Meiyazhagan Movie Review: Karthi, Arvind Swamy's Starrer Deliver A Slow Yet Emotional Experience

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Memories are emotions collected in tranquillity that provide individuals with solace and comfort regarding uncertainty- is how Wordsmith describes memory. What if those memories are a reason you have never felt at peace? Would you go to a place where you felt betrayed once? C Prem Kumar shows you the essence of that nostalgia, love and cherished memories in Meiyazhagan. After the success of his last venture '96' and its Telugu remake, 'Janu' Prem returns with a heartwarming story starring Arvind Swamy and Karthi in lead roles.

Arulmozhi returns to Needamangalam (near Thanjavur) after 22 years to attend his sister Bhuvana's wedding. He meets an unknown man (Karthi) at a wedding who sticks with him like a magnet as he says to his wife Hema (Devadarshini). When Hema asks Arul who this man is he has no answer- so let's call him A. But A knows everything about Arul and treats him with utmost love, care and respect. As the film goes on it explores how Arul's perspective changes throughout.

After leaving his village in 1996 he returns in 2018 only for a function. The sadness of leaving this place only makes him more miserable and, decides to leave the place immediately after meeting his sister. But the meeting with Bhuvana makes him teary-eyed and makes him understand that there are still some people who make him feel loved to the core. If you want to know what made him cry then you should surely watch the movie. At one point even if words are not spoken yet you can feel the affection between a brother and sister. This is just one of the few moments where silence speaks more in this film. As the film progresses you can see how Arul embarks on a journey to find who A is only to discover himself.

Meiyazhagan is slow yet it takes its time to immerse people in the whirlwind of emotions. It might feel like a slow burn but as the plot progresses you know the importance of each sequence. Director Prem has made sure that like his directorial debut, this film explores the relationship and love but a story of two men who are polar opposites of each other but yet bond over memories. Arul is very private and is urbanized while A is a simple and innocent countryman who is happy in his little world. A believes that Arul is too good and can do nothing wrong in his eyes. While Arul cannot forgive his past and is not ready to forget the people who wronged him whereas A is thankful for his past as it has helped him only grow stronger.

From the start, Meiyazhagan is not the usual commercial film but is a well-crafted and emotional story that slowly unravels over 178 minutes. One of the exceptional things about Meiyazhagan is undoubtedly the talented actors Arvind Swamy and Karthi. Both of them share fantastic chemistry and have delivered excellent performances like all the other actors Devadarshni, Rajkiran, Sri Divya, Karunakaran and Jayaprakash even with little screen presence. 

The majority of the film unfolds in a single night transporting you to a world where emotions are beautifully intertwined together. 96 solely focuses on the love and the pain associated with it but here in Meiyazhagan, it explores the complexities of human behaviour. In a single night, both of them understand the importance of the memories and then slowly start to discover themselves in the process. The film shows how powerful memories can be and the emotions that evoke in us by carefully shaping our own identities.

Karthi truly lives the role of a simple and innocent person who lives in the village. It seems like he was living such a life from long ago just like some of the roles he has played before. Arvind Swami has become more mature as an actor and has restrained himself from emoting certain emotions just like how Arul is. It seems like Karthi is the perfect support in the journey of Arul discovering himself. Both of them have managed to stay grounded throughout the film.

One of the major reasons this film works out is the music of Govind Vasantha. Just like the magic, he has created in collaboration with Director Prem. The melodies, BGM and not to forget the song sung by Kamal Hasan -Yaaro Ivan Yaaro have made everything really stand out just like the songs of 96. The nuances of the village life, the scenic beauty and especially the quiet night scenes have been captured effectively by the cinematographer Mahendiran Jayaraju. 

Meiyazhagan is truly a film that you need to watch when in need of a fresh breath of life. It is all thanks to Karthi and Arvind Swami's magic that has brought the characters of Prem Kumar so lively. It is surely not everyone's cup of tea but if you ever need to know how captivating memories can be then go watch it now.