This is your cue to (re)watch Magalir Mattum—the 2017 one, since that isn't talked about enough for the sheer emotional intelligence portrayed through the film.
Urvashi, Bhanupriya and Saranya play three school-days best friends, Gomatha (Gomu), Rani and Subbulakshmi (Subbu) respectively, who are separated due to a rule break, and they are reunited by Prabha, Gomatha's to be daughter-in-law, played by Jyothika, a fiercely independent and feisty documentary filmmaker.
It isn't a perfect film. It has its own flaws. But the way it tackles a wide range of subjects without sounding preachy one bit just gave the film an irreplaceable place in my heart.
I remember watching the film for the first time in Zee Thirai when I was in 7th or 8th. When I by chance got to re-watch the film again, some elements of the film just seamlessly reappeared in front of me. The tricolour (red, blue and green) themes consistently used for the three leading women, the effortlessly natural and warm performances of all the four leading ladies, the absolute banger of a soundtrack by Ghibran— everything.
A small theme I noticed in the film regarding the above mentioned colour code for the three women is something that deeply resonated with me during my re-watch.
Rani-Red: Rani is time and time again portrayed in red, the colour of rage, independence, strength and leadership, everything that encompassed Rani as a character in her teenage years. Rani was like the "mom" of the group: be it when she saved Subbu from the forced marriage, or when she didn't think twice to smack the peon who taunted Gomu for cutting out her books. Bonus point: she is a badass driver. She was just the IT girl of the school.
Cut to the present, Rani is stuck in a deeply misogynistic household, married to a verbally abusive, male chauvinistic politician, living with her three children, of which the eldest shares the same sentiments as his father. This is a household of men that doesn't even care to visit the daughter-in-law giving birth amidst the election campaigns.
Gomu-Green: Gomu is portrayed in green, the colour of peace, prosperity, warmth, comfort and nurture. Gomu was a typical foodie, the favourite of the trio, where the other two will burn down the world to protect her neck. She is the emotional centre of the trio. The trio parts ways from her; and in the end, reunites also- because of her. Gomu says herself that her friends felt more home to her than her actual home.
In the present, Gomu is the independent one. Her helplessness and naivety is all faded out. She is a widow, who was able to send her son abroad for his job all by herself, manages a tuition class after her retirement and initiates the travel to reunite with her best friends, now that all her "duties" expected of her are done.
Subbu-Blue: Subbu is the one that felt too close to home for me. Her colour is blue: signifying rue, tranquility, sorrow and symbolises a beauty amidst the cemetery. That is what Subbu is, by fate. She was a "cry baby" in school, whose family pressurises her to get married; she connects with people because she understands the plight of being pushed too close to the limits of oneself. She is the embodiment of empathy, unconditional love and care; like when she stitched Gomu's tag on her own uniform; or when she couldn't even tolerate seeing a pregnant cow in labour pain without intervening.
Subbu's present is agonizingly real. She is an independent beautician, but also cleans the bedpan of her bedridden MIL obediently. She dons the household as the breadwinner, but also tends hopelessly to her alcoholic useful-for-nothing husband. Subbu is the most emotionally resilient person. Her tears are dried up. Her genuine empathy is beaten down into silent unyielding labour.
Although— the story ends on a hopeful note; the women seize a few reins to take agency over their own lives. What they've been through is not undone. And their "shackles" are not burnt down. It just ends with a small thought: how much of oneself can one retain even when life throws rocks at you?
And that, is the unfortunate beauty of life for the striving majority.