Director Mari Selvaraj is one of those Tamil directors who gives the audience stories which come from his core combined with his beliefs and values. Vaazhai, his latest film, is based on true events from his life and this rural drama combines everything from life, hope, dreams and destiny to the unsavoury reality. 

Vaazhai story

Sivanaindhan or Sivanenjam (Ponvel) and his bestie Sekar (Raghul) go to the Karunkalam village government school and it is Sivenenjam’s crush on teacher Poonkodi that gets him into trouble. When the pink and white handkerchief drops from Poonkodi’s (Nikhila Vimal) hand, Sivanaindhan quickly grabs it and hides it in his pocket. In class, he takes a whiff of the hanky and starts to think of himself as Rajinikanth and his teacher as Radha in Rajathi Radha whom he falls in love with at first glance.

Incidentally, Sivenanjam is an ardent Rajini fan while Sekar is a Kamal fan and the two banter about their idols quite a bit. Living at home with his mother and sister Vembu, Sivenenjam goes for plucking bananas in the plantations with them on the weekends to make ends meet. Sivenenjam hates working on the plantations and will come up with any lie for escaping this arduous chore and in Poonkodi he finds a sympathiser who forgives him his lies rather than punish him.

Beyond his own family, the villagers who are engaged in work on the banana plantations. Kani (Kalaiyarasan) who helps load the banana stalks on three truck becomes the voice of the village against the scheming trader who gives them a meagre wage. All this comes to a head when the Kani demand more money. What happens next? Does Sivanenjam still go to help his mother on the plantation?

The themes of Vaazhai

Writer and director Mari Selvaraj’s repertoire of work is so haunting that every film of is a piece of art that transcends the silverscreen. In Vaazhai (Banana), he presents a simple film through the eyes of a child but it is not a children’s film. Sivanenjam represents everything that a child does - innocence, joy, and happiness despite the poverty and despondent life he has. Yet the painful and tough experiences he goes through are all that affect the entire community.

But there is also tremendous love, a sense of nurturing and the vibrant beauty of nature that this story encapsulates. The themes of caste, capitalism, exploitation and oppression are woven into the story very powerfully and subtly and that’s what is most striking in this film. Mari Selvaraj has given us a heart-wrenching film that is also heartwarming and that’s a big achievement for any director.

The music by Santhosh Narayanan is a highlight in this movie as he has captured the village, its people, nature and emotions so seamlessly through his BGM. The visuals by DOP Theni Eswar are captivating and with the music are a real visual treat. Most importantly, Ponvel is the backbone of this movie and his performance is worthy of a National Award. Raghul too is perfect as Sekar and the chemistry between the two boys is a delight on screen.

Vaazhai is not just another Tamil film - it makes you laugh, cry and most importantly, think. The oppression and disparity that exists even today in society needs a voice - and who better than a brilliant Mari Selvaraj for this.

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