MOVIES AND FRIENDSHIP

Indian movies which reach your heart are few and far between. From my personal experience so far, movies like Anbae Sivam, Taare Zameen par and Iruvar to name a few were real thought provokers. The share of entertainers is always there with our very own super star ruling the roost. What can you say about a film, not in the genre of classy thought provoking flicks, not in the entertainment band wagon as well but still leaves you with Goosebumps and emotion when you leave the theatre? I am talking about a film called Nadodigal, a tamil film that I saw recently. It doesn’t have the beautifully interwoven storyline of Anbae Sivam or the handling of a complex theme with astounding simplicity as was the case with TZP. Nadodigal’s USP is simple…Friendship. Very few films revolving around friendship leave you with such strong emotion. The film does not have the usual tear jerking sequences or flashy dialogues which epitomize friendship. It is simplistic, rustic, brazen and above all thoroughly enjoyable. Staggeringly brilliant acting by each and every character in the film leaves you overlooking the flaws in the screenplay. Crisp editing makes the movie all the more racier and characterization is par excellence. When the song Sambo Siva Sambo starts just before the interval with a gripping sequence of events your heart simply goes out to those friends and to friendship in general. There will be very few songs which have suited the situation in such a hand in glove way as this one. When the same song reappears with different lyrics towards the climax you have no choice but to take your hats off to the director for sheer brilliance.

I will not go to extent of saying that it is one of the best ever tamil movies made or a sure shot award winner and stuff like that. But one thing is sure…it is one of the most memorable movies I have seen. This maybe because I am missing all my friends; not even one of them is at a ‘dropping by’ distance to me. Whenever my heart was tugged by the strong emotion of friendship during the movie, I sat thinking about my friends, all of whom are too far away for comfort. Another thing is also sure… each and every person in this world who values friendship and friends should see the movie…and see it with their friends. I can assure them that it will be one occasion to remember and cherish forever. A joy ride with your friends need not be confined to the excitement in VGP or Queensland. Sitting and Watching Nadodigal with a group of friends will be better. I hope I get to see the movie with my friends…even if it means seeing it years later on a DVD.