Arun Matheshwaran’s Captain Miller is set in pre-independence era. It is the story of a naïve boy who decides to join the British army to gain respect. It hits us hard when he argues with his friend who is not happy about this decision. He asks, which freedom is he referring to? They are slaves of the king anyways. At least a soldier gets boots. When he is renamed as “Miller”, he looks at the mirror and self-proclaims as “Captain Miller” simply because it sounds good. But when he learns about the price he must pay, he takes matters to his hand. The rest of the story is about how such a simple man is tested time and again until he is proclaimed not only as the captain Miller but as a God sent gift too! Now that’s a macro aspect at a personal level. Then there are elements of untouchability, classism, cruelty by people in power – the king at one point and the British in another – then the British themselves. Also, there is a temple and the people living around the temple who are never allowed to step inside. We also get glimpses of freedom movements and dacoity. Then there is feminism expressed in many dimensions. In one sequence, we see Miller washing utensils and Nivedhithaa Sathish’s character is cleaning the riffle. She also fights at par with men and even rides a motorbike. Patriarchy is also discussed. There is a scene where the princess mocks at her sister when she talks about oppression of people. She says that women are oppressed regardless of whether they live in a palace or a tent. The open-ended ending seems to promise a sequel too. All this and even more makes this movie special and engaging.
The movie talks about politics in a realistic set up and a dramatic tone. There are elaborate stunts including a chase sequence pre-intermission. I really liked the fact that these actions are not just hero driven. As we know, they are fighting against a system, be it the king or the British. Therefore, there is support from several others. In the climax fight sequence, it is almost like the entire village is fighting for justice and their rights.
I liked the innovative way in which the movie is presented as chapters. Each chapter also has interesting titles. It makes us feel like we are reading a book!
Special shout out to the art director who has wonderfully constructed the set. It really transports us back in time. The temple around which the story is based and revolves around is delightfully realistic. GV Prakash’s BGM is rustic. I specifically loved whenever the percussion instruments were used. Koranaaru song is sure to make us go crazy! Even the choreographed dance somehow seamlessly fit into that zone.
Then we have Dhanush! What an actor he is! The naivety in his eyes and smile during his interactions with his mother… the playfulness with which he talks to his friend Ayyahu… his hopelessness conveyed during his argument with his elder brother… the helplessness when he is ordered to do something as a soldier... the rage thereafter… Simply spellbinding. In one of the scenes he says, “I am Devil”. He indeed is. A Devil of an actor. He has this towering screen presence and it’s impossible to look at anything else when he is performing. It is refreshing to see a star of his stature always let the actor take the lead and not his stardom.
And Shivarajkumar – what a screen presence he has! There is a certain amount of vulnerability in his demeanor that we always root for him. He is presented at his best in slow motion. It was a delight to just see him on screen.
Priyanka Mohan as Velmadhi has very limited screen time. But she has a role to play. Aditi Baskar appears cryptic mostly. She just has a couple of scenes and she comes across very enigmatic.
In recent years since the pandemic, big movies with large scale, action set pieces and mass hero moments have been a crowd puller. But very few movies have a story of an underdog, through his mistakes and failures learns the way of life and achieves the heroic status. Most importantly, this is not a story of gangsters or undercover agents. This is just a story of a common man who is in an extraordinary situation. Therefore, we empathize with the characters more. Annaleesan was naïve and jolly until reality hits him when his mother dies. The next turning point comes as a soldier who is forced to do something which he knows isn’t right. This makes him feel guilty and he agrees to help a dacoit group to steal something. Finally, when he knows that even that action has resulted in severe repercussions, he decides to take things in his own hands. Thus attains the stature of a leader and a savior. It’s a similar arc for Velmadhi also. She is a princess who is also a trained doctor. She joins the freedom movement against the ruling king, her uncle’s wish. Then life takes her through situations and experiences that she realizes that killing maybe also be a form. There are many characters in the film and it seems like each character has a backstory. Maybe there is a sequel or maybe the director wanted us to imagine the what-ifs on our own.
It was 157 minutes well spent for me and I highly recommend that you watch it in the theatres for the wholesome experience.
Happy Pongal!
No comments:
Post a Comment