Nenjam Marapadilai

an ode to mouna raagam Having been an avid movie lover most of my life, I just realised, if I were to pick one film as my all time favorite,it will undoubtedly be Mouna Raagam(A Silent Symphony).If I were to guess the number of films I would have watched,I would say,maybe 1000.It is just that special something about this film, that makes it,so much more special, than any other movie I have seen.It touches the heart and moves you.And I have seen it about 20 times and everytime there is some emotional chord that it strikes. I love the early scenes showing Divya’s(Revathi) family. Divya catching her elder brother flirting with his wife,making fun of her father not knowing he is listening…I love the part when the heroine sings and dances in the rain,"Oh,Oh,Megam" and comes back home to find the husband-to-be,Mohan, waiting.I love the scene where Revathi explains to Mohan, taking great pains, why she is not the right girl for him, and Mohan telling her at the end,"Idu sonaduke aparam yanaku ona inuvum jastiyave pudichuduku".

There is no scene which is out of place or unneccessary .The initial scenes after the marriage takes place are so poignant. Revathi telling Mohan,"Nenga enna thota kambili pootchi todra mari iruku"-your heart just goes out for Mohan. His attempts at trying to get his wife to like him are so beautiful. Vairamuthu’s poetry in “Mandram Vandha Tendrlluku” is so lovely-“Tamarai mel neer thuli pol talaivanum,talaiviyum valvadena?”;"Nanbargal pole valvadheku,maalaiyum,melumum tevai enna?". Karthik’s role is like a fresh breeze, which cools you, and makes you want more of it. His character really haunts . His gunda intro;his winking at Revathi ,when he comes out of jail badly beaten up,and the latter is concerned about his wellness; the legendary "Mr.Chandramouli”scene…The scene in which he dies-what BGM from the Isaigyani, when Karthik runs off from the police van, and reaches the steps of the Registrar’s office,where he is shot dead-what music thru the movie period! I love the parts when Revathi starts to like Mohan(during the waiting period for the divorce). Who can forget Revathi teaching the gullible Sardar swear words in Tamil? Or Mohan taking her to the Taj?Or Revathi cooking something, which her husband will like, and him turning up late? Or Mohan being rude to his wife's parents, because he wants them to think,that he is the reason their marriage is falling apart? And that last scene! Revathi tearing the divorce sheets and getting on the train, Mohan valiantly catching the running train; his eyes meeting Revathi’s, their embrace ;Mohan pulling the chain and getting off with his wife ,and sweeping her literally off her feet and walking off? From start to finish what a wonderful film! Sure, even I who have romanticized this film so much, know that it is not the greatest movie ever made or anything. I am only saying that it is my all-time favorite film.Like love and friendship it is something I feel. For eternity Mani Rathnam will be remembered for this masterpiece.