Vikram Vedha (2017)

As a child, I was very fond of the Vikram Vetaal stories. I remember reading my book late into the night, and getting into one of my very first "philosophical train of thoughts". Also, I was reading wayyy past I was allowed to (for some reason, my parents frowned upon reading right before bed) in a dim lights (probably by a torch, or if it was winters, those old fashioned heaters) and that habit was carried on for a long time, and that is why, I got glasses for hypermetropia at the tender age of 16. Neeeeerrrd.

So, when a friend told me about this modern, Tamil adaptation of the stories, I was immediately hooked. And honestly, the film didn't let me down, in context of the initial excitement. There was a scene where Vedha (Vijay Sethupathi) is sitting behind Vikram (Madhavan) in the car, and it is such a potent reminder of the Vikram Vetaal stories, that you inevitably know that the film is going to get much more dark and messy from this point onwards. I don't know if I'm making much sense, but it's a scene that has stayed with me, probably because it was after this that I started to really appreciate the depth and darkness underlying the movie.

Now, for my favourite topic- homoerotic subtext, which this film is full of. Vedha is so totally gay, it could not be more obvious. Just the way he looks at Vikram?? And all the random compliments he gives him??

Also, lowkey spoiler, but Vedha often tries to tell the story of his "love", but is always interrupted or shut off. And that, according to me, is symbolic of the silencing of homosexual narratives within a larger heteronormative structure. I just might rewatch the movie one day, just to carefully track Vedha's coded homosexuality and write an essay on that.

Another thing that I really liked about Vikram Vedha was that quite unlike the conventional police-gangster narrative, the women of the movie were strong and capable characters who never once shied away from taking control of their own lives. They were neither silent spectators of the sausage fest that went on, and nor did they shy away from confronting the men when they were sabotaging their prospects. (By their I mean the prospects of both men and women- it's sad that it has to be pointed out. Also, this sentence makes me realise that maybe I need some lessons in grammar. Idk, English is a weird language). 

I feel like this movie could have been edited a little more. Overall, however, this was an interesting movie to watch, especially in the larger context of the discourse on police brutality taking place worldwide, all thanks to USA's inherent racism against people of African descent being exposed again. Actually, there is no need to expose it "again"- it had really never gone out of sight, one just had to know where to look. Same with India, too, obviously. Casteism, neglect of tribal populations, Islamophobia, anti-minority sentiments are not dead, they are alive and thriving. And I shudder to think what's going to happen next, if these structures of oppression and violence don't end soon. Khuda Haafiz.