A fascinating idea

‘Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai’

Movie Review

Director Ram has never been a filmmaker who takes the conventional route. His films often use unusual premises to explore questions about human relationships, morality and existence. ‘Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai’ continues that tradition, bringing together fantasy, philosophy and an unconventional relationship between two men from vastly different worlds.

The film opens with a familiar bedtime-story setup. An aunt narrates a tale to a child about a mysterious man who has lived for more than 8,000 years. Unlike ordinary humans, he cannot die. His endless existence, however, is not presented as a gift. He spends his centuries searching for a woman whose presence he has encountered repeatedly through different births and eras.

The story takes an unexpected turn when this immortal man crosses paths with a Dubai-returned individual played by Soori. The latter is eagerly looking forward to seeing his son after being separated from him for eight years. His encounter with Nivin Pauly’s character sets off a series of strange events that gradually move between different periods and realities.

At the heart of the film is an intriguing contrast. Nivin Pauly’s character has experienced thousands of years, while Soori’s character is firmly rooted in the concerns and selfishness of an ordinary human life. Their interaction becomes a vehicle for the film’s larger argument about empathy, compassion and what it means to be human.

On paper, this is very much a Ram film. The director is clearly more interested in philosophical questions than conventional storytelling, and there are moments when the film manages to create a sense of wonder. Unfortunately, the execution frequently works against the ideas at its core.

The film takes considerable time to establish its world, but the lengthy conversations and philosophical exchanges often become exhausting rather than thought-provoking. Characters are not given conventional names, which is an interesting creative decision, but this approach.

The dialogue also swings between everyday conversational Tamil and more literary, philosophical passages. While the contrast may have been intentional, the extended conversations frequently slow the film down considerably.

Animals, birds and other creatures are incorporated into several sequences, sometimes appearing to communicate directly with the characters or reinforce the film’s messages about humanity.

The use of AI-generated imagery becomes particularly noticeable. Instead of functioning as an occasional visual device, these effects appear repeatedly throughout the film. Their inconsistent quality makes several sequences look artificial and takes the viewer out of the fictional world.

Some of the imagery involving Anjali’s character illustrates the problem. A sequence featuring her in a surreal lake has a striking visual quality when she herself is on screen. However, subsequent digitally created imagery involving a character meant to resemble her is noticeably inconsistent. The lack of visual continuity becomes distracting rather than imaginative.

There is an interesting story buried beneath these choices, particularly when the film begins revealing more about Anjali’s character. The connection between the characters, history and the film’s philosophical ideas eventually starts coming together in a more compelling manner.

The problem is that the film takes too long to reach that point. By then, the repeated visual effects, extended conversations and episodic encounters have already tested the viewer’s patience.

Nivin Pauly brings considerable personality to his unusual character. His eccentric appearance and performance help establish the otherworldly nature of the role, and he commits fully to Ram’s unconventional vision.

Soori and Anjali are effective within the limitations of the screenplay, contributing to the emotional and dramatic portions of the story. However, their performances are not always enough to overcome the film’s structural problems.

Where the film consistently succeeds is in its visual landscape. Cinematographer NK Ekambaram makes impressive use of locations such as the Western Ghats and Dhanushkodi. The natural surroundings provide some of the film’s most striking imagery and give the otherwise abstract narrative a tangible sense of place.

There is an ambitious film somewhere inside ‘Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai’. Its ideas about mortality, reincarnation, compassion and the value of human life are intriguing, and its central relationship offers plenty of scope for an emotionally powerful drama. ‘Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai’ is therefore an interesting philosophical experiment.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
By Naveen
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