‘Jail’ movie review: Dead on arrival – The Hindu

In 2019, gana singer Stephen grew to become an web sensation when his ‘Gumbala Suthuvom’ video track was lapped up by viewers and went on to turn into a viral hit on YouTube. It was a easy however politically-layered track about Stephen’s mates, their lives and livelihood, and their small goals and wishes.

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Following its success, there have been a number of remodelled and TikTok variations of the track, which later got here to be often called ‘pullingo’ track, due to the lyrics. However past its speedy attain and recognition, it caused a dialog round social stereotypes, particularly when a YouTube channel launched a video trivialising Stephen and his gang. A lot in order that the phrase ‘pullingo’ grew to become a classist slur to field a sure class of individuals. This video was taken down from the channel after extreme criticism.

Now what does this controversial YouTube video should do with Nationwide Award-winning filmmaker Vasanthabalan’s Jail? Each find yourself trivialising the lives of those folks. The distinction is that Jail’s intention isn’t to villianise slum dwellers. However it does, unintentionally.

By making a movie about slum resettlement, set towards a fictional Cauvery Nagar (although it’s straightforward to guess that it’s based mostly on Kannagi Nagar in Thoraipakkam, OMR), Jail pushes the folks additional down the rabbithole — from which they’ve been attempting to rise, due to the Dalit motion in Tamil cinema.

This hurts as a result of it comes from Vasanthabalan, a filmmaker who understands the significance of social-consciousness. As a result of, it gives the look that every one that these folks from “Cauvery Nagar” do is, get drunk, flirt with girls and take pleasure in anti-social actions, usually ending up as drug peddlers.

The characters right here discuss, behave and current themselves in a manner that appears alarmingly superficial. That is one other drawback the movie has: stereotyping the already stereotyped. This ‘stain’ that now we have marked on them, not simply North Chennai, is drying out due to the emergence of Pa Ranjith. However movies like Jail aren’t serving to for certain, though they declare to face with the group — in spirit.

The problem shouldn’t be in regards to the messaging, however the truth that it doesn’t have one unique thought on the centre. There’s a lovely picture of three mates, through which Karuna (GV Prakash Kumar) is caught in the midst of his different two mates: Kalai and Rocky. The previous looks like a illustration of advance, whereas the latter is a fall again. Jail may have been about Karuna’s alternative: whether or not to advance or retreat. However this sounds extra like my studying than the precise movie.

Whether or not it’s Veyil, Angaadi Theru or Kaaviya Thalaivan, there was all the time a way of authenticity you’ll discover in Vasanthabalan’s movies. Right here, it has gone for a toss. To easily put, all the things appears and feels pretend.

Within the opening credit, Vasanthabalan credit a couple of folks for his or her “conversations”. What a beautiful gesture I believed. Maybe there’s a draw back too; you shouldn’t all the time go by rumour.

Jail is at present operating in theatres.