Mozhi with Jyothika: Fantastic Tamil movie 1


Mozhi

Year: 2007

Writer: Radha Mohan

Director: Radha Mohan

Length: 152

Category: Drama

Rating: 4 out of 5

Entertainment with purpose – to the hilt

Mozhi is one of the finest Tamil movies to come in this decade. It’s worth watching, and watching again. Karthik (played by Prithviraj) falls in love with Archana (Jyothika) by just seeing her in action. He learns soon that she is hearing and speech disabled. In a bid to win her love, he accosts her. As they become friends he grows to admire her for growing beyond her disabilities into a confident person. A rift develops between them when Archana realizes that Karthik thinks of her ‘nature’ as a ‘disability’. Once they get over it Karthik proposes marriage and it’s time for Archana to confront her insecurities…

In a rare departure, this Tamil movie puts a disabled character at the centre of the plot. It does not bother Archana that she does not speak or hear. But for a small part, the movie does not show her as someone disserving of pity, in fact she is confident, talented and comfortable with herself. As the theme song puts it, “Mauname unnidam antha mounam thane azhagu” (Oh silent one, silence is beautiful in you), emphasis is laid on accepting disabled people as they are.

This was Jyothika’s last movie before her marriage and there could have been no better way to say (a brief?) farewell to the screen. Prakash Raj plays Prithvi Raj’s friend in a neatly crafted character. He brings to the screen a fine brand of humour. Swarnamalaya plays a fine accompanying role. The movie abounds with other nicely fitting characters, all of whom live in an apartment complex.

Mozhi is one of the finest Tamil movies to come in this decade. It’s worth watching, and watching again. Karthik (played by Prithviraj) falls in love with Archana (Jyothika) by just seeing her in action. He learns soon that she is hearing and speech disabled. In a bid to win her love, he accosts her. As they become friends he grows to admire her for growing beyond her disabilities into a confident person. A rift develops between them when Archana realizes that Karthik thinks of her ‘nature’ as a ‘disability’. Once they get over it Karthik proposes marriage and it’s time for Archana to confront her insecurities…

In a rare departure, this Tamil movie puts a disabled character at the centre of the plot. It does not bother Archana that she does not speak or hear. But for a small part, the movie does not show her as someone disserving of pity, in fact she is confident, talented and comfortable with herself. As the theme song puts it, “Mauname unnidam antha mounam thane azhagu” (Oh silent one, silence is beautiful in you), emphasis is laid on accepting disabled people as they are.

This was Jyothika’s last movie before her marriage and there could have been no better way to say (a brief?) farewell to the screen. Prakash Raj plays Prithvi Raj’s friend in a neatly crafted character. He brings to the screen a fine brand of humour. Swarnamalaya plays a fine accompanying role. The movie abounds with other nicely fitting characters, all of whom live in an apartment complex. // –>


About Vivek Srinivasan

I work with the Program on Liberation Technology at Stanford University. Before this, I worked with the Right to Food Campaign and other rights based campaigns in India. To learn more, click here.

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One thought on “Mozhi with Jyothika: Fantastic Tamil movie

  • Ramesh

    Nice review. Indeed a great movie which can be watched over and over again. Vidyasagar and Vairamuthu also have their part. After a long time I went to a store and personally picked up the DVD