96 - As the years pass by...

After a long lull of around 8 years, I have resumed my writing and what better way to start than to write about a movie that lingered in my thoughts for some time! 

“96” – the year when a batch passed-out from their 10^th standard. These batch-mates decide to meet after 20 long years in a hotel in Chennai and with it, bring together a man and a woman, a boy and girl, who were swept away from each other in the tides of time.

The man – Ramachandran is played by Vijay Sethupathy and the woman, Janaki played by Trisha.

Ramachandran  - a travel photographer, a teacher of photography, a man who is on his own, travelling, eating what he loves, sleeping when he wants to, doing the things that the married folks are jealous of.

Janaki – a lovely lady with flawless skin, sharp nose, and a brisk gait.

The movie starts with an introduction to Ramachandran - a character portrait of this nomad. Begins with a visit to Thanjavur where Ramachandran has done did his school studies, a visit to his school and a trip down the memory lane with the school security guard Janakaraj. How nice it was to hear Janakaraj's laughter once more! 😊

Ramachandran initiates the interest of meeting all his school pals to one of his school friends and WhatsApp spreads the word and network to all the class mates instantly! Makes me wonder about our lives without WhatsApp and how it was ever possible?!

The classmates meet – the once lanky boys and girls with plaits and ribbons, now a set of bulky men and women in sarees and crying babies. But yet, the laughter comes back in an instant, hugging and glowing at each other when they meet face to face.

Ramachandran meets Janaki – with that opens up a trip back to their school days. A leaner Vijay and a cuter Trisha – of course a different set of actors playing these roles. A kudos to the kids playing these roles! Refreshing!

A nice blossoming of friendship, shyness, affection and love starts between the two. Makes you smile when Ramachandran’s heart does a loud thud-thud when he sees Janaki after their love has blossomed. The talking boy becomes mute with love – the effects of love washing over him showed very well on the young lad’s face. But before their 10^th is over, Vijay’s father shifts his family overnight from Thanjavur fearing the money-lenders from whom he had taken loan. Janaki comes to know about this a few days later and with no phones or any form of e-communication, the couple split. Physically but not emotionally….

Life has moved on – Janaki marries and settles in Singapore with a child. Ramachandran becomes a photographer and remains single.

When they meet at the gathering, it is as if life didn’t move on. The gathering ends but Ramachandran and Janaki spend the night roaming in Chennai – travelling in metro, having tea in a restaurant, and spending the night in Ramachandran’s apartment, looking at the little trinkets and reminders of Janaki's that Ramachandran has saved with him in a box – a hair clip, a dupatta and many small things that only people in love can steal and savor 😊

A few other scenes deserve special mention too:

• When Ramachandran sees the Janaki’s mangalsutra hanging around her neck when Janaki is asleep and when he quickly does a gesture of touching it to his eyes. A short stop signal to his desire…

• When Janaki wants Ramachandran to cut his hair like as is he was in his 10^th standard and the way Ramachandran looks once his hair is cut – sheepish, vulnerable, boyish

• When Janaki says “You can love someone and you can marry someone else too and be happy” to Ramachandran’s celibate status

• When Ramachandran’s heart still does a thud-thud even after 20 years on meeting Janaki. Janaki touches his chest to feel the “thud”, “thud” falls Ramachandran to the floor, swooning on the touch. Makes you roll with laughter on seeing the expressions 😊

Janaki doesn’t want to lose sight of him that night after having met him after 20 long years and knowing that Ramachandran has always been loving her.

Why didn’t they find each other in their college days? Why did they remain silent and not seek out each other?

Janaki’s flight back to Singapore is the next morning. Does she take the flight back to Singapore? Or does she stay back to relive the lost years? Watch the movie to know this 😊

For some, it might seem like the movie “Autograph” repeated. But it is not so. While Autograph was good during its time, 96 gets its well-deserved slot in the heart of lovers and friends. Little emotions captured well - a walk, a wait – weaved out in a manner that makes you stop and watch. This movie has been one among the few where the man is shown as a vulnerable, forever lover who stays alone thinking about his love. A shift again from the stereo-typed male dominated movies where the man is always a macho with no place for mushiness.

Vijay Sethupathy – accolades aren’t needed for him anymore. He competes with himself with every movie. Be it the man with a salt and pepper beard, a stern teacher with the intent of teaching perfection to the art, a lover who transforms his face into a heart, wow! He has marked the new era for heroes!

Trisha – She brings a smile onto your face. "Bold and Beautiful" is how you can describe her. Looking forward to seeing her more in Tamil movies.

And of course, the friends and school mates – ‘Bugs’ and Devadharshini need to be mentioned for their natural acting and for bringing in the needed laughter to us.

The Director/Story teller takes the crown here. Only a few Tamil movies are made in the same genre as 96.

Movies like the peacock feather hidden amidst pages of a treasured notebook 😊

Soft….

Kalps