What Soorarai Pottru is.
##Spoilers Ahead##
There are movies that you watch, that linger in your head until your eyes close, there are movies you watch and laugh it off, there are movies you watch and cry over and over. But there is only a handful of movies that blows up the dying fire inside you exponentially and makes you cry, laugh, rage and burn with everything that you have.
For me, One such masterpiece was ‘Soorarai pottru’ (Praise the brave). I do watch a lot of movies and I don't do reviews. But this one had to be written. I knew it, the moment I finished watching. One of those movies that will always stay close to my heart.
This movie is a work of bio-fiction, a revolutionary story in the aviation industry of India. A story inspired mostly from the life events of Captain Gopinath and his struggle to establish a low-cost airline, first of its name and type in the industry. In an interview in 2014, he says to an NDTV interviewer, “When I first started on this mission, I didn't know the cost of an airbus, If I had known, It would have probably been a huge turn-off.” He just went fully in, like a blind horse, but a horse.
It is not the elite that I consider as my customers. It is the humble cleaning women of my office, the auto-rickshaw driver and other such people that we would like to cater to. We want them to dream that they too can fly, and we want to make that dream happen.
— G. R. Gopinath
The most enthralling part of this movie was getting to watch characters NeduMaaran and Bommi Sundhari breaking social barriers and achieving their visionaries, whilst fiercely supporting each other, in a period where this was vaguely uncommon(the late 90s). You wouldn't find a mad, possessed and a passionate guy like Maara, and you wouldn't find a daring, smart, supportive entrepreneur like Bommi.
The opening scene where the girl(Bommi) travels to meet the guy(Maara) for an arranged marriage match, which is quite the other way round in India, is itself a mark of something uncommon. Maara is attracted to her intelligence and awareness, but she still says a No. In an era, where woman barely had any passion other than family (as they were supposedly taught), she says her first marriage is her bakery business, just like how his airline idea is his, and she is stern on achieving in that. What I liked, even more, is her zeal for achieving matched his, but it was subtly delivered in the movie.
His persistence is something that must have moved everyone who watched the movie. The main events in the movie are realistic, which might have been dramatised a little, but they did happen. It makes me think, if a man with so many falls and impediments, can still hang on to his passion, even after he has lost everything? Guess you have got to be that MAD, and weigh everything down to make big things happen.
A scene that needs a mention, but is not that prominent would be the “Self respect marriage” that Maara and Bommi have, where they don't even tie a Thaali but they just declare that they are married to each other, branch of a movement started by Periyar in the 1960s against casteism. And then, Maara’s mother handing over some gold for Bommi’s Business. In a patriarchal society, the wife being the sole earner is in itself a big thing to mention. In various scenes, we see Bommi’s parents or relatives exclaiming that he doesn't have money, or a consistent source of income to run a family, and doesn't seem to be a family-oriented person, and when he asks “ Why can’t you be that person who brings food to the table”, he breaks all patriarchy. She refuses for him to give up on his dreams, even when he has second thoughts himself.
In most instances, if a couple is highly ambitious, it becomes a base for their relationship. We have seen many couples who have a common goal and live by it, and achieve heights. But here, both had their own separate goals, both were equally passionate and never let down their family. There are times when he just leaves her midway, times when he had to be there. But she stands alone and manages to prove a lot of things to women nowadays too.
When Bhalaiyya, tries to negotiate the ownership of Deccan Air, Maara and his friends’ Airlines, he worths it for 16 Crores. Maara refuses to take the money nor give up his airlines even for a handsome amount. Although, the main reason for him, not reaching his home on time for his Dad’s death was money, his main aim, was to break the stereotype that only the rich can fly and not the poor, even when the country is devoid of basic amenities. This delivers a different perspective to the audience. Bhalaiyya is blind to the big picture, obviously. This is clearly delivered in Maara’s words, “Cos you are a Socialite and I am a Socialist. You are different, and I am different”. Gosh! The words so simple, powerful and symbolic. Applauds.
In a scene in pre-climax, Maaran announces the main motive that pushes him to want to achieve the dream of low-cost aviation, he says “I want to break the cost barrier and also the damn caste barrier”. His intention was not only basic facilities, but also an expensive facility like air travelling, to be available and accessible across social and geographical barriers.
The Flashback doesn't need a mention at all. It was extraordinary, deeply touching and made us all cry. Tears rivered down my cheeks as Pechi (Maara’s mother), empties the bits of paper from the pouch, in which his father has poured his heart out in conversation about his son, while he was not speaking with him. Maara, screeches in pain, as he was not able to attend his own father’s funeral because of lack of money. He could not speak to his dad either before his demise. I think that's why, in the opening scene, we can see him dancing to some random death. When Maara fights with his father, his father in anger says, “Please do not even attend my funeral”. I don't know if that was a coincidence but it happens just that way. Both wanted their people to progress and both had their own ways of doing it.
In the climax scene, there is a moment, when Maara would be walking on a thin rope of life, struggling to balance but calm on the outside and positive, knowing that he would fall any moment. He makes his wife and few weeks baby, sit inside the plane, and waits in the runway for other passengers to arrive(which feels like for a second, waiting for a door which will never open). But, as the time of boarding inches to an end, I wonder what he must be thinking.
He walks outside the plane and he hears echoes from past, of people wanting him to achieve, of people wanting him to lose, the mocks and trolls of people who lent him money, playing in front of his blurred vision. This was so hard, to imagine being in his shoes, dying to know which side of the rope is he choosing to fall? Has he decided? What is he feeling? How empty? Damn, must be feeling shallow as a black hole. He then walks to the plane, and stares at the hostess with a blank expression and says to the pilots, “Our flight has been cancelled”, walks to his wife and says with that low dejected voice, “People didn’t believe me, Bommi”. That moment lets admit, we were all devastated. Fast forward 10 minutes and we are crying with happy tears again. What an amazing ending.
The music adds a certain vibe and speed to the entire movie, given all the situations. Veyyon Silli and Kaatu payale became top albums of the year. My favourite would be the song ‘Aagasam’ and the climax song. Listening to its lyrics could just make you go in search of some damn thing, with everything you have. Kudos to GV Prakash for spectacular music.
Whilst all this, the romance between the two is never lost in big things. (Why is she always feeding him in the movie? :P )
Big Shoutout to the Filmmaker Sudha Kongara, for pouring her heart and 10 years of research into this movie, when she came across the book ‘Simply Fly’ written by the Captain himself. Hoping to read it someday.
Do watch the movie and comment!
PS: Here are some fun facts. Air Deccan, owned by Captain Gopinath was later merged with Kingfisher airlines. Bhalaiyya in the movie metaphors to Vittal Mallya. Jazz airlines rings with Jet airways (the cost of these flights are still high) and its owner Naresh Goyal rhymes with Paresh Goyal. Following Air Deccan, many airlines like IndiGo, SpiceJet were introduced, which offers nominal price.
