Quarantine and Kamalism: A better way of watching local films with universal standards.
I came home for a mid-term vacation, which unexpectedly got extended due to #Covid19. Had I been at college, I would have started Martin Scorsese movies since I completed watching most of the Bong Joon-Ho’s movies (go to Oscar’s speech of Joon-Ho).
Due to sudden turn of events, I started watching Kamal Haasan’s films, to be precise, Kamal’s directorial movies starting chronologically from Hey Ram.
Disclaimer: This blog doesn’t contain a case study of any movie. I’m just writing my immediate reaction after watching these movies.
Hey Ram: there are historical fiction movies that add a fictional story and take cinematic liberty to please the audience. Hey Ram is brutally honest about the incidents that took place during the Indian Independence movement and the religious riots in India post-Independence.
Cinema is an art and is the most modern and expensive form of art that has many lives depend on it. Hey Ram is a masterpiece and defined how you can tell a story most compellingly by sticking to the fundamentals of art!
Every aspect of filmmaking is excellent and complimented the other, making it a Classic. Unfortunately, this movie’s Telugu dubbed version isn’t released due to a lack of distributors who feared for the controversies that the film could make if released here. The movie is available on Amazon Prime in Tamil and Hindi.
Viswaroopam — I & II: Recent Kamal’s directorial. Its an espionage thriller shot in many parts of the world. I was studying 9th Class when the first part released, and without much knowledge of cinema, I just watched it for fun.
I re-watched the movie recently, and the duality in Kamal’s character is just wow! Immediately watched the second part, even though it was released several years after the first part released, the story is complete.
The second part isn’t as effective for me, as the first part, perhaps due to many Viswaroopam-like thrillers being released between two parts. The two parts are available on Hotstar for free.
Pothuraju (Virumandi): I thought it was a typical village masala movie before watching. But it’s much more than that. The Indian version of the Roshoman effect is here, but sadly, it didn’t release in Hindi!
The story of Pothuraju is simple, but the screenplay and direction again have our applause. The characters and the performance of every actor are commendable. Available on YouTube for free.
Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi: Directed by legendary Singeetham Sreenivasa Rao, this movie marks the first collaboration of Kamal and Singeetham garu. My father suggested me watch this movie since it was released when he was in his teenage!
Having watched many new movies with double action & exchange plot, this movie offers something new, that has basic human quality — greed!
Indrudu Chandrudu: Another interestingly hilarious movie from Kamal, directed by Suresh Krishna (later directed Rajini’s ‘Basha’), which had the screenplay written by Kamal himself. This double-action movie again has the concept of bringing in one character in the place of another.
Kamal, as Mayor GK Rayudu, is a delight to watch for his antics, starting from the way he talks to the way he dances! The climax speech part is awesomely enacted. Available on YouTube for free.
Michael Madana Kamaraju — yet another collaboration of Kamal and Singeetham garu, this movie is a must-watch for those who like comedy movies. Kamal played four roles and excelled in each character.
Kameshwara Shastri is a treat to watch due to Kamal’s attention to the detail of playing a Brahmin, which he is good at!
I’ll finish the marathon of watching Kamal’s films after Nayakudu (Nayakan) and Pushpaka Vimanam. Catch my point?
The problem with me, a millennial watching old movies and finding them boring, is because they were slightly modified and remade many times after my birth. So, I find the original film boring, just because I would have seen their modified versions.
Hence, I seldom watch old movies as I think that I can’t give the respect they deserve.
Apart from movies, I started binge-watching Money Heist and finished two seasons, thus completing my first web series experience too! My next will be hopefully on RGV’s films, and until then, stay safe!
