Just came back from having watched the 7pm show of Natchathiram Nagargiradhu at Nexus Vijaya Mall. I am usually very critical of Indian movies. I’ve been cheated too many times to not be cautious. So when I watch something that genuinely makes me pause and take a deep breath and turn off my autopilot mode, I have to talk about it. I am so proud of this movie. I am proud that art like this has been made where I’m from. It is rooted in reality and yet is unafraid of peaking its head into the clouds. Such a creation takes nurturing and careful intent to produce.

I’ve tried to write something about the plot and the characters of the movie, but I do not want to offer any precursor to anyone who hasn’t watched it. And anyone who has watched it wouldn’t need it. I just want this to be about the impact it has had on me.

While I was watching it, I couldn’t help but feel the authenticity of the characters it portrayed. I know people like these from my own life. The actors have done a fantastic job of immersing themselves into the roles. I believe them. Everything felt organic. It prompted me to rekindle my own old desires to write and express myself through fiction writing. That makes it an inspiring work.

I am particularly struck by this film because I consider a lot of Indian movies to be just plain cringefest. I simply can’t relate to it. Most of it feels low-effort, technically unsound and overall unimpressive. But then there arrive gems like this, and Super Deluxe and The Disciple etc, which I respect and find refreshing.

I want more filmmakers to feel inspired to make something that reflects upon the social reality and promotes public discourse while not being preachy but most importantly truly immerse the audience in an authentically human experience in a sophisticated narrative.