Narratives that explore the lives of refugees and their intense problems with identity are uncommon. In Vijay Sethupathi's Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir, a man undergoing a severe identity crisis sets out on a mission to achieve his aspirations. Although the filmmaker's good intentions are to be commended, the execution is far from flawless.
An invisible piano imagined out of the prison bars is played by two little hands that are extended from the walls of a jail. The young child has a remarkable musical skill and is baffled as to why he must be removed from his instruments and music. When he is released from prison almost ten years later, he finds himself in a music store in Kerala. The kid plays with a piano's keys, a guitar's strings, and a tabla's skin. The actor clearly displays enthusiasm, which is evident. However, why was he imprisoned? That young person was a refugee with no family to turn to. The most recent Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir film by Vijay Sethupathi is a microcosm of other similar tales of people who are seeking to find love a sense of identity and reject the label of mere refugee.
Punithan (Vijay Sethupathi), a mysterious character hiding his true identity, sets out on a mission to locate Kanagarani (Kanniha), a person working in a carrot farm in Kodaikanal. He meets Matilda (Megha Akash), a gifted pianist performing at a well-known neighbourhood church, along the way. They are brought together by their shared passion of music and work to understand one another. When Matilda and Jesy, another musician, discover Punithan's true identity and reveal him to be a refugee named Kirubanadhi—a name written on his identification documents—their happy relationship is broken.
The true nature of Punithan's character and his unrelenting pursuit of Kanagarani are explored in the second half of the movie. Punithan describes his arduous journey as a refugee in this story, starting with his early years and weaving in with his unwavering desire to play music in the splendour of London.
The first scene of YOYK has a three-piece suit-clad Vijay Sethupathi discussing the futility of war, the idea of borders, and even the beginnings of the concept of nations. Naturally, there are no satisfactory answers to these important issues, and the movie immediately cuts to a flashback in which we see that young child being taken from war-torn Sri Lanka to London to pursue music. But before he could play a single note on his prized flute, his hopes was dashed by a security check and some indiscriminate Lankan police. Meanwhile, we witness how some Eezhami immigrants are mistreated by the authorities on the coast of Tamil Nadu. A random gunshot ends a rebellious Kaniha's battle with the police.
In many respects, YOYK reminded me of Nagraj Manjule's excellent Jhund, where after highlighting the class and caste differences in sports, he concentrates on demonstrating how difficult it is for the less fortunate to obtain basic necessities like an identity card. The issue is compounded in YOYK because refugees, who are struggling for their identities, are so far from the hub of things that they are barely noticeable. The public and governmental indifference to their suffering, which has mostly stayed unaltered over decades, is pointed out by YOYK in an outstanding way. When a refugee in the designated camp is prepared to give up his love because he wants her to wed someone with legal identification,You can't help but feel moved. When instructed to refrain from defending themselves, the question "How can you fight back for your identity and pride when you have neither?" is often used. It is a damning reflection of how difficult it is for people to even exercise their most fundamental human rights.
Interestingly, the film's director, Venkata Krishna Roghanth, doesn't concentrate on these two events for very long; instead, he focuses on Punidhan (Vijay Sethupathi), who uses his music to find a church. The voyage also leads to a fairly tepid romantic track starring Punidhan and Matilda (Megha Akash), giving us one more chance to watch Vivekh in his role as the Church Father. There are numerous elements that feel out of place in the broader story of YOYK, whether it be their odd first encounter or even Matilda replacing the memories of her deceased father with Punidhan's presence in her life. Although it makes sense why Punidhan's life needed a romance track, the casting decision lessens the effect. Occasionally, The narrative introduces the adversaries through two cops who are chasing after Punidhan, alias Kirubanadhi, indicating that the movie is conscious of the global issue it has raised. The latter persona is the one that leads him into problems as he struggles through bureaucratic hell on his route to London to continue his musical quest. Nivas K Prasanna deserves praise for his engaging score, which occasionally leans too heavily on coercion but serves as a good foil for the film's pretty fascinating principal narrative.
Because of this chaotic muck, our protagonist's adventure in search of his origins and identity is lost. The storyline meanders aimlessly throughout the movie, often failing to generate tension or drive. In particular, the first half's non-linear storytelling technique makes it seem a little disjointed. Unfortunately, several moments, like the one where Sethupathi tells Matilda and Jesy about his experience as a refugee, seem clumsily constructed. Despite Vijay Sethupathi's honest portrayal, the movie falls short of thoroughly examining his character's emotional journey.
The supporting cast makes an effort to fill out their roles to the best of their abilities, but their characters are flat and undeveloped. Megha Akash, Kaniha, and the late actor Vivekh all give great performances in their respective parts.
The movie is competent in terms of technical ability. With the background score, composer Nivas K Prasanna stands out for venturing into uncharted areas. These aspects, however, are powerless to save a movie from a weak and uninteresting plot.
Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir has a valuable and important message, however its execution is lacking.
