The most poignant and the most important scene in Mayakkam Enna comes in the first half, when Karthik(Dhanush) is walking back after a disappointing photo shoot and spots an old lady sitting on the side of the road. He decides to photograph her and hears reassuring words from her and her husband. That’s really the crux of his problem. Karthik’s problem is mostly the unrewarding passion of his – photography. He is in harmony with himself when he receives those reassurances. It doesn’t matter if they come from his friends or an award winning Indian photographer or a nobody. He crumbles when he is denied that or worse, when what is rightfully his is snatched away from him. Much the way he feels about his love. But the love story is completely incidental. His love story that is. This is reinforced by the mostly terrific cut to the wedding and the story from thereon.
The love story here is that of Yamini(Richa) and how for her, it doesn’t matter if it is a peaceful harmless Karthik or the crumbling Karthik she is living with. It’s a love story set in such a heightened passion that it is no surprise that there is so much physical and mental violence in it. Even their first meet starts off like that. Their union really comes together only when they both feed off their passions(yes, that word again. That is it).
I am not sure if it is all calculated marketing but for now, the man Dhanush is everywhere. He was on UTVStars talking to some VJ day before and last night he was on Radio Mirchi talking about Ilayaraaja in Neenga, Naan, Raaja Sir. He’s having a rollicking 2011, what with Aadukalam and a National Award, Kolaveri going international and a film like Mayakkam Enna where I daresay he is even better than how he was in his award winning role. Karthik Swaminathan seems more suited to his milieu and Dhanush sits well in that world. It’s more natural compared to the methodical looking village youngster in Aadukalam. Richa had done her part but I sometimes don’t understand the choices of people like Selvaraghavan, Kamal for their heroines. Sometimes it is explained by bilingual aspirations but Raima Sen and Andrea in Aayirathil Oruvan? Richa here? Why, I can’t help but think how even a Sneha would have done great things with this role.
People call out Gautham Menon on his song picturizations all the time but I hope for once they do the same with Selvaraghavan. Absolutely ridiculous CGI in one and awfully tasteless “tribal dance” in the other. It wasn’t even “tribal”! I wonder if some Keralites would register outrage!
Also there is severe meta sensibilities to the film(I think). It is intensely personal so if you can spot it, great. And Selvaraghavan clearly cannot make any other type of film. This is really his only calling.
