Theeviravaathi: The Terrorist (1999)

Calificación de los usuarios:

7.1/10   

Director:

Santosh Sivan

Escritores:

Santosh Sivan (story)
Santosh Sivan (screenplay) ...

Fecha de Lanzamiento:

19 octubre 2000 (Australia)

Género:

Drama

Frase comercial:

Her death will not be ordinary.

Plot:

A young female terrorist goes on a suicide assassination mission, but her resolve to complete it is put to the test.

Plot Keywords:

Assassination | Terrorist | Terrorist Plot | Soldier | Terrorist Group

Premios:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Comentarios de los usuarios:

A human face on terrorism

Reparto

Ayesha Dharker	...	Malli
K. Krishna	...	Lover
Sonu Sisupal	...	Leader
Vishwas	...	Lotus
Anuradha	...	Sumitra
Bhavani	...	Old Lady
Parmeshwaran	...	Vasu
Gopal	...	Gopal
Saravana	...	Traitor
Anna Durai	...	Photographer
listado alfabético del resto del reparto:
Bhanu Prakash	...	Perumal
Shyam Sunder	...	Army Officer
Vishnuvardhan	...	Thyagu (as Vishnu Vardhan)

Duración:

95 min

País:

India

Idioma:

Tamil

Color:

Color

Relación de Aspecto:

1.85 : 1

Clasificación:

Singapore:PG | Australia:M | France:U | UK:12 | USA:Unrated

Locaciones de Filmación:

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Compañía:

Moderne Gallerie Motion Picture

Conexiones de Película:

Version of Malli (1998)

A human face on terrorism

This is a starkly sad and beautiful film by the Indian filmmaker Santosh Sivan, in the Tamil language with English subtitles. It was shot in 17 days on locations in Kerala and Madras with a cast made up entirely of nonprofessional actors on a small budget.

The theme, however, is large.

The lead character, Malli, exquisitely played by Ayesha Dharkar, is a 19-year old woman who lives in a terrorist camp, fighting for her unnamed country. Her eyes are large and her expressions innocent and strong and even though we see her actively participating in an execution, she wins the audience's heart immediately.

She is honored by being chosen to become a suicide bomber. A very important person will come to the town, she will put a garland around his neck, and blow him and herself up by pushing a button which will ignite the bombs strapped to her body. But will she really do it?

When she leaves the guerilla camp she is led through minefields by a young boy named Lotus. We glimpse the horror of the war through his eyes and his boyish bravery. Then she is taken on a boat to spend a few days with a elderly farmer named Vesu who doesn't suspect her mission. As she dresses for the final event, she is torn with conflict.

By subtle complexities in her acting, the audience is drawn in to Malli's dilemma. However, the director sometimes gets a little too arty, with too many close-ups with raindrops on her face. And, in order to show every single emotion, the action of the story moves too slow for my taste.

However, the beauty of the film lies not as much in the actual story, but in the director's ability to put a human face on terrorism. The mood is somber, the cinematography beautiful and the emotions of the individuals caught up in the drama are captured well.

I recommend this film for serious film buffs only who are willing to incorporate sadness and starkness into their movie-going experience. Others will find it too harsh.