I had been checking my Book My Show app every Friday since 2 months to catch up on a Tamil movie and my excitement knew no bound when I saw Kaatru Veliyidai listed on the app. Finally!! At last!!! Sigh of relief!! Maniratnam movie, AR Rahman music, Hero Karthi, terrific combo… Watched the movie one day after the release, Saturday.
It’s almost a week after the release of Kaatru Veliyidai(Tamil)/Cheliyaa(Telugu) and I am still reeling in from the after effects of the movie in my head. Lot’s been said and written about the movie being a colossal disappointment despite brilliant cinematography and soul stirring music (ARR, you are a magician sir _/\_). I tried not to think about the movie except a one-line review about the movie in FB. But the story still haunts me during my bus travel to office despite my continuous efforts to avoid it. So yup, let’s face it, what’s gone wrong?
Spoilers ahead so don’t please read ahead if you don’t want to know the story.
Captain VC (Karthi) is a fighter pilot who meets with a serious accident and he’s treated by Dr. Leela Abraham (Aditi Rao Hydari). They fall in love and that’s when Leela comes to know about Karthi’s self centered, misogynistic attitude. The problem is not with VC. Karthi fits the character perfectly. The problem is with Mani Sir’s depiction of Dr. Leela. At the beginning she’s shown as the woman who is against violence on women. When VC drags her away from snowstorm, she makes her point clear by saying, “Don’t force me using your power, I don't like men who use violence on women, a simple explanation would do”. He heeds in and manages to pull her away from the sandstorm.
In one of the instances where fighter pilots have a discussion on Kargil affairs, Leela talks in favour of the govt. VC asks her to shut up. Now Leela wears the Officer cap and puts across her justification. And that’s when VC becomes angry and asks her to put down the cap. He twists her hand and says, “Man is man and Woman is woman. Man is meant to hunt and Woman is meant to look beautiful and..” Before he could finish, she asks, “..to bear child?” He smiles and says, "yes, for that also". He pushes her away and she leaves the place. When he comes to Leela’s home, begs her pardon with a nice song, even audience is tricked into believing that he repents. Bigger shock arrives when Leela runs back to him crying.
- So he comes back, sings song. Leela forgives.
- He shows off to his friends about Leela's weakness, "Aren't you jealous guys? Call for a single malt". Man, you just begged her mercy a minute back. And yes, she forgives him.
- He disappears on the day of register marriage, the reason - he forgot. She forgives.
- He wants her to abort their baby. You guessed right. She forgives.
We are all for forgiveness. But when the same is mistaken for weakness, we are deeply disappointed in your depiction of Dr. Leela, sir. When we are used to brave Shaila Bhanu(Manisha Koirala) in Bombay, daring Shakti (Shalini) in Alaipayudhey, courageous Ragini (Aishwarya Rai) in Raavanan, Independent Tara (Nithya Menon) in OK Kanmani, Aditi Rao as forgiving Leela disappoints us. Where are those courageous women in Kaatru Veliyidai? Yes, the question is inevitable in our minds, why is Leela still with him? And the answer by Mani Ratnam sir is "All is fair in love and war". Like really? Then why the portrayal of Aditi in the beginning of the movie was of a headstrong woman. Your movie is so confusing, sir.
Forget all this and somehow we reach the climax where VC escapes Pakistan prison and finds his way back to Leela, he asks her, "Why didn't you come and meet me?". And the brilliant answer by a determined and willful army doctor is, "What if you didn't like me or our child?". *facepalm*
Thank God already, let's leave the theatre.
Kaatru Veliyidai Kannamma is a beautiful poem penned by Bharathiyar but where art thou, oh my Kannamma?
