Kannathil Muthamittal (English Title: A Peck On the Cheek)
Directed by Maniratnam
Written by Sujatha Ranganathan and Maniratnam
Music: A R Rahman, Lyrics: Vairamuthu
Starring: Madhavan, Simran, PS Keerthana, Prakashraj, Nanditha Das
Cinematography: Ravi K Chandran
Release: 14 Feb 2002
Language: Tamil
Somewhere in the movie, we listen to a voice.. the sentence comes like this.
Leaving a land where a matchbox costs 15 rupees..
Where no kerosene, electricity or medicines are available,
Where cries echo through schools,
They flee the motherland, abandoning all they own...
Cross the seas to a land that offers them no welcome and...
And truly stranded at mid-sea.
All they ask for is the shelter of an umbrella...
And a moment of kindness.
We have them the so-called refugee camp, an open air prison.
A pregnant woman whose baby is in a tearing hurry to come into this world...
This is the story of that baby.’
Maniratnam is one of the few directors from India who really presented movies given importance to human emotions. Mouna Ragam and Anjali are the finest examples. And here also Maniratnam includes his favorite topic, terrorism but without going deep in to it like he did in ‘Dil Se’.
.
AR Rahman’s music gave the much needed intensity at many scenes and the sound tracks such as Oru Deivam thantha.., Vidai Kodu engal naade…, Vellai Pookal....’ Are a treat for the audience.
‘Vidaikodu engal naadea..’ shows the intensity of pain faced by the Tamils in the civil War, and audience is invited by the soundtrack to feel the feeling.
.
After watching this movie I just felt to salute the director for his way of portraying the War, emotions and the value of relationships.
Cinematography just added the power of cinema. Any frame from this movie will inspire a painter to picture.
Such a cute name the movie have ‘A Peck on the cheek / Kannathil Muthamittal’ even though the title is very much suitable to the story, the experience watching movie is not so sweet because it shows both sides, happiness and sadness.
Kannathil Muthamittal is one of the most moving and honest movies from India. Maniratnam had given the best efforts to walk around the issues that are seldom exposed on the big screen. This movie definitely will remain in the list of the most emotional and poetic movies from Asia.
This is a great movie to feel for. If you had never watched any Indian movie, this is the film to start with.
.
My Favorite: 'There are two characters with the name 'Indra', as a metaphor for two mothers. Brilliant.'
When the title card 'directed by Maniratnam' shined in front of me, I was actually murmuring - 'the film Indian director I respect the most.'
.
Directed by Maniratnam
Written by Sujatha Ranganathan and Maniratnam
Music: A R Rahman, Lyrics: Vairamuthu
Starring: Madhavan, Simran, PS Keerthana, Prakashraj, Nanditha Das
Cinematography: Ravi K Chandran
Release: 14 Feb 2002
Language: Tamil
.
Plot: Strong unusual story of a 9 year old girl who is in search for her biological mother in Srilanka, in the backdrop of civil war.Somewhere in the movie, we listen to a voice.. the sentence comes like this.
‘Who are they?
Where no kerosene, electricity or medicines are available,
Where cries echo through schools,
They flee the motherland, abandoning all they own...
Cross the seas to a land that offers them no welcome and...
And truly stranded at mid-sea.
All they ask for is the shelter of an umbrella...
And a moment of kindness.
We have them the so-called refugee camp, an open air prison.
A pregnant woman whose baby is in a tearing hurry to come into this world...
This is the story of that baby.’
.
Directed by the master story teller of human emotions and relationship, Maniratnam. The movie starts with a spectacular image with a sub title – Mankulam, northeast Srilanka, a few years ago. Then comes the sound track ‘Vellai pookkal..’ in background, stunning visuals with a treat for ears. I saw the signature of Maniratnam in each frame..
Scene (7.19)
‘Who is important to you more than me?’
‘God’
‘Then?’
She slowly takes mud from the shore in her hands.
.
Scene (26.00)
‘Amudha, listen, you’re not our daughtet’
‘If I behave badly, I’am not’
‘You were not born to me and Indra, we adopted you when you were a baby, and we love you more than our life’
‘My brothers?’
‘They born to us’
- A drop of tear, complete silence
The beauty of this scene lays in the eye contact of the two actors and the silence at the end of conversation.
.
Scene (44.40)
‘Why did you adopt me?’ 9 year old Amudha to her parents
‘We didn’t adopted you, you adopted us’
.
.
The movie is just splendid and I wondered why movies like 'Kannathil Muthamittal' didn't represent India for Oscars. Maniratnam has bamboo a story of diverse magnitude of the human misfortune caused by the long long years of civil war in Sri Lanka.Maniratnam is one of the few directors from India who really presented movies given importance to human emotions. Mouna Ragam and Anjali are the finest examples. And here also Maniratnam includes his favorite topic, terrorism but without going deep in to it like he did in ‘Dil Se’.
.
AR Rahman’s music gave the much needed intensity at many scenes and the sound tracks such as Oru Deivam thantha.., Vidai Kodu engal naade…, Vellai Pookal....’ Are a treat for the audience.
‘Vidaikodu engal naadea..’ shows the intensity of pain faced by the Tamils in the civil War, and audience is invited by the soundtrack to feel the feeling.
.
After watching this movie I just felt to salute the director for his way of portraying the War, emotions and the value of relationships.
'..Pirivoam nathighale pizhaithaal varugirom
Meendum thaayagam azhaithaal varugirom
Kanneer thiraiyil pirandha mannai
Kadaisiyaaga paarkindrom..'
.Cinematography just added the power of cinema. Any frame from this movie will inspire a painter to picture.
Such a cute name the movie have ‘A Peck on the cheek / Kannathil Muthamittal’ even though the title is very much suitable to the story, the experience watching movie is not so sweet because it shows both sides, happiness and sadness.
Kannathil Muthamittal is one of the most moving and honest movies from India. Maniratnam had given the best efforts to walk around the issues that are seldom exposed on the big screen. This movie definitely will remain in the list of the most emotional and poetic movies from Asia.
This is a great movie to feel for. If you had never watched any Indian movie, this is the film to start with.
.
My Favorite: 'There are two characters with the name 'Indra', as a metaphor for two mothers. Brilliant.'
When the title card 'directed by Maniratnam' shined in front of me, I was actually murmuring - 'the film Indian director I respect the most.'
.
Absolutely brilliant, a beautiful perfect classic movie
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Brilliant review..... But u forgot to mention the power of words used in each and every dialogue in the movie..... Thought provoking and gives goose bumps no matter how many times I see the movie ..... "Ella guns a eduthutu nadukadal potta than vidivu pirakkum"..... And the scene in which amutha takes walk in vikramasinghe`s home and is stopped by some very young girls with guns is very very very touching portraying the real condition that prevailed in Lanka......
ReplyDeleteYes, you said it well. True.
ReplyDelete