Seththumaan, primarily based on Perumal Murugan’s quick tales, explores the social hierarchies and their complexities
Seththumaan, primarily based on Perumal Murugan’s quick tales, explores the social hierarchies and their complexities
Seththumaan opens with a set of highly effective photos. Some seemingly celebratory and a few poignant.
Director Thamizh has used these photos to maybe set the stage for the story to unfold. But by themselves, the photographs have a special story to inform. They are a couple of Dalit colony hunted down by the dominant caste frightened over a mysterious sickness that kills their cattle. They suspect the Dalits of killing the cattle for beef. Kumaresan, the grandson in Seththumaan, is the son of a Dalit man killed for consuming beef and preventing towards caste oppression.
It is now a well known incontrovertible fact that Seththumaan by Neelam productions relies on Perumal Murugan’s quick story Varugari (roasted meat), however the photos are from one other quick story – Maapu Kodukkanunj Saami (Grant us pardon, Sami) — by the writer.
Maapu Kodukkanunj Saami was written in 2011 and Varugari in 2012. A decade later, the 2 quick tales, strung collectively in a special format, are doing the rounds of movie festivals and have been launched on an OTT platform. “The director was keen to have some scenes from Maapu Kodukkanunj Saami but couldn’t. So, he narrated the story through a set of images at the beginning of the film,” says Perumal.
Compelling story
Through each the quick tales, he weaves a compelling story of constant discrimination towards Dalits by means of the complicated labyrinth of caste and meals. If Maapu Kodukkanunj Saami was in regards to the hate crime towards Dalits for consumption of beef, Varugari is in regards to the dominant caste members’ yearning for pork that results in the loss of life of Poochi. “Though the stories were written a decade ago, the issue has been in existence from much before. In Varugari, the pig is slaughtered with a hammer, in the film it is killed by injecting a needle. But the changes stopped at that. The stories remain painfully relevant, and they will continue to be as long as caste is a reality,” says Perumal, who has additionally penned the dialogues for the movie.
“The director was earnest when he approached me. He wanted to make a film on a tight budget and thought this short story will work. I was convinced by his sincerity.”
Choosing the title
“Thamizh”, says Perumal, “randomly picked up an issue of Kalachuvadu magazine at a book fair and chanced upon this short story. Much discussion also went into the title of the film. “Seththumaan meaning ‘deer in sludge’ was suggested by my student Gopi, who works as a teacher near Namakkal.”
When translated into a visible kind, the story underwent some modifications. “Portraying on screen a story written by a writer of Perumal Murugan’s calibre was challenging,” says Thamizh.
He learn the story a number of instances, ready a set of questions, and began searching for solutions, generally in Perumal Murugan’s physique of labor. “That is how I chose Maapu Kodukkanunj Saami as Poochi’s past. Unlike a short story, a film demands a past for its protagonist and a dream for him or her.”
Poochi’s dream was to get his grandson educated. “It was not there in the story, but such elements are required in a film. I couldn’t think of a better dream for a man like Poochi.”
Present-day state of affairs
Rangan’s assertiveness, says Thamizh says, is symbolic of the present-day temper to insurgent. “In the short story, Rangan’s character is very limited but in the film, I imagined him as a perfect foil for Poochi, who had to make sacrifices in the larger interest of his grandson’s education.”
But on the core, the movie stays devoted to the unique story, successfully conveying the horrors of caste and its lived experiences, particularly in western Tamil Nadu.
Perumal Murugan says that is the primary piece of labor to be made right into a full-length movie. His novel Koolamaathari (revealed as Seasons of The Palm in English), once more on caste discrimination in western Tamil Nadu, can be being tailored into a movie. It is once more by a brand new director and a brand new group. And maybe one other highly effective story in Tamil cinema.
The author is a Chennai-based unbiased journalist.
Source: www.thehindu.com
