Director: Gnyana Rajasekharan
Cast: Sayaji Shinde, Devayani, Nizhalgal Ravi, T.P.Gajendran
When Subramania Bharati passed away at the age of 39, there were just 14 people attending his funeral. The film opens at this point and in docu-drama style traces the chronology of events in the life of the rebel-poet and attempts to give an insight into his fascinating personality. His marriage to Chellamma at an early age, his stay at Benaras with his uncle, his return to Madras, his relationship with the Raja of Ettayapurm, his working as a journalist for Swadeshamitran, his revolutionary poems that inspired nationalistic fervour, his alienation from his own orthodox Brahmin community, his antagonising the British, his encounters with Gandhiji, Sister Nivedita, and Aurobindo, his relationship with his wife and finally his injury after being knocked down by a temple elephant -- all form part of the script.
The contradiction of Bharati congratulating Sister Nivedita for her role in the uplift of women when he himself is not so sensitive to the plight of his wife and children who at times have hardly a morsel of food to eat, is also brought out well by the director. But while recording the events in the poet's life, the director somehow fails to communicate the poet's greatness to the audience. Further, he stradles two styles, the commercial and the artistic.
The director could have guided his artistes better in the early scenes like the one showing the death of the poet's father. Further, the juvenile comedy track of the two bungling cops searching for the elusive Bharati had no place in a serious film of this genre. Illayaraja's background score, Thangar Bachan's effective cinematography and Lenin-Vijayan's slick editing enhance the film's emotional content and narrative value.
Sayaji Shinde, the talented Marathi stage artiste (the eunuch of 'Darmiyan' and the evil cop of 'Shool') with his intense eyes and deep involvement, gives a fascinating portrayal bringing out the various shades of the poet's colourful personality. His extreme confidence bordering on arrogance, his impatience and his eccentricity are all brought out splendidly. Actor Rajiv's well-modulated voice sits well on the character. Devayani as the docile wife taking it all in her stride, and Gajendran as the poet's Man Friday leave their mark.
Media Dreams (producers of T.V.serials like Balu Mahendra's Kathai Neram) and director Rajasekharan should both be commended for making this film on the legendary poet.
