Movie Review : Arulvaan

 Arulvaan directed by Thaen fame Ganesh Vinayakan, is a film about the power of education and the importance of making it accessible to the remotest areas, and to those in need of it. And most importantly, it showcases the how the actual will  of people in power can make life better for future generations, despite all odds.

Kanthan ( Aarav) and Amaravalli ( Ramya Pandian) are a loving couple who live in a tiny remote hamlet on a mountain,  with their daughter Kurinji ( Baby Kritika).

The hamlet is so remote and inaccessible thanks to jungles, rivers, slopes and wild animals, that children from other villages trudge 15km to reach nearest schools in the plains.

Nobody in Kurinji's hamlet is educated due to superstitions and inaccessibility to resources.

However, when vested interests exploit the villagers to steal their land and Kurinji's grandfather dies as a result, the little girl vows to get to educated in order to better the life of her fellowmen. Her dream is to bring a school in her village so that others can benefit too.

But given her circumstamces, this is a  near impossible task. She somehow learns that the district collector, Muthuvel ( Arulnithi) is the powerful person who can help  in this task and sets  out to make that happen.

Is Kurinji able to achieve her dream? Does collector Muthuvel help her in this journey? What role does he play in her life?

The director brings out the sheer remoteness and beauty of the mountain village with DOP Sukumar expert camerawork. The Breathtaking scenery alongside the dangerous jungle and the tough terrain, is all captured expertly, showing us how near impossible Kurinji's dream is. The music is lilting and adds to the ethos of the film. 

The simplicity of the village life there and the power of vested interests in exploting them is well brought out, via the cruel ranger  John Vijay.

Aarav and Ramya Pandian are perfectly chosen and do a fine job in bringing their characters to life. Baby Kritika is the showstealer with an impressive performance, especially in the emotional scenes. She brings out credibly the innocence of her character and her steely will at the same time. 

The mainstay of the film is Arulnithi, as the efficient, kind hearted collector Muthuvel, who is empathetic and understanding to the plight of the  downtrodden. Arulnithi aces his role with a topnotch, dignified act.  His scenes with Kurinji whom he takes under his wing in a humane act,  are superb. His measured and nuanced performance elevates the film, enhancing the importance of the cause of education as an empowering tool for the deserving. The climax scenes are noteworthy with real time clips played out, adding meaning to the director's message.

On the flip side, there are logical questions that may need answering and few lags in the screenplay which slow down the film. 

Overall,  this is a film which takes you through an emotional journey, successfully connecting you to its chacracters, to convincingly convey a significant social message.

Rating 3/5 

*ARULVAAN*

*CAST* 

Arulnithi - Muthuvel 

Aarav - Kanthan 

Ramya Pandian - Amaravalli

Baby Kritika - Kurunji

John Vijay - Pandian

Kaali Venkat - Dhanraj

VTV Ganesh - Chandran

*CREW*

Director : Ganesh Vinayakan 

Cinematographer : M.Sukumar 

Music director : G.V. Prakash Kumar  

Editor : Lawrence Kishore

Art Director: Lalgudi Ilaiyaraja

PRO: Nikil Murukan