PremiumWhat’s the connection between Lover and Maamannan? Perhaps a section of audience who misunderstood
When Manikandan's Lover and Mari Selvaraj's Maamannan released on OTTs, a section of audience began to misinterpret the film's characters and began to glorify them. But why?
Last Updated: 01.42 PM, Apr 06, 2024
I came across a post on X, sharing a poster of Tamil film Lover. The profile, which has a significant followers, captioned the post, "According to you, who is more toxic Arun or Divya?" The comments section was flooded with various responses, a few saying Arun, some saying Divya, and many telling it is Divya's girl best friend Aishu and even others pointing the label towards the director.
It is quite fascinating and encouraging to see how a film can create multiple discourses and conversations, especially once it makes streaming debut. But the case of Lover seems different, or rather misunderstood? Directed by Prabhuram Vyas, and starring Manikandan and Sri Gouri Priya, Lover may not emanate as much love that the rose-tinted title gives out, but very much effectively captures the complications and struggles of being one, in a relationship, a romance that is just past the honeymoon phase, wherein the true and ugly nature of an individual deem safe to come out. Hailed critically for its nuanced and rightfully leniency towards Divya (Sri Gouri Priya), who is on the receiving end of emotional abuse and gaslighting, the reviews seem to have captured what the writers intended, but guess the digital premiere had other plans.
The online discourse
Lover premiered on Disney+ Hotstar and evidently just like other films, the online discourse began, and a larger set of audience began to take sides. For the beginners, Lover revolves around Arun and Divya, who are far into their relationship, and assume to be in their steadfast phase. Yes, they do share a physical intimacy and security in the relationship, but at what cost? They bicker and taunt, and have the fear of leaving each other, but at the end you know Arun can have Divya back with one single emotional pleading. Divya’s friend Aishu, who obviously witnesses the drama unfolding in front of her, sees from a clearer perspective and refrains Divya from getting into the toxic relationship again. Not to mention, how this particular character has invited the hatred of many men, claiming to have destroyed the couple’s relationship. The film ends on a note of optimism when Divya chooses herself over the fear of leaving Arun, who has been a playground of red flags. Alas, who has love not conquered? When Divya chooses herself over anyone else.
Once the film made its online presence, Lover opened a Pandora's box of discussions. Sides were taken, some evening feeling crudely sympathetic for Arun for his toxic behaviour, while chiding Divya for not recognising the worthiness of his love. While some called out Divya for being "toxic" (probably because she was not ready to mother an already grown-up man?), one particular post shared a clip from the film and a carefully chosen background music used (Adida Avala from Mayakkam Enna), as it pulls out a dialogue from the scene as the caption, "Unnaku prove pannanum nu enaku avasiyam illla.." said by Arun. Now, that sums up how Arun and Divya got a dividing audience, debating who is toxic, when the main issue was who was undergoing the emotional turmoil and bore the brunt of the abuse.
Maamannan and Lover - A case of misunderstood characters or audience?
The conversation around Lover, evidently took me back to a time when a similar instance when Mari Selvaraj’s Maamanan released on Netflix. The film, which has a strong anti-caste stance and had pigs as a symbol of pride, found its antagonist in the form of Fahadh Faasil’s Rathnavelu. He was a person, who hails from a dominant caste, and yet found himself insecure when an elderly and respectable Dalit candidate, played by Vadivelu, tries to sit on a chair as much as he does in front of him.
Upon the film’s Netflix debut, online cast groups began to celebrate Rathnavelu, created mash-ups and glorified a man who showed his hatred to the oppressed and even brutally venting out on animals and taking their lives if it did not serve his purpose. Even as the film did not mention his caste, dominant caste groups in Tamil Nadu celebrated as their own, his violent ways of discrimination and misinterpreted the film’s notion. It so became a point in favour that Fahadh Faasil convincing portrayal of a ruthless casteist may have added a feather to his cap, but at what cost when it failed the purpose of the movie.
Lover and Maamannan faced the same fate when they debuted on the streaming platform. One may ask, what went wrong? While the answer to that seemed unavailable, and only up for guesses, it is pertinent to ask the question of how the same film can be perceived in different ways with the changing mediums of viewing, whether is close walls of your room, or collective viewing experience that cinema halls has to offer. And in particular, how characters who are point blank on the notorious side get glorified. Both Rathnavelu and Arun are definitely not the people one would wish to encounter in their lives, but what makes them get celebrated? Is it the innermost human tendency to exert dominance, either by caste or gender? Or is it the play of psychology of what a person drunken in power to manipulate would do?
OTT platforms and changing colours
While it is tough to circle out one particular reason as to why films change colour by means of their consumption, there is one thing for sure. Films tend to get bigger than the actors, directors, and sometimes even the philosophy it professes. The mystery of OTT consumption remains, the power of social media and film discourses may have a small radius, but a strong one. The community might be a sample test of the larger psychology of folks.
For films to open discussions among public may seem a positive note, but what happens when films’ messages get bigger than the films itself, and shoot out in the opposite direction? Is it because the inert beliefs that we have buried deep within us? Is it because they tend to charge up when someone taps those innermost beliefs? Well, it is all up for debate.