Sillu Karupatti - A poetic take on love that soothes you!

Bharath Vijayakumar

In case you have been yearning for that life like cinema that is poetic and at the same time doesn't leave you weary by depicting all the harsh realities of life, then look no further. Halitha Shameem's Sillu Karupatti is that kind of a film that reinforces the belief that powerful cinema needn't always be hard hitting. This gentle and breezy anthology on love across class and age has the power to rejuvenate you! The common thread (apart from love) in the four stories is that the central characters aren't in an enviable position. In fact, you can make tearjerkers with these characters but Halitha does exactly the opposite.

Pink Bag : An unlikely bond develops between a garbage collector and a girl. That is pretty much it but what we have visually on screen is a sight to behold. The camera captures the dumpyard with a certain love in a way that we aren't used to. There is poverty but Halitha depicts the small joys of this life in the most unassuming of manners. Two kids sit in a deserted road in front of a multi storey apartment. Listening to their conversation you would start wondering as to who are the unfortunate lot. Those kids inside who are safely 'caged' or these two who aren't protected by a safety net but would probably face the challenges that life throws at them with a smile.

Kaaka Kadi : Manikandan and Nivedhithaa are terrific in this romance that blossoms when the character played by the former is at a precarious point in his life. The two have differing viewpoints on what love actually is but soon realize that it can mean a whole lot of things but being there for someone when they need you the most is what is love. This isn't spelt anywhere nor do I know if this is what was intended to be communicated through this episode. But this is exactly the way Halitha has narrated her stories. You can take out a lot from the film but the film is never lecturing you at any point of time.

Turtles : How would an elderly and independent woman who is single by choice feel when she is being wooed by someone her age? Halitha treats this story as casually as possible. You remove age from your mind and this couple behaves not very differently from two youngsters falling in love for the first time. The performances here do seem a little conscious but given the nature of the characters and the rather awkward situation that they are in, it sort of fits in.

Hey Ammu : This is the only story in Sillu Karupatti where the couple are inside the institution of marriage and expectedly or unexpectedly they don't really seem to be in love with each other. You can be married for 12 years with 3 kids and have sex every night as a ritual but none of these guarantee love. Hey Ammu depicts the importance of communication and what happens when things given on a platter are taken for granted. The humour is superbly organic and there is hardly a false note by either Samuthirakani or Sunanya who are both brilliant.

Bottomline:

Halitha Shameem delivers a terrific piece of art that has the power to positively influence your take on life. Your smile is intact right through the film and could possibly stay on for sometime to come.

Rating: 3.75 /5