Vaazhai: The New Pather Panchali?

What is the worst thing you can do to a child? Strip them of their innocence. This film portrays a world where children are forced to sacrifice their precious free time to work on a banana plantation to support their families. The real world can indeed be scary and unfair, but children should not be burdened with these realities. All they should desire is a life where they are allowed to have fun. Unfortunately, for many, poverty puts an end to such moments. This is the reality for our protagonist, Sivanaindhan, and those around him.

Sivanaindhan often dreams of carrying bananas on his head and throwing them into a river, which leads to him wetting his bed. This dream vividly illustrates how the children feel about working on the plantation. The film's first act showcases the innocence of a child who doesn't fully understand his situation and simply wants to have fun with his friends. We witness how a boy typically experiences his first crush, often on an adult woman who seems like an angel to him. Sivanaindhan develops a crush on one of his teachers, and the playful antics he and his friend engage in to catch her attention are quite endearing. Their relationship is characterized by childlike innocence, devoid of any sexual undertones. This sequence beautifully captures the essence of puppy love that many boys experience.

However, the looming obligation to work on the plantation during weekends is ever-present in Sivanaindhan's life. Poverty serves as the relentless antagonist in the movie, constantly threatening to disrupt his moments of joy. Throughout the first two acts, the story unfolds from Sivanaindhan's naive perspective. But as we reach the final moments of the film, we, along with Sivanaindhan, begin to see the harsh reality of the world. Without delving into spoilers, the excellence of the film's conclusion compels us to acknowledge the fear it instils regarding banana plantations.

Mari Selvaraj pays homage to one of the greatest films ever, Pather Panchali by Satyajit Ray, by creating a home for Sivanaindhan that resembles Apu's house. His mother, at times, reminds us of Sarbojaya, Apu's mother, with a similar dynamic to Durga and Sarbojaya in the movie. The film ends with the destruction of the boy's innocent world, preparing him to embark on his journey in an unjust world.

Mari Selvaraj is a filmmaker who is unafraid to depict the pain and journey of his life on screen. Some critics label him as a casteist director who only makes films about a certain community in Tamil Nadu. While his movies can sometimes be preachy, Vaazhai is not a film where he talks about his issues with society and the system. Instead, he showed them the injustice by showcasing a few pages of his early life, in a way this serves as his origin story, explaining to his critics why he is the way he is and why he makes the cinema he does.

Despite minor issues such as the use of songs and over-reliance on Santosh Narayanan's background music, where silence might have been more impactful, these are rectified in the second half. Santosh's scores enhance the story, and the use of old Tamil songs is a great touch that signifies the era in which the story is set.

In summary, Vaazhai is Mari Selvaraj's Pather Panchali, showcasing the early chapters of his life. Similar to his first movie, Pariyerum Perumal, which can be likened to Aparajito, it is a coming-of-age drama. Even 70 years after its release, Pather Panchali inspires filmmakers like Mari to tell their personal stories. I hope Vaazhai will motivate more young filmmakers to create their own personal, humanistic stories.