Mari Selvaraj: 'Only In The Face Of Vulnerability Does Heroism Hit Harder'
|
In a conversation with Subha J Rao, the filmmaker talks about his latest outing, Bison Kaalamaadan, the teachers who shaped him, and the politics, pain, and quiet tenderness that fuel his cinema.
|
MARI SELVARAJ'S Bison Kaalamaadan is more a force of nature than a film. Kittan’s journey to wearing the India jersey and representing the country is written and directed as a rousing drama, but with a healthy dose of subtlety. Fear, people’s generosity, caste discrimination, benefactors and love exist, but silently. But the silences speak so loudly, you end up rooting for Kittan long before the script turns him into a hero. Selvaraj’s fifth film, based on Arjuna Award winner Manathi Ganesan, is also proof of his learning curve — the craft is sublime, but the focus is always on the story. Everything else serves it. Over the years, the director has been praised and criticised for the exact same things, much like his films and his politics. But Selvaraj says he chooses to move on, owing to certain choices and apologising for others. Psst...Mari Selvaraj's 2024 film Vaazhai is currently streaming on JioHotstar, now available with your OTTplay Premium subscription. Watch the film here. In an hour-long conversation, the director, one of the very few who make time for print interviews, speaks of the creative choices made for Bison Kaalamaadan and his love for teachers and animals. He also addresses some valid criticism. Edited excerpts below: |
From when you began to now, how do you see your growth as a storyteller? Is your craft work-in-progress? I like to believe I am first and foremost a storyteller. When I first began writing and telling my stories as an assistant director, I did not have craft, but only confidence. My focus was simple. If a director asked me where I was from, how I would make them understand me, and what incidents could help in that process. Eventually, it was my short stories, poetry and essays that paved the path for me to enter the world of cinema. And then, I began working on my craft. Even today, when I make a movie, the goal is that no one should reject my story. My story has to somehow reach people. And that is where craft comes in. It helps me get through to people. This must have been an arduous journey... My family and friends always question me as to why I work so hard. But I am learning, not working. I am a work-in-progress, and I still have to learn how to land better, how to make myself better. Life is my teacher. CONTINUE READING... |
All Her Fault Understands That Motherhood Is The Ultimate Thriller
|
Beneath the missing-child plot in All Her Fault, the show hides a truth every mom knows: survival, guilt, and exhaustion are just different kinds of suspense. Swetha Ramakrishnan writes.
|
Spoilers ahead (but no amount of spoilers in here can prepare you for the climax). ** WITHIN the first 10 minutes of All Her Fault, a buzzy thriller series on JioHotstar with Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning in lead roles, the worst that could happen, happens. Or so you’re made to believe. Marissa Irvnie (Sarah Snook) goes to pick up her son Milo from a playdate, only to be told there was no playdate planned, and that her son isn’t in the location he was supposed to be. As a parent, my heart was in my throat within the first 10 minutes of the series. It surely can’t get worse than the first time the realisation hits that your baby is not safe. But it gets worse, it gets much worse. And the beauty of All Her Fault lies in this exact ability. The minute the viewer takes a breath, thinking, okay, the worst is over, out comes another twist. Not only does this chain you to the narrative (I can bet that most people who start watching the series will not stop until it’s over), but it also makes you introspect while doing so. A mainstream thriller with substantial thematic resonance — who doesn’t love those? Your pop culture fix awaits on OTTplay, for only Rs 149 per month. Grab this limited-time offer now! |
On paper, All Her Fault is a riveting abduction thriller with Abbas-Mastan-esque twists and red herrings, but it’s also an astute commentary on mom-guilt and female friendships. All Her Fault blends the delicious commercial beats of a kidnapping whodunnit with an empathetic take on how isolating mothers feel having to raise children in a society that is (still) largely misogynistic. Not only is the series easy to binge and very edge-of-your-seat, but it also makes a strong point about how impactful power and control dynamics can be within a family. ALSO READ | The Villain, The Glass, & The Milk The abduction of Milo takes the Irvines on a roller-coaster ride where everything they have worked for cracks open. Melissa has lived her life with the privilege of a wealthy white woman, and her husband, Peter (Jake Lacy), has melted into his role as a breadwinner, having to take care of his disabled brother Brian and Lia, his sister, who’s a recovering addict. When you first take a peek into their lives, you make a bunch of premature assumptions. First, there’s something sneaky and devious about Peter, but you can’t really put a finger on it. Second, Melissa needs a nap, maybe a holiday; not only is she the glue that holds the whole family together, but the kidnapping of their child seems to have fallen fully on her shoulders, what with the mom guilt, the sleeplessness caused by the stresses of a missing child, the emotional burden of society that is asking her too many accusatory questions. And third, this can’t be a simple case of a kidnapping, because every character keeps repeating this one dialogue like it’s their bible: “It’s all about the money.” Having watched many a whodunnit in the past, I was able to deduce pretty early on that the kidnapping was not about money. CONTINUE READING... |
| | Like what you read? Get more of what you like. Visit the OTTplay website or download the app to stay up-to-date with news, recommendations and special offers on streaming content. Plus: always get the latest reviews. Sign up for our newsletters. Already a subscriber? Forward this email to a friend, or use the share buttons below. |
| | This weekly newsletter compiles a list of the latest (and most important) reviews from OTTplay so you can figure what to watch or ditch over the weekend ahead. |
| Each week, our editors pick one long-form, writerly piece that they think it worthy of your attention, and dice it into easily digestible bits for you to mull over. |
| In which we invite a scholar of cinema, devotee of the moving image, to write a prose poem dedicated to their poison of choice. Expect to spend an
hour on this. |
| | Hindustan Media Ventures Limited,
Hindustan Times House, 18-20,
Second Floor, Kasturba Gandhi
Marg, New Delhi - 110 001, India |
DOWNLOAD THE OTTPLAY APP ▼ |
| | If you need any guidance or support along the way, please send an email to ottplay@htmedialabs.com . We’re here to help! |
©️2025 OTTplay, HT Media Labs. All rights reserved. |
| | |
