When whole of the Social media was going against with negative reviews and comments on the short film, Lakshmi, I took sometime today to watch it with curiosity. Usually I enjoy short films for the message conveyed, the effort taken with low budgets and upcoming artists...however, this short film which I watched with the curiosity, made me end up in deep thinking.
This short film is not about extra marital affair of the man and justified by the affair of the woman in turn. It is the routine life that is portrayed. How a middle class family goes through a mundane life with cooking, getting the child ready to school, husband dropping the kid, then the woman getting ready to work, coming back, cooking, putting the child to sleep and then satisfying the physical needs before calling it quits for the day. There is no sharing of emotions, affection or exploring love and embracing happiness and there is neither appreciation nor a moment of pause to care. It goes on like a well oiled machine. Forgetting the fact that human emotions gets lost in this cycle.
So when the women goes out of a routine due to a strike in transport, and ends up in the road, the husband's attitude towards the woman, not worrying about her safety or return but selfish about the next morning breakfast, makes the woman pause and wonder what she needs..That's when she says that she is hungry. Yes, she is hungry not for food or sex as the internet calls her as an item. She is hungry for care and affection. So when she gets that from another man outside marriage, she accepts it. It is not about the extra marital affair, it is about the moment of self-need for that warmth and love that a third person Kathir shows her.
What starts as a silent smiles and acknowledging each other during travels to work everyday, to the moment of togetherness on a silent night that ends up in sharing dinner, art, poetry, appreciation of the inate beauty of the woman both in her looks and inner feelings and then that takes it up to end in bed. This story if understood rightly do not set a context for extra marital affair but to a woman who identifies her own needs and takes that extra step away from the dark routine of life. After all she is a human being with emotions
Indian Cinema or the society is not immune to these relationships and all most three decades ago, Tamil Cinema accepted Sindhu Bhairavi, Chinna Veedu and many other memorial films. However, when it is showed in reality, on how even a sex is a routine, and how the mother expresses her anxiety when the child turns towards them and how she just fulfills her man's needs and end up a tired soul, people are not able to accept. It is for the simple reason, that the society is still tangled in the so-called morals which in truth is gone away long ago.
Here it is not about both the man and woman indulging in extra marital affair. It is about the woman not able to strike the cord of love with her husband. It is about a man who does not express his feelings but bothers only about his needs both domestic, financial and physical. It is about a man, who is still accepted in the normal family set up inspite of his affair to the other woman. It is the narrow mindset of our present society to throw dirt at the woman when she does that.
What was getting done behind the scenes for decades together, when is shown on screen, making it visible for every one older than 18, on their small computer and phone screens, people started shouting against and it is the very crowd who made this movie popular or else there is nothing new that is shown in the film.
Coming to the technical aspects, the movie is technically rich, shoot in the natural environment of the house, work at printing press, train and bus stand..and then the house of an artist...paintings and sculptures...the artists have done beautiful portrayal of the roles....expressions, dialogues and the art making this movie a wonderful art piece.
For every grown up adult, especially in marriage, this is a must watch short film. Look at the positive message it gives on how not to let your lives fall apart...how not to let your spouse drift apart for love and care. Take a break from the mundane routine and learn to enjoy life and embrace happiness.
#Lakshmi is a powerful film conveying this message. Stop looking at the negatives of this film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP5dOY42DKI&t=33s
This short film is not about extra marital affair of the man and justified by the affair of the woman in turn. It is the routine life that is portrayed. How a middle class family goes through a mundane life with cooking, getting the child ready to school, husband dropping the kid, then the woman getting ready to work, coming back, cooking, putting the child to sleep and then satisfying the physical needs before calling it quits for the day. There is no sharing of emotions, affection or exploring love and embracing happiness and there is neither appreciation nor a moment of pause to care. It goes on like a well oiled machine. Forgetting the fact that human emotions gets lost in this cycle.
So when the women goes out of a routine due to a strike in transport, and ends up in the road, the husband's attitude towards the woman, not worrying about her safety or return but selfish about the next morning breakfast, makes the woman pause and wonder what she needs..That's when she says that she is hungry. Yes, she is hungry not for food or sex as the internet calls her as an item. She is hungry for care and affection. So when she gets that from another man outside marriage, she accepts it. It is not about the extra marital affair, it is about the moment of self-need for that warmth and love that a third person Kathir shows her.
What starts as a silent smiles and acknowledging each other during travels to work everyday, to the moment of togetherness on a silent night that ends up in sharing dinner, art, poetry, appreciation of the inate beauty of the woman both in her looks and inner feelings and then that takes it up to end in bed. This story if understood rightly do not set a context for extra marital affair but to a woman who identifies her own needs and takes that extra step away from the dark routine of life. After all she is a human being with emotions
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| Pain, Doubt, Redemption and Happiness. All in a split second. Those breathtaking eyes- Salesh Dipak Fernando |
Indian Cinema or the society is not immune to these relationships and all most three decades ago, Tamil Cinema accepted Sindhu Bhairavi, Chinna Veedu and many other memorial films. However, when it is showed in reality, on how even a sex is a routine, and how the mother expresses her anxiety when the child turns towards them and how she just fulfills her man's needs and end up a tired soul, people are not able to accept. It is for the simple reason, that the society is still tangled in the so-called morals which in truth is gone away long ago.
Here it is not about both the man and woman indulging in extra marital affair. It is about the woman not able to strike the cord of love with her husband. It is about a man who does not express his feelings but bothers only about his needs both domestic, financial and physical. It is about a man, who is still accepted in the normal family set up inspite of his affair to the other woman. It is the narrow mindset of our present society to throw dirt at the woman when she does that.
What was getting done behind the scenes for decades together, when is shown on screen, making it visible for every one older than 18, on their small computer and phone screens, people started shouting against and it is the very crowd who made this movie popular or else there is nothing new that is shown in the film.
Coming to the technical aspects, the movie is technically rich, shoot in the natural environment of the house, work at printing press, train and bus stand..and then the house of an artist...paintings and sculptures...the artists have done beautiful portrayal of the roles....expressions, dialogues and the art making this movie a wonderful art piece.
For every grown up adult, especially in marriage, this is a must watch short film. Look at the positive message it gives on how not to let your lives fall apart...how not to let your spouse drift apart for love and care. Take a break from the mundane routine and learn to enjoy life and embrace happiness.
#Lakshmi is a powerful film conveying this message. Stop looking at the negatives of this film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP5dOY42DKI&t=33s
