Bala's Naan Kadavul - my opinion abt the movie

NAAN KADAVUL - By Bala

In one word, this movie is out of the world and I now believe in Ameer's words that Bala's world cannot be easily understood.

This movie is not for:

• people who are weak-hearted
• people who cannot digest the harsh realities of life
• people who think the world around them is full of happiness and only happiness
  

With this in mind, go through the movie.

The story goes thus...
A father believes in an astrologer's words that his son's jathagam is not good, and lot of trouble will happen if he is with him, and advises him to get
separated for 14 yrs.
The father leaves him in Kasi, where the boy is taken care of by the Sadhus there. He finds a spiritual guru who makes him believe that he is God(Naan Kadavul)

Thus begins the transformation of boy to God, who believes in his own principles.
வாழத் தகுதி இல்லாதவர்களுக்கு நான் தரும் வரம், மரணம்.
வாழ இயலாதவர்களுக்கு நான் தரும் மரணம், வரம.

Roughly translated "The Blessing I give to those that do not qualify to live is Capital Punishment . The Capital Punishment I give to those, who are not able to live is my Blessing"

After 14 yrs, the father goes in search of him and brings him(Arya) back to Malaikottai(ThamizhNadu). However, the boy, who now thinks he is God, is free from all emotions, relations. He refuses to gel with the family, and spends time in his own world(ganja helps him - how it helps is a different topic altogether :-)

And, then there is another world, most of us think that never existed. The world of beggars, how they are collected and how an organized crime is taking place. Here comes the ruthless Thandavan(remember the guy who gets beaten up by Vikram in the jail fight scene from the movie Pithamagam), who runs the business of collecting small children, handicapped and orphans, he deforms them and makes them to beg. I do not believe any other director could have taken this subject and made us realize the harsh realities of their lives.

There is a broker Murugan(who has appeared in quite a few movies along with Vadivelu - remember the guy who asks for Bin Laden's address). His is a powerful
role, who brings in people to be employed as beggars for his living and then cries after getting drunk for his mistakes. Typical Bala character, I suppose :-)

In comes Pooja, who is initially in some other small beggar group, who is a good singer, and now brought in to Thandavan's group by Murugan. I just can't forget the two songs sung by Pooja in the movie.
Few lines from Idho endhan Dheivam:
பாசமுள்ள பார்வையிலே கடவுள் வாழ்கிறான் - அவன்
கருணையுள்ள நெஞ்சினிலே கோவில் கொள்கிறான்

Roughly translated:
God lives in the eyes of those who radiate love. He makes the heart of kind hearted his residence.

I am realizing the real meaning of these lines, even though I have heard this song before.

The small beggar(I cannot think of another apt word) group's performance inside the police station is sure to bring smiles across. I just cannot believe, how time and again, Bala is able to pull out such performances from mentally/phsically challenged people(real-life incidents)

The world of beggars will come across as a shock to many of us. The bonding between them is really heart-warming and brings out a few tears. I could even remember each and every one in the gang of beggars. Only Bala can get such a performance from them.

Their day-to-day living, making fun of others(even if they are physically challenged), taking life easily - hmmm.. a big inspiration to all of us. Notable characters include Small boy, a Thirunangai, short lady, grandfather, a guy with wick.

And then, the world of beggars and the world of Arya meet, leading to a mind-sweeping climax running upto 10 mins(much like Pithamagan) - punishing the baddies.


Arya as Rudhran(the movie's protagonist) has performed extraordinarily well. The two+ years he spent patiently with Bala, taking risk on such a deglamorized role, has reaped success for him. His eyes, his body-language, the way he sits stylishly in the midst of a brutal fight(much like the eagle pose of Vikram from Pithamagan) - awesome. Arya has really tried hard to portray the character of a aghori Sadhu and has liven up to the expectations of Bala.

Pooja as Amsavalli, is a surprise packet. In the media, it was Arya who got to be much publicized. However, if you get to watch the movie, you are in for a complete surprise. Pooja has more scenes than Arya(:-) and steals the show as well as sympathy. The fact that two actresses have opted out of the movie after being booked, shows the heaviness expected out of this character, and Pooja has done with ease. This movie sure is going to be a milestone in her movie career.

Note:I feel that the movie might not even be liked by fans of Bala. In that, all of previous Bala's movies had a love angle so beautifully brought up. However, here in Naan Kadavul, the story does not offer any scope for Love, what with, Ruthran being a aghori Sadhu.

This movie will have to be watched at least twice, to understand it, the concepts that the director is trying to explain, etc.

The Credits:-

• Ilayaraja's songs(especially Pitchai Paathiram, which he has written the lyrics too, is haunting) and BGM are top-class and takes the movie to another plane
• Arthur Wilson's camera is ruthless and captures the rawness that Bala expects and has given in his previous movies
• Stunts by Super Subbarayan are unbelievable. Most of the time, I was wondering, if the people were getting really hit.
• Noted Thamizh writer Jeyamohan's dialogues offer both seriousness blended with humor(watch out for the dialogues spoken by a physically challenged kid). The movie is said to be based on Jeyamohan's novel Ezham Ulagam.

Movie's minus:

• The title of the movie is misleading. I was expecting Ruthran to do something more. However, Bala seems to have not given much thought over it, except for using him to punish the villains.
• Two of IR's songs amma un pillai naan and kannil paarvai have been left out. I still think that the movie definitely had scenes to have these songs.
• Some of the dialogues are in Hindi/Sanskrit making it difficult to understand. Even the Thamizh poem he says for his mother is not understandable(how ignorant I am - that is understandable, since the poems are Siddhars have such an in-depth meaning)

My take away's from the movie:-

• Feel privileged that you are staying in a good house, with good food, clothes and people around you to help
• Be good to people around you
• Try to contribute a bit to the society
  

I re-iterate,

• go to the movie with open and free-mind, to be emotionally affected, as is the case with all of Bala's movies
• do not go to the movie, if you are already emotionally drained and sad

Best Regards,
Dharma.