I can say I was truly lucky on the morning of March 29th. 3 days ago, thankfully, I could afford a FDFS at Sathyam Cinemas. Around 11.00, I arrived outside, welcomed by the scorching heat in Madras. There is something so exciting each time I watch a film at Sathyam- Not sure whether it’s the crowd or the experience or the popcorn, perhaps. Anyways, after 15 minutes of Madras veyil (heat), this handsome old man walks in with a man half his age alongside him and instantly the clown in me woke up and almost screamed. Hahaha, it was none other than Rajiv Menon, the renowned director and cinematographer (Notable works: Bombay (cameraman), Kandukondein Kandukondein, Minsara Kanavu, Sarvam Thaala Maayam).
I walked up to him with this sheepish smile and asked for a selfie. Damn! It was euphoric just to stand beside him. The man who gave us characters like Peter, Meenakshi etc. Just Wow!
The film was delayed by 15 minutes due to some event and when all of us made ourselves comfortable, about half of us were preparing to capture their social media “stories”. The typical CBFC certificate or the title card etc. I took one but forgot to post. Haha. What was truly astonishing though was the fact that 2 names received the highest hoots, claps and screams- Vijay Sethupathi (obviously) and Thiagarajan Kumararaja. It’s very inspiring for all future filmmakers out there, to be recognised for your work. (Damn! It’s just his second film in 8 years)
(Spoilers ahead)
Super Deluxe is more than just a film, it’s a journey, a cinematic experience you wouldn’t want to miss. The writers- Thiagarajan Kumararaja, Mysskin, Nalan Kumarasamy, Neelan K. Sekar welcome you into a psychedelic, adult world where inhabitants are forced to face their fears and try and change their faith, shit, fate. A family is forced to accept the same person differently, an angry kid is furious when he finds out about his mother’s profession, a man’s religious faith is put to the test, 3 kids are willing to put everything at stake to seek pleasure and a gangster’s new weapon is “a chappal”. A dead body fixes a broken marriage or two? Watch to find out.
The writing is absolutely fantastic, especially in scenes where Fahadh Fasil criticizes the unfair treatment we face on a daily basis. but fail to notice. True, why can’t we get paid Rs. 100 when the signal isn’t working? We are forced to pay when we jump one, right? Leela (Ramya Krishna) asks one mind boggling question that shakes your very foundation of faith and fate. Those two words form the core of Super Deluxe, the film constantly juggles between the 2 elements. Usually in hyperlink cinema, the major characters tend to clash in the end for escalating the dramatic experience, but Super Deluxe stands out in that department. Each story affects the other in a subtle and indirect manner and there is no dramatic climax, it is just a climax, an end or maybe the beginning. The end of conservativism and the beginning of acceptance. I was constantly marveling at the beautiful use of metaphors like the blue colour in Mysskin’s room which represents his faith and the “wave of Tsunami” that infact, saved his life and how the same colour seeps into Vembu’s life (Samantha) and Shilpa’s as well (Vijay Sethupathi). Another example being the name “Manikam” meaning Ruby; Shilpa (AKA Manikam) is seen wearing a bright red blouse, a blue floral sari with red roses.
it is very intricately woven in terms of sound design, art direction and cinematography. The thatha’s constant babbling even after he has left the room during Shilpa’s confrontation, seeps into your ears like music. Yuvan Shankar Raja shines in this songless amoral drama and unapologetically uses his father’s songs and elevates the film to another level. The film deserves plenty of rewatch(es) to completely comprehend the director’s insanity and attention to detail. It is a revolution in itself, politically, cinematic-ally and aesthetically.
Super Deluxe may seem like a dark adult comedy at first but it is beyond that, it is a critical political statement, a philosophical journey and a comment on the broken system of values and stereotypes.
P.S I got to meet the policekar (SI Berlin) AKA Bucks (Bagavathi Perumal from Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom) after I walked out of the theatre. Yay! Truly, a lucky day.
My rating- 4.5/5
Filmy Kadhai 