lady who tries to abandon her newborn baby, the shot signaling the intermission with Seetha entering his house and him leaving the house are all sparkling directorial touches from a man who was assured about what he wanted to say and how he wanted to present it.

 

The movies structure is one of the most interesting aspects and contributes to the characterization in a striking way.  The first hour or so focuses on the sordid life of the rowdymind you there are moments when we think of the lead character as a disgusting beast (Surprisingly there are several uproarious moments where the laughs dont seem out of place the encounter with the guys in the scooter and the one in the restaurant are hilarious).  But there are several moments where we realize the causes for his behavior.

Seetha's entry as the girl once raped by the Partheban character (he raped her on the day of her wedding) gives the viewer a chance to see a strong willed woman who is clear about what she wants to do with her life and why she wants to bring about a transformation in the guy who raped her.  The portions preceding the intermission focus on the Seetha character and makes us appreciate this lady with abundant pluck and gumption.  The scene where she forces her way into Partheban’s house (right before the intermission) has some cinematic touches but still is a key scene and brings about a major twist to the story.  Thus, by creating a structure where in we see all the facets of these two characters in the first half, the director drives us to the edge of our seats in anticipation of the scenes in the second half where we want to see, in a realistic way, how a rowdy can be reformed by the girl affected by him. 

 

The sequence (where Partheban is stabbed) that brings about a change of heart in the Partheban character is a lot more profound than the usual cinematic contrivances.  The scene in the hospital where Partheban is in a bed next to a dying rowdy is one of the many instances of the director’s exquisite emotional insight coming into play.  This is a very powerful sequence that is directed and played with so much sincerity that the director achieves the improbable task of making the audience believe in the rowdy’s change of heart.  The half hour or so, focusing on the married couple has a playful tone with some lighthearted moments balanced well with the more serious sequences showing Parthebans gradual change in habits, ethics and overall outlook.

 

The denouement is perfect in its own way and provides the knockout punch in making us think about the futility of hatred, the plight of orphans and the duties that we seldom fulfill as a civilian.  The climax replete with a short, reflective epilogue evokes dormant feelings of social consciousness in us and stays with us for long after the movie has ended.

 

In addition to out of the world directorial sparks, the other area where Partheban lets sparks fly in all directions is the dialogue.  In choosing to flout political correctness and by writing dialogues with impetuous irreverence (the one about contraceptives is bound to shock the most audacious cine fan), he took a huge risk and in the process reaped rich dividends.  Here was a filmmaker who announced in his very first movie that if he was going to say something, it was going to be said in his own forthright, uncompromising style. 

 

Partheban in addition to shouldering the burden of writing and directing the movie, gives a spectacular performance.  He created not just a performance but a personality.  His dialogue delivery and body language are top class and have proved to be his strengths over the past dozen years.  Though he played similar characters (Sornamukhi and Anthapuram are the ones that come closest to this peak) later in his career and did so with great panache, his work here is undoubtedly the crown jewel mainly due to the astonishing character arc.  The terrifyingly believable portrayal of a rogue in the first half is so well contrasted with that of the good hearted husband in the second half that right in his first movie, Partheban proved that he had arrived to play

a gamut of emotions with the ease of a veteran.  Hats off to SeethaRaman!

 

Seetha is a perfect match for him and gives an exceptionally good performance.  Confidence is the biggest plus point of this character.  There’s none of the meekness that is so typical of Tamil movie heroines and the talented actress never takes a wrong step in crafting the multifaceted person with all the nuances.  She peaks in the scene where she advises Partheban to stop his rowdy activities and find a respectable job.  It is Seetha’s artlessness and composure that brings this undeniable air of sanity and credibility to the character.

 

The gang of villains including Nasser, VKR and Satyapriya all give very ordinary performances.  Comedians VenniraAadai Moorthy and Junior Baliaah are no better while Manorama is her usual self.  The standout in the supporting cast is the kid who plays

Parthebans stooge. 

 

Chandrabose has one good number in “Pachaipulla Azhudhuchunna.”  “Yaarapathiyum Ivanukku Kavalaiyille” has some funny lyrics describing the rowdy.  The cinematographer’s choice of tone and simple camera angles adds to the authenticity of the proceedings in the slums.  The two-shot signaling the intermission point is a well-conceived one.