“Nandhan” Movie Review: A Promising Concept Hampered by a Condescending Approach

The villains seem to revel in their roles, almost like classic cartoon characters, complete with exaggerated mustache twirls and sinister laughter.

“Nandhan” opens with a message from the director emphasizing the harsh realities of caste discrimination, making it clear that the film is based on true events. This sets the tone, leading viewers to feel a sense of shock whenever the film tugs at their heartstrings. The film effectively evokes the intended emotions, reminding us that these injustices are still prevalent today.

However, despite the serious subject matter, director Era Saravanan elicits over-the-top performances from the cast, which ironically undermines the film’s message. The villains come across as clichéd, reminiscent of cartoonish characters with their exaggerated antics. In contrast, Balaji Sakthivel delivers a vibrant and entertaining performance, fully embracing his role. Sasikumar, while lacking some finesse, portrays a simple character who is oblivious to the injustices around him.

At the film’s outset, two upper-caste men debate who should lead the village, while Nandhan, an educated man from a marginalized community, challenges the unfair selection process and insists on being considered. Tragically, he is killed just moments later. After this pivotal moment, the film tends to depict characters from the oppressed caste in a condescending manner. They are portrayed as naive, lacking the insight to recognize their oppression, which strips away the complexity of caste dynamics and fails to provide a nuanced understanding of the issue. The portrayal reaches a low point with Sasikumar’s character, Koozh Pa, highlighting this lack of depth.

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The character portrayed as a fiercely loyal worker to his casteist employer comes off as a one-dimensional stereotype, reflecting the narrow mindset often associated with caste discrimination. The main critique isn’t that such characters or incidents are unrealistic; rather, the director could have approached this sensitive topic with more nuance and restraint. While Suruthi Periasamy, who plays Sasikumar’s wife, serves as a voice of reason and identifies injustices, her role feels more like a deliberate attempt to earn feminist recognition than a genuine representation of empowerment.

The film employs various cinematic techniques designed to evoke strong emotional responses. For instance, slow-motion scenes of an elderly woman’s burial, accompanied by heavy rain flooding her grave, and prolonged sequences of Ambeth Kumar’s family being violently attacked, are all crafted to overwhelm the audience.

The most impactful moment in “Nandhan” occurs near the end, where we see real-life montages of individuals from oppressed castes facing harassment while attempting to run for office. Although their tears are highlighted, the film fails to authentically convey their anger, frustration, and the systemic constraints they endure, which are evident in their speeches.

Despite its good intentions, the film struggles to accurately portray the struggles of the oppressed with the sensitivity they deserve. While “Nandhan” aims to make us feel sorrow for these injustices, it leaves viewers questioning whether it seeks to foster empathy for the oppressed or merely evoke pity.