Created by M. Manikandan, Kadaisi Vivasayi (The Last Farmer) is rather an experience that moves not only the earth but the very soul of the beings that thrive on it. Along with a soul-stirring background score from Santhosh Narayanan, the feature narrates the importance of connecting oneself with nature, from a philosophical meta-state.
Few stories strive hard to get hold of the very essence of life but fail to achieve it. However, few movies, rare ones, get hold of it and express it like anything; the narration plunges into one's heart, kindling emotions that were hidden till that point. Kadaisi Vivasayi, the tale of Maayaandi being the last surviving farmer in his village, is one such rarest gem, which took me by surprise. It made me laugh, cry, moved my heart like never before. Give me a few minutes and I will tell you why.
The Prelude - to the creator!
Right after the release of Kuttrame Thandanai (Crime itself is a punishment), Creator M. Manikandan expressed his thoughts about Kadaisi Vivasayi and shared a few insights about it. Right from that point, I was intrigued to watch his work, as soon as it gets created and released on big screens/OTT. Why I should be intrigued? Well, as a storyteller, M. Manikandan stands apart from many. He does not create content but lives through it, experiences it, and then modifies it in such a way that it will cater to the audience in a much more engaging way. His films Kaaka Muttai and Aandavan Kattalai are great examples of that. His perception of the world, shown through several beautiful frames, is good enough to kindle one's interest.
The Crux of Kadaisi Vivasayi
The titles for the film roll on-screen, as a devotional song (to Lord Muruga) is played in the background. Though sounding religious in nature, the song holds the crux of the film itself. Let me tell you how. The initial lyrics of the song basically means "I do not care if you are a stone or a figment of imagination, I still shower the same love towards you, Lord Muruga!" It is all about hope! That is what Kadaisi Vivasayi is about - the act of sowing hope!
The feature emphasizes the act of passing - of knowledge, love, compassion, deeds, and the fruits of the past to the future, just like a seed. Technically speaking, it is like the DNA in a human, passing on crucial information to the upcoming generation. Through such acts, the feature firmly establishes the factor of hope to the characters (on-screen) and the audience alike.
The Last Generation
There is an interesting scene in the movie, where the youngsters ask an old-age potter to make some things for them. The potter is old and is the last of his generation of potters. Yet, he caters to their needs as the youngsters look in awe of what the potter is doing with the earth. On second thought, this is exactly the story of Maayaandi, who is also the last of his generation of farmers, and his knowledge and techniques are on the verge of extinction.
Consider a strange situation inside a prison, where Maayandi questions the "farming" knowledge of his cellmate as if it is common sense to do farming, which is all about earth, water, air, and sunlight! And he is true! Such common sense is slowly getting away from us, which is beautifully woven by M. Manikandan, expressing the importance of such ancient techniques.
The term Literacy takes an entirely new shape in the feature. The lead character, Maayaandi, irrespective of the lack of proper education, has profound knowledge of the things that he buys, uses, and produces. It makes us question the term knowledge again and again. Is the knowledge from books the real knowledge? Well, Maayandi accepts that he is not literate but has enough knowledge to survive himself and his art of farming and animal husbandry. The way he cares about the things fed to the beings, clearly shows the importance given to every lifeform on this earth, let alone humans, which can only arise from the book of life!
Screenplay with Philosophies and Metaphors!
In order to make one experience through several acts unfolding on-screen, the film requires space when it comes to its screenplay. M. Manikandan understood it completely and provided an ample amount of breathing space, which allowed us to inhale the freshness of nature that unfolds in front of us.
Though the feature has a strong message, it never hits us right on our face. M. Manikandan did not play the emotions in such a way that one is persuaded into what he wishes to tell. On the contrary, he merely explains a few philosophies as bread crumbs, which may not be completely necessary today but might help us in our journey of life.
Take a scene where the youngsters query the elders about their way of worship. The discussion that happens and the answers provided by the elderly villagers, are simple, straight to the point, and are purely spiritual in nature. If philosophy cannot be expressed in layman terms, it isn't a philosophy anymore, and Manikandan did it spectacularly, throughout the film.
Right from a stone worshipped as a deity, to the age-old Bodhi tree, the movie is filled with metaphors, which are beautifully woven in the screenplay such that, most of them pan out as a humorous/light-hearted scene than a serious one. While one person is worrying about his baldness, the other person handles her case of "dwarf" ness with utmost humor! Just like that, the feature tells us how to handle imperfections in life, to accept life as it is, and make the best out of it. And one such theme of metaphors falls under the spiritual connection of Kadaisi Vivasayi.
The Spiritual Connect
There is this amazing..amazing..amazing scene where Ramaiyya, played exceedingly well by Vijay Sethupathi, encounters a sage near a temple. The sequence that follows can only be termed as a spiritual experience and nothing less than that. But if one wonders, the movie will still be the same, without this particular event. The story will still move forward without this particular conversation. However, it is one such sequence that kindles the ray of hope inside Ramaiyya, and inside us as well, which makes us forget about the necessity of the sequence and rather focus on the juice it offers us.
Similarly, the references to Lord Muruga and his vehicle Peacock, though not completely relevant to the story, are more of a spiritual connection to the two crucial characters of the film - Maayandi and Ramaiyya. The climactic sequence involving such a connection can only be termed as surreal and spiritual. Nothing else!
The People
The leading actors, especially Dheivathiru Nallandi (Maayandi) and Vijay Sethupathi (Ramaiyya), did a fabulous job in enacting their roles to perfection. Most of the supporting actors, though relatively new, did their part exceedingly well that I did felt everything complete and real.
The inclusion of Santhosh Narayanan and Arivu as music director and lyricist, respectively, is completely justified through their beautiful songs with deeper meaning, connecting the earth and the life that thrives on it. Both the songs, along with their picturization, had a profound impact on our viewing experience and they still linger in our minds.
The Impact
After witnessing the movie Swades, I was moved in such a way that it evolved me as a person, where there is no going back from the experience of such a feature. There is no turning back. It made me discover myself, intellectually and emotionally. Kadaisi Vivasayi moved me in such a manner that it reminded me of Swades. Both these features transcended boundaries and hit us hard at the bottom of our hearts. Is it due to the fact that both these films are based on a village? Maybe. Is it because both these films involve the difficulties faced by farmers? Maybe. But one can just speculate and cannot find the right reason on why it creates such an impact on your heart. I guess one should just leave it as it is, and experience the artwork.
M. Manikandan's Kadaisi Vivasayi is one of the most important feature films in Tamil Cinema, is surely the best I have seen in the past decade. Without exaggeration, it will be one of the best films in Tamil Cinema, at least for me, and I highly recommend experiencing this feature!
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