Aham Brahmasmi - God Delusion? (Thoughts on Naan Kadavul)
(Picture Source: Galatta.com) What happens when a man who thinks he is God is asked to play God by a blind beggar girl towards whom God doesn't even throw a sideward glance? This forms the crux of Bala's "Naan Kadavul". Spoilers ahead: I will be talking about some scenes from the movie. So if you haven't watched the movie yet, watch it and then continue reading. This is a very different movie for Tamil cinema. Not because it shows the plight of beggars or physically handicapped people but for a very different reason. That is what I want to examine through this post. Staying within the ambit of commercial cinema, Bala differs from it by not using some of the age old tools and techniques and in the process creates a refreshingly different movie. So let's start. What is this movie about? Good question. Let me answer in the negative first. It is not about beggars and their plight, it is not about physically and mentally handicapped people, it is not about society