‘Meiyazhagan’ movie review: Karthi and Arvind Swami shoulder this spirited bromance drama

‘Meiyazhagan’ movie review: Karthi and Arvind Swami shoulder this spirited bromance drama

While most filmmakers focus on the bigger aspects of their story to substantiate the so-called big-screen experience, C Prem Kumar belongs to a niche group of directors who like to concentrate on the finer, intimate moments of life. Probably because of his time spent behind the viewfinder as a cinematographer, Prem’s scenes look like animated still photographs, and just like his directorial debut 96, his sophomore outing Meiyazhagan is a series of moments in motion.

In Meiyazhagan, Prem poses several questions that you believe to have answered ages ago; for example, apart from the obvious answer, have you ever wondered why your birthplace is called your hometown? Meiyazhagan starts in 1996 (clearly not co-incidental) when a young Arunmozhi Varman a.k.a Arul is subjected to a pain seldom captured on celluloid. Cut to 2018, his cousin’s marriage forces him back to his homeland and hoping to find closure, Arul (Arvind Swami) embarks on what he expects to be a swift and hasty trip. Fate adds a tail to the full stop he long wished for and introduces him to a relative (Karthi), whose name Arul can just not recall.

Macroscopically, Meiyazhagan feels like it’s cut from the same cloth as 96; the primary story unfolds predominantly within a night, involves two individuals with a common past, the flashbacks unravel knots which the film skilfully ties... and more. But while 96 was a story of unrequited love, Meiyazhagan is an exploration of human emotions. Beyond the overarching intriguing story of a reticent urban man retracing his roots with an exuberant small-town do-gooder for company, several other aspects work in favour of the drama.

For starters, the film toys with the idea of stark extremities; right from the characteristics of the leads, to the smaller details such as the photo of Periyar next to lord Murugan adorning a wall, the stories behind their respective current houses, and so on. Prem’s brilliant setups and pay-offs also offer flourishing returns... be it the subplot involving a cycle that underlines how one’s trash is another’s treasure, to minor callbacks to a temple elephant, or an episode where the duo mistakenly wear the other person’s pair of slippers.

When Prem isn’t converting the product of pen, paper and prose to picture-perfect poetry with his lead cast, he lets his secondary characters take over the frame. Except for Arvind Swami and Karthi, the rest of the film’s cast have minor roles to play, but they are written strongly enough to warrant lengthy discussion. When these characters interact, the conversations feel organic as they are accentuated by the maker’s decision to let us linger in the moments. Be it the scene where a distant relative speaks to Arul about how her life would have been different had he married her, before brushing her hand against his shoulder as she leaves, or the other one involving Arul’s father (Jayaprakash) speaking to his relative Sokku (Rajkiran) that leaves them inconsolable, Prem proves his mettle over showcasing interpersonal relationships.

What makes Meiyazhagan work majorly is how it never succumbs to melodrama even when dealing with the rawest of emotions. Of course, there are occasional missteps, like the shot of a row of onlookers in a reception weeping to the proceedings onstage — which is actually one of the film’s best scenes — that looks out of place. But these niggles are no road-blocks; they are like sand castles in front of the mighty Cauvery that blesses the Delta region which doubles as this film’s backdrop. Speaking of ‘Ponni nadhi’, an over-enthusiastic Karthi hanging around with an Arulmozhi Varman should become a sub-genre in Tamil cinema!

It’s a treat to watch the relationship between Arvind Swami and Karthi’s characters blossom into something gorgeous. Not only do they play roles that form the unlikeliest of bonds, but it’s arguably Arvind Swami’s best performance to date while it also brings back the mirthful Karthi we enjoyed in films from his earlier days. Karthi’s nameless character and his innocent, mischievous behaviour is a constant, while Arul goes from considering his relative a menace to slowly warming up to his affectionate nature; Prem has not only come up with one of 2024’s best films but also an opportunity for two fine actors to give career-defining performances. Add to the equation some fantastic shots by Mahendiran Jayaraju and a lilting score by Govind Vasantha, with Kamal Haasan crooning the poignant ‘Yaaro Ivan Yaaro’ as the cherry on the cake.