Bhairava Sivam
I admire 4 things about this movie.
The beauty. The bravery. The boldness. The bleakness.
Beauty is something abstract, hence it is always described as being in the eye (read: mind) of the beholder, but more often than not, the only beauty seen/enjoyed is that which is concrete. This movie champions both. The wide angled, scenic shots of a nameless, timeless place assumed to be lawless lands of Indonesia featured in conveying the setting and mood of this drama is nothing short of beautiful. The actress herself, steals the show with (what I hope was) amazing ability to portray the boldness and bravery of her character so beautifully in the said lawless land against oppressing and bleak odds dealt to her – whilst competing with her own elegantly addictive outer beauty.
Bravery is a theme that somehow eludes only Marliana’s captors, for almost everyone else plays at least one hand of bravery against the villains and their odds (despite one of them being in labour!). This theme is both empowering as it is feminist; the ladies seldom need a helping fruit or canon to run a business, hijack a lorry, con a criminal, trim ‘headges’ or even to cook some humble chicken soup. This movie goes to prove you can go from a run of the mill day in the middle of nowhere, to losing almost everything you own and facing your own mortality within the blink of an eye – but women will not bend over and weep.
It is all too seldom you come across a movie that is subtle and painfully realistic about the tragedies of life (like Asghar Faradi’s the Salesman or Advani’s Kal Ho Na Ho) that does not take itself too seriously. In the middle of picturesque shots of sceneries to die for and horrific scenes depicting your daily dosage of patriarchal monstrosities; are scenes and conversations about reality. Whether it’s the authorities playing recreational games instead of their jobs or discussions with dangerously armed strangers on pleasures; this movie is bold enough to tell it like it is!
But at the end of the day, the boldness climaxes at the bleakness of life in this (or some other) lawless land. Self-defence, the authorities, your partners and the law will seldom do what is necessary to preserve your life; much less your dignity and thus we must sometimes turn to chicken soup. It sounds morbid and hopeless but I guess there would be no romance or revolution if everything can be solved once explained and voted on.
This is a movie for people who are tired of being told to toe the line, hide their desires, censor their ideas, or those desiring unapologetically raw entertainment. Caution: you might just feel empowered if you are willing to go to the kitchen for a quick bowl of soup!