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Nov 19, 2022 13 tweets 7 min read Read on X
Thirukural is smartly used in these 5 films to either further the story or to explain the film's core theme or to foreshadow what is coming.

Tamil Cinema & Thirukural: a short thread.

#Thirukural Image
1. Mudhalvan (1999)

In the iconic interview scene from this film, the CM is cornered by the interviewer with facts.

To save his dignity, the CM challenges the interviewer to take up his job for one day.

The hero panics at this unexpected twist.

The CM then utters Kural 691. ImageImage
"With fire,
Go too far & it doesn't warm you.
Come too close & it might burn you.
So, keep a safe distance with fire and kings"
- Kural 691

The interviewer had come too close to fire & is now facing the wrath of the king (CM).

An apt usage by dialogue writer Sujatha. Image
2. Super Deluxe (2019)

This hyperlink film uses Thirukural in a subtle way.

In the lift scene with Fahadh and Samantha,
the husband is furious with his wife's adultery.

Power goes off in the lift and Samantha reassures Fahadh that it would be back soon. ImageImage
Fahadh insultingly asks her: "Are you a pathini (faithful) for power to come back if you say so?"

But it is back the next second!

This is adapted from Kural:55:
"If a devout wife says "let it rain," it will rain."

Samantha's faithfulness in the climax is foreshadowed here! Image
3. Ghilli (2004)

Thalapathy wants to secretly go to Madurai for his Kabbadi semis.

He uses Kural 314 to convince his mom to attend a relative's function.

If not for this Kural, Thalapathy would not have met Dhanalakshmi / Muthupandi to give us the blockbuster of the decade. ImageImageImage
4. Ko (2011)

Two journalists hide the truth about the CM's character to save an otherwise well qualified government.

In fact, they blatantly lie & report him as a martyr instead of an opportunist. All for the greater good.

This is justified using Kural 292 in the end card. ImageImageImageImage
"Even falsehood has the nature of truth, if it can confer a benefit that is free from fault."

- Kural 292

Both the journalists are reinstated, their resignations aren't accepted, as their choice to lie is defended by Thiruvalluvar himself. Image
5. VTV (2010)

This film uses 3 Kurals in the song Mannipaaya and one of it summarises the core theme of the film.

The Kural 1259 states:

"My pride filled mind wanted to quarrel with him.
But the moment I saw him, my heart decided to embrace him instead." Image
This Kural states Jessie's psyche precisely in 7 words.

Jessie has an internal conflict - fighting constant battles between her mind & her heart.

Her mind says "This will never work out, I should stop it" but her heart falls in love despite all this!

The film's core theme! Image
Bonus: "Iru Dhuruvam" series in SonyLiv uses Thirukural as a plot device.

This is a cat & mouse game between a psychô and a cop.
The psychô drops in Thirukural clues after every murdër he commits.
Each relating to eyes, ears, smell, mouth etc.

Watch the show to find out more. ImageImageImageImage
Thirukural from 2000 years ago is relevant till date.

Smart film makers use it for its literary merit.

What other films have you seen Thirukural being aptly used?

Drop in your comments.

If you liked this content, follow @labstamil for more!
RT the first tweet in the thread to spread the word.

May the love for Thirukural increase!

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More from @labstamil

Apr 6
When things you don't want to happen, happens, how do you respond?

Do you fatalistically blame it on destiny and accept it, or take initiative to overcome it?

What is the guiding principle in the fate vs free will debate?

What did Sri Rama do in such circumstances? (1/8) Image
In the epic's defining moment, Sri Rama who was about to be crowned as King, was instead sentenced to exile for 14 years.

Lakshmana was outraged by the injustice of this request, but Sri Rama calmly considered the exile as the will of destiny.

Kambar writes - "நதியின் பிழையன்று நறும்புனலின்மை; விதியின் பிழை"
"it is not the fault of river to dry up when rains fail. Similarly, Kaikeyi isn't at fault for fate's doing", says Sri Rama.Image
Here Lakshmana is for free-will, to not passively accept injustice, and to fight for the kingdom which was Sri Rama's right.

But Sri Rama defers to destiny and accepted the extraordinarily difficult situation that circumstances suddenly placed upon him and agreed to be exiled.
Read 9 tweets
Apr 5
I've read Ponniyin Selvan cover to cover thrice, and this is my biggest takeaway from it.

It was a decision made by the hero Arulmozhi, inspired by his Suryavanshi ancestor Sri Rama. And it has a relevant lesson for all of us to learn in current political climate.

A🧵(1/8) Image
Image
BG: Arulmozhi is the more popular prince among public, and they wanted him to be king, even when his elder brother was the crown prince.

This popularity constantly unsettles him, as he wants to do the right thing. And he wants to go beyond public opinion and shape it.
He is influenced by 2 tales - the sacrifices of Shiva he hears from priests at Thiruvarur Thyagaraja temple, and Ramayana.

Rama left for the forest at night when citizens were asleep & also informs his charioteer to take it along a circle so that they can't retrace his path. Image
Read 10 tweets
Mar 17
2min silence to anyone who thinks Neeya Naana gives equal space to both viewpoints - it is a cleverly biased, deceptive D program.

A thread of snippets from Tamilravi's book and decide for yourself how logical and neutral he is:

1. "Anna and MK are our philosopher kings" (1/7) Image
2. "My dear Anna, shall I compare thee to Thiruvalluvar or to Marcus Aurelius?" Image
3. "Like Socrates was punished in ancient times, fake cases, imprisonment is the punishment of our times.

When they checked the pulse of A Raja during 2G case, it was normal. Infact it was the investigating officers who were pulsating with a rapid heartbeat!"

நீ பாத்த? Image
Read 8 tweets
Feb 16
Sati was the most forceful issue created by the Evangelical-Utilitarian alliance to validate Brit rule in India.

The missionary-Brit nexus inflated the # of incidents to horrific levels for politics.

Cholas have documented Sati giving a much needed nuance to this topic (1/8) Image
The colonial term Sati to refer to this practice is incorrect . Sahagamana/anugamana is the right Indic term.

Anugamana was a rare and sporadic practice in ancient Thamizhagam.

Vaanavan Maadhevi (mother of Rajaraja) chose to do it after the passing of Sundara Chola.Image
There are several conditions for it to be permitted in Chola tradition:

1) the wife must be in perfect physical and mental health
2) it should be purely voluntary without external influences
3) the close family members must request her to reconsider until the final moment Image
Read 11 tweets
Feb 13
Kadhalikka Neramillai - a lighthearted film on the surface that espouses the Drav question of - "Is marriage really necessary?"

Directed by Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi, the film has a puratchi pudhumai pen at its helm, and yes she is not a random girl, but a TamBrahm.

An analysis: Image
This rom-com has Shriya Chandramohan as its central character - she has a BF, registers her marriage months before the engagement (WHY?), drinks, has premarital fun, doesn't know to wear a saree, smokes after a breakup etc.

In summary, a modern day career-centric, jolly good woman. No issues. But is she a "random" modern day woman? Nope.

In egalitarian EVR land where there are no c@ste surnames, the film portrays her family as TamBrahms with no hesitation whatsoever.Image
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Just moments before there's a deliberate scene where the aunt calls Shriya's father as "Athimber" (a word used by Ds to m0ck TBs)

But why this depiction of community is necessary? Read on.

Image Source: NetflixImage
Image
Read 10 tweets
Jan 27
The reaction to this teaser from the TB community on X has been interesting.

Some say Dravidam shouldn't be blamed for such portrayals, rather the TB director/actor & their family should be.

Some say not doing Trikaala Sandhyavandhanam is the reason for this. A reply (1/7)
An asset can be at risk due to both internal vulnerabilities and external threats.

In this analogy, D is the threat - the bad actor who attacks the system.

The comm's flaws (giving up tradition, embracing liberalism/modernity, poor parenting etc.) are the vulnerabilities. Image
While no doubt both internal and external risks have to be addressed, is it really the right time to discuss vulnerabilities when the system is under attack?

Some say Ds shouldn't be blamed for a systemic flaw - this is such a self-flagellating view that also underestimates D.
Read 7 tweets

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