Poignant, realistic portrayals

WITHOUT MELODRAMA, overtly unnatural expressions, or complicated twists and turns, a story of a fisherwoman and her son, neatly unfolds before your eyes in Team Work Media's short film, ``Yaelaelangiliyae,'' conceived, written and directed by Thamarai Senthur Pandy.

From short story writing to short film making, Thamarai Senthur Pandy has come a long way. A name to reckon with in the Tamil literary scene for two decades and more, this writer's pen has proved its power, tenacity and clarity of thought in many a literary form. He has now ventured into cinema with two short films - ``Yaelaelangiliyae'' and ``Maganae... Maganae''. Both leave their imprint in the viewer's mind.There may not be anything novel about the story of ``Yaelaelangiliyae''. It is the tale of a slogging, single mother and her son who turns thankless. But the treatment is different and the enactment commendable.

Theresa (Vadivukkarasi) is a widow - a fisherwoman who had lost her husband at sea. With single-minded devotion, she sets about her only aspiration - to educate her son and see him well-placed in life. Mary (Mounica) is her orphaned niece who lives with the family. Thomas (Sashikumar) helps his mother realise her dream. Theresa wants him to marry Mary but Thomas has other ideas. Parimalam (Vanaja), the girl he falls in love with and marries, finds Theresa's unhygienic day-to-day habits obnoxious and wants her out of the way. The fisherwoman's basket, which she planned to put away once her son settled down, now becomes her companion for life.

The versatility of Vadivukkarasi as Theresa is a clear revelation. It is sad that such talent is more often than not frittered away in meaningless mother roles. With dreams in her eyes and fish basket on her head, she lives the role of a fisherwoman. The determination and will power she exhibits as she walks out of the house are high points of ``Yaelaelangiliyae.''

Mounica's histrionic skills are only too well-known, thanks to the small screen. She is an actress whom cinema has not utilised well. Her subdued and effective essay of the role of Mary, speaks volumes of the potential in her.

Sashikumar, again is a familiar channel face, who has made a mark in many episodes of Balu Mahendra's ``Kadhai Naeram'' and now in ``Chithi''. His scope is limited here, yet he proves his ability. Flaws there are. The artistes, in certain scenes, seem to be waiting for the camera to move away after the shot. The way in which Thomas, an educated person, tells his mother that his wife does not like her seems rather crude. The music for the flashbacks (there is an overdose of these) is repetitive.

Yet ``Yaelaelangiliyae'' is worth the effort and is another feather in the writer's cap.

That so much of talent lies latent in `Kovai' Sarala comes as a surprise in the 40-minute film, ``Maganae...Maganae''. The story comes with a small knot that is effectively untied in the short span.

A couple (Sundarrajan and `Kovai' Sarala) rush to hospital with a young boy wounded in an accident. The turmoil they undergo in a desperate bid to save the boy, is poignantly told in ``Maganae... Maganae''.

There is suspense (which is not difficult to guess after a point), there is drama and there is sincerity in the characterisation. Sundarrajan as the obedient and loving husband is a perfect foil for the anxious, humane Shenbagam (`Kovai' Sarala).

Both ``Yaelaelangiliyae'' and ``Maganae... Maganae'' will be screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival in February next.It is meaningful cinema and the element of realism in the two films makes the viewers empathise with the characters. And in drawing such empathy lies the success of Thamarai Senthur Pandy, the director.

MALATHI RANGARAJAN

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