Modha Rathiri : Poignant, Fantastic and Hilarious

Modha Rathiri begins with a simple premise, without much elaboration: a man who has absolutely no idea that he is about to get married and a woman who has only a small or no interest in the marriage are suddenly brought together on their wedding night. The result is a disorderly evening filled with family drama, awkward situations, repressed emotions and unforeseen developments, all of which are combined to form a surprisingly engaging drama.

The main advantage of the film is the way it lets its characters act in a natural manner.

Anishma may well be the biggest highlight of the year in K’town, having given two performances in roles that have struck a chord with the audience and thus is gradually establishing her position. In her portrayal of Muthuselvi, she has very little dialogue, yet is able to build up the whole character arc through her expressions, mannerism and silences. Her performance has a certain appeal which at once captures Selvi's interest, and when the script calls for emotional depth she provides it.

Rishikanth, who is also in the film, is just as impressive as well. He is an actor who should be watched out for (with Dorothy around) especially in the emotional scenes since he is able to express himself without overdoing it. There is something natural about his performance which enables his character to stay grounded even though the situations surrounding him become more and more chaotic.

The other characters have plenty of material to work from as well, with Bhagavathi Perumal, Chetan and Abdool each adding their own touch to the story and thus making it clear that the film is not solely focused on the main pair.

There is also Raja Karuppasamy, who adopts an unusual role since the director becomes involved in the story by serving as Selvi's love interest; this is a bold move, especially as the character later becomes at the heart of Selvi's emotional distress. Her world tends bit by bit to collapse and be turned upside down, and Raja's performance plays a significant part in causing this emotional disruption.

What is so interesting about Modha Rathiri is that almost every character has some kind of flaw. None of them are shown as completely virtuous or completely wicked. Their faults are not just ordinary character defects; rather they show out the prejudices, contradictions and hypocrisies which exist in society.

The way the film handles caste prejudice is especially interesting in that characters can be dismissive or bigoted about others over rather trivial issues, although in this way the scenes quietly show something significant regarding the society they live in. Such instances do not always involve bold statements about caste; rather they are minor, more unpleasant moments which produce a rather uncomfortable sense of familiarity.

Another prominent observation in the film concerns the way society acts in relation to marriage. People will gather together, relatives will make the journey, traditions will be maintained and the whole community can get behind a wedding — but the same level of enthusiasm is not necessarily shown when it comes to a woman's education. It is this contrast that is quietly devastating.

Under all of this the film is ultimately preoccupied with fate and destiny.

The way in which Marudhu and Selvi talk at the temple perfectly illustrates this point. What exactly is fate? What is destiny? To what extent are our lives determined by circumstances and to what extent are they shaped by the decisions we take? The film does not necessarily offer clear answers; rather it lets its characters work out those questions for themselves (maybe not everytime). 

There are times when people do not need someone to deal with their problems; they just need someone who will listen while they at last express all that has been keeping them inside.

The emotional simplicity is what gives Modha Rathiri so much of its charm.

Raja Karuppasamy merits recognition for the determination he shows in creating a story in which all the characters have their own contradictions, flaws and emotional problems. Above all, he realises that chaos does not have to mean noise; at times chaos can be quiet, intimate and very personal.

Modha Rathiri is not perfect, yet it is precisely these imperfections that give the film its appeal. It is a film concerning people who aren't sure what they want, circumstances which they never asked for, and emotions that they are unready to face.

A beautifully chaotic watch.