Filmmaker Prem Kumar, who mesmerized audiences with his debut movie 96, has once again impressed viewers with Meiyazhagan. The Tamil drama film, featuring Arvind Swamy and Karthi in the lead roles, was released in theatres on September 27 and is enjoying a successful run at the box office. The emotional depth of the movie especially seems to have struck a chord with the audiences who have embraced the film. From the simple story of human bonds to the moving performances and the soul-stirring music, let’s take a look at the factors that made Meiyazhagan an endearing film.

Karthi-Arvind Swamy's Meiyazhagan

Simple story about human bonds

Amid a series of films that attempted to mount their narratives on a bigger scale and grand canvas, Prem Kumar’s Meiyazhagan stands out as it portrays a simple yet heart-warming tale of human bonds. The drama film follows an ordinary middle-aged person, Arulmozhi, who takes a trip back to his hometown, two decades after he and his family were forced to move out of their ancestral home in Thanjavur. The wedding of a sister, to whom he cannot say no, is the reason why Arulmozhi gets onboard a bus to Needamangalam. Here, he encounters a chatty relative, who clings to him with anecdotes and cherished childhood memories but Arulmozhi does not recognize him. After his initial futile attempts to get away from this relative, Arulmozhi is enamored by his likable personality even as he desperately tries to find who this person actually is.

Emotional depth

It is a simple narrative, and there is no life-or-death situation. But it is the emotional depth of the movie that holds the narrative together. When we first see Arulmozhi, he is a heartbroken teenager as he prepares to bid farewell to his home, his loving cousin sister, and all the dear memories of his town, including the majestic Brihadeeswarar Temple. The emotional turmoil of the teenager and the middle-aged man’s inner battle between wanting to visit his hometown and refusing to walk down the path of painful memories are all beautifully portrayed in the film. Not just Arulmozhi, but his father and other relatives are also devastated by the turn of events. As Arulmozhi meets his relatives after 2 decades, they too are unable to hold back their tears. Even his father, who refuses to set foot in the village, is fighting hard not to sound emotional over the phone while speaking to a close relative. I don’t remember any other movie, wherein I have seen men cry so much.

Karthi and Arvind Swamy’s performances

There aren’t too many characters in this poignant film. Arvind Swamy gives an understated performance as Arulmozhi, who is battling a wave of emotions as he returns home and is unable to identify who this loving relative is. His moving performance is key to keeping the narrative going and also ensures that the audience stays invested in the movie. Karthi as the ever-chatty cousin, who seems to be too nice to a fault, has also given a notable performance. Apart from the ever-smiling face, his charming dialogues make the audience chuckle. The supporting cast of Sri Divya, Devadarshini, and Jayaprakash have also performed well.

Music and background score

The soothing music and background score, by Govind Vasantha, are also uplifting. Among the songs, Yaaro Ivan Yaaro, sung by legendary Tamil actor Kamal Hassan, is the most striking track. The soul-stirring song, with Kamal Haasan’s powerful vocals, will tug at your heartstrings. The song, which has lyrics by Uma Devi, is also placed in a key sequence, adding to the emotional resonance.

Prem Kumar

All the credit for weaving together a quality movie with such high emotional resonance goes to director Prem Kumar. His vision for the movie has been fully realized on the big screen. During an earlier interview with OTTplay, the director had said that ‘if 96 made you cry in sadness, Meiyazhagan would bring happy tears'. And we are happy to say that he delivered on most counts.

But several audiences also complained about the nearly 3-hour runtime, which the makers then trimmed. However, this move also led to some backlash. If this issue had been taken care of in the post-production stage itself, Meiyazhagan would have won more hearts.

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