 "Mugizh movie review: A simple but charming slice-of-film about grief")
Language: Tamil
In the past few weeks, Vijay Sethupathi has had three film releases. He is also hosting a show on a popular Tamil television channel, has given umpteen interviews. Suddenly, Vijay Sethupathi is everywhere: in theatres, on digital platforms, on TV, Youtube. Memes flooded the internet and they progressed to trolls, fuelled by the failure of his recent projects. But VJS is showing no signs of slowing down: he has a long list of projects that are in various stages of production. Thus, the popular opinion came to be: “Are we seeing too much of Vijay Sethupathi”
In a recent interview to Film Companion, while speaking of yesteryear veterans like Kamal Haasan and Sivaji, VJS remarked that it is only people who face criticism are the ones who constantly experiment. “People who do the same thing and go, they aren’t scrutinised so much,” he said. This constant need to experiment, he says, comes from the concern that creative personalities have on the audiences: “Everytime they come, they should get something new. When you present them a variety, we create a difference in the tastes of our audiences. This comes from not underestimating the audience’s intelligence.” This quote might as well apply to Vijay Sethupathi as well, whose filmography is so remarkable unique among his peers. From playing the antagonist to ‘character roles’, his filmography has a bit of everything. And as a result, they have always been a mixed bag. For every, _Super Deluxe_ or _96_ , we have a Rekka or a Sangatamizhan. Whether his efforts succeed or not, his zeal to experiment has never plateaued.
Mugizh, a 62-minute film, that has hit the theatres is Sethupathi’s latest experimental escapade. Starring his daughter and Regina Cassandra apart from himself, Mugizh is a simple tale about how a child processes grief. The chemistry between the family is palpable, thanks to naturally effective performances from the lead trio.
The film is refreshingly minimalist: there’s no lofty problems, no corporate and institutional injustice to be rectified.
It’s a story about Kavya (Sreeja Vijay Sethupathi) who is afraid of dogs. Radhika (Regina) and Vijay, both pet lovers, get a dog to help Kavya overcome her fear. The new addition, Scooby, makes a charming addition to the affectionate family. He becomes everyone’s favourite, as even the fear-riddled Kavya warms up to the cute puppy. Until one day, the family loses him. Mugizh plays out like a collation of snapshots from our families. The cinematic language is consciously unintrusive, with liberal doses of pleasant music (Mugizh has music by Revaa) in the background. Coping with their pet’s absence, the family passes grief around to each other. Kavya refuses to leave her bed, riddled with guilt. Radhika struggles to cope both with the loss of her pet and also with her child’s indifference towards her. Some insightful moments between the family, imbibe the feeling of life. Whether it’s Kavya apologising to Radhika for leaving her alone in her grief, or Radhika being openly vocal about her need for support – the smaller flourishes make Mugizh a wholesome watch. However, the theatre doesn’t feel like the right home for a film Mugizh. With a span time of a mere 62 minutes, the experience ends quickly – especially when theatres insist on having a 20-minute interval. The film would be over even before you finish your food. A digital release would have been a better way to experience this film. Amid all the gangster dramas, action thrillers and the blood-soaked action that we see our top stars constantly indulge in, the mere fact that a marketable hero would accept a premise like this, feels like a miracle. This is why VJS, regardless of his successes or failures, is an actor I will always root for, and continue to do so. Rating: * * *
Ashameera Aiyappan is a film journalist who writes about Indian cinema with a focus on South Indian films
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