Writer movie review: An insightful, unvarnished peek into the police force

Language: Tamil If you think of cops in Tamil cinema, you are bound to hear Duraisingam bellowing, “Ongi adicha ondra ton weight da.” Or, Aaruchamy saying, “Naa police illa porukki.” You might even hear, “Thimiru dhan pudichavan thimiruke pudichavan” in the background. If you’re an ardent fan of Tamil cinema from the 80s, then a montage of Vijaykanth from various films should run in your mind’s eye. In an industry that is obsessed with larger-than-life heroes, the police force is often used to create brash, loud, messengers of justice. However, Writer’s Thangaraj (Samuthirakani) is an unusual protagonist. In his thirty years on the force, he has never hit someone. He gasps for breath after running a few metres. He marries for the second time to become a father and gets mocked at his son’s school as the grandfather. Thangaraj is a normal, ordinary policeman. He wants to be of service, but he is also pragmatic. This means he returns a three-sovereign gold chain to a woman who lost a six-sovereign one, or otherwise, she would get nothing. He fights futile court cases for a Police union. As a writer, he is the fly on the wall. Until, he crosses paths with Devakumar (Hari Krishnan), a Dalit-Christian Ph.D. scholar who has been detained by the police for no apparent reason. Writer unfurls as a lifestyle movie, more than a cop drama. It takes its time to establish the lives of Thangadurai and Devakumar. But, this is a necessity to understand the nuances of social authority, oppression, and the justice system. Franklin Jacob turns a questioning eye towards the police department which is notorious for its concentration of power.

Writer depicts an honest policeman’s mental health struggle like no other film – the introspection is real and honest.

There are some solid stretches of irony-soaked writing that are both grounded and revelatory. Take the stretch where Thangaraj is asked to fabricate a crime scene for an FIR, after dismissing another cop for writing a cliched one. The cops do extensive research and spin a tale complete with geographical markers. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Kavin Jay Babu who is terrific) appreciates Thangaraj’s creativity as if he has written a novella. Hah!

In an introspective moment, Thangaraj says “Police la adhigaram la iladha elarume adiyal than. (In the police force, any officer without authority is a servant.) Authority breeds and forces silence; it abhors questions. ‘Edhuku unaku indha detail? (Why do you need this detail) is a constant refrain throughout the film. Writer reminds us of the importance of information – you fear until you are aware. The privileged retain power with them by keeping information away from the vulnerable. The law enshrines the rights of the vulnerable. But can you ever truly own it when the people in power make you believe justice is a mirage? Writer’s flavoursome writing gets added momentum with a great ensemble of performances led by a compelling Samuthirakani. The actor-director nails the balance between Thanagraj’s awkwardness and reliability, also weaving in the head constable’s emotional vulnerability with the necessary flourishes. He is superbly aided by Merku Thodarchi Malai fame Antony, who plays the thief-turned-office help, Rajan. But I particularly loved Kavin Jay Babu who plays the North-Indian Deputy Commissioner who hits it out of the park with his casual villainy. Not to mention, the Hindi-accented Tamil was on point. Writer only falters a bit in the final act where it stacks revelations one after another. (There is an Ineya cameo, which again brings a new perspective to light.) But even in these relatively weaker portions, the film has enough emotional gravitas to keep us hooked. The narratively which was resolutely realistic until then also takes a few cinematic leaps to give a hopeful, yet honest ending. People may die, but ideas do not. Rating: 3.5/5 The film is running in theatres.

Ashameera Aiyappan is a film journalist who writes about Indian cinema with a focus on South Indian films.