#karnan

[thozhar]

“This film script is a bittersweet reflection on my 20 years in the television and film industry,” Perumal told Variety about “Fire on Water.” “Many younger directors who entered the industry a decade ago are still facing financial hardship, lack of recognition, and limited creative freedom. Seeing their struggles mirrored my own earlier experiences. This is why I felt compelled to tell this story. The challenges faced by filmmakers, while significant, pale in comparison to the broader issues confronting our nation.” “It’s an auto-fiction, a tapestry of my life stories interwoven with threads of some invented characters, some imagined events, and some distilled truths,” Perumal added. “Most importantly, the story features a compelling character-based drama that, despite its cultural specificity, has the potential to resonate universally. Crafting this story wasn’t driven by a desire for conversation, but by an intuitive conviction that it needed to be told."

— Sun-J Perumal On His Upcoming Film "Neer Mel Neruppu"

[updownfragile]

Karnan (2021)

[tee-jay-666]

My Favorite Movies of 2021

[unetherealfeelings]

Karnan (2021)

Directed by Mari Selvaraj

Dhanush, Lal, Natarajan Subramaniam, Yogi Babu, Rajisha Vijayan

The use of the name Karnan is antithetical concerning the protagonist's background and socioeconomic status. Director Mari draws inspiration from crucial players in the defeat of the Kauravas in the Mahabharat. Every single object and being, play a role in telling the story of Podiyankulam. From the hawk snatching away an old woman's baby chicks, to the donkey with its front legs tied. There are heavy religious symbolisms of the local deity Kattupechi evident in the lifestyle and traditions of the village. The setting is apparent; the villagers are living in an oppressed system. It is a matter of time before they reach a breaking point against the atrocities committed against them. Karnan speaks of the individual level that oppression impacts affected individuals. The downtrodden elders who have surrendered their dignity and self-worth at the hands of those in power. The raging youngsters willing to lay their lives or sacrifice others' to snatch their honour and respect back. Wide-eyed children, looking up to the angry youth. The women as, always, exist on the fringes of this narrative. Fearing for the lives of their husbands, children and men, is not something novel to womankind after all. Karnan ultimately aims to open our eyes; oppression exists. It has existed long before we think it has. People are still suffering in the throes of injustice meted out by people and society's apathy.

The fight in Karnan is about the right to work and live a life of dignity. After all, Dhanush challenges his oppressor, " If the son of Kandaiah can be named Kannapiran, why can't the son of Madaiah not be named Karnan?"

[saadiaaf]

Karnan (Mari Selvaraj, 2021)

[awkwardqueenofhell]

Karnan (2021)

This film is SO GOOD.

[vyinter]

because I just finished Karnan and gotta make everything about it, the stark difference in the "chosen one" concept in a poc story Vs a white story is such a perfect example because it's an actual oppressed situation

like the story starts and ends with the resentment of a child left to die in the middle of the road because no one would stop any vehicle for a low caste kid. then she becomes a goddess who watches over this poor village and tries to move fate to bring change but she needs a vessel,

cue the main character, someone who doesn't back down, who doesn't stop throwing hands at other because they just won't stop insulting his people. he's not a leader or anything, he's just some who gets shit done because someone needs to do it

this is often where the main characters in white stories are shown to be kind of "I don't want to be special I never wanted to be special even tho I'll have so many advantages" Vs in this story where its "being special and being Visible will get me killed. but that can't stop me from bringing justice"

like there's a Scene where he tells his lover that he'll probably go to prison and she said "I've liked you for 12 years. waiting another 5 or 10 years is something I can handle" and he very softly says ".....what if they kill me in there" and then they can't stop crying, like white "chosen one" stories are never be able to understand what this means

It's the difference in being opressesed as a personality trait Vs actually being opressesed and having no choice but to take responsibility to bring change

[somsesh]

Watched Karnan over the weekend, and stole a few hours last evening to make this poster for it. The film has so many metaphors operating in it through the portrayal of animals that it's a treat to soak it all in. Mythology and how it provides pride to a community is another beautiful angle to this film. But what really moves you is the undertone of anger peppered everywhere in the treatment of the people from the marginalised section of the society. The ending could have been a tad tighter, but the rest of the film is so tightly put that one can easily overlook it. The illustration part of the poster was very set in my mind from the beginning, but the typography happened by accident, and I am glad for it because I was really struggling with it. I have almost no knowledge of Tamil, and whatever I do have is because of my beloved students of DJ Academy, so I didn't want to tweak and bend a script without having any knowledge of it. Wouldn't want to give away any spoilers by talking about the poster further, so I will reign myself here. Back to the book now.