The International Film Festival of Rotterdam's selection of Pa Ranjith’s Thangalaan, testifies to its enduring value
Illustration/Uday Mohite
PA RANJITH’s Thangalaan (Son of Gold, Tamil) has been selected by the International Film Festival of Rotterdam, IFFR. This is a significant achievement for the filmmaker, who prefers to make “massy” films, usually highlighting Dalit issues as part of a larger narrative, in a mainstream package with stars, action and songs. The festival will showcase a Director’s Cut version of 163 mins in the Limelight section. The fact that IFFR (Jan 30-Feb 9), is showcasing it, months after its theatrical release in August 2024 and streaming on Netflix, is a testimony to its enduring value.
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Thangalaan is the seventh feature of Pa Ranjith, that includes Kabali, Kaala, Sarpatta Parambarai and Natchathiram Nagargirathu, that have toplined stars like Rajinikanth and Arya. Thangalaan features Chiyaan Vikram and Parvathy Thiruvothu, among others. Kabali, set in Malaysia, had already expanded his canvas, as Rajinikanth played a triumphant Malaysian Tamil gangster, rising from an oppressed community that migrated there as labourers, while Kaala explored the rights to land and housing of the
Tamil migrants of Dharavi, Mumbai. In Thangalaan, set in the 1850s, Pa Ranjith highlights how “low” caste Tamils helped a British colonial officer find gold in the Kolar gold fields in Karnataka. But it also weaves in stories and myths about their indigenous Naga ancestors and guardian spirits of the earth, to illustrate an elemental story of greed, ambition and power.
Thangalaan (Chiyaan Vikram) is a “low” caste man, who is cheated out of his farming land by an upper caste landlord, and his family reduced to being bonded labourers. Desperate to escape poverty and oppression, he agrees to join a British officer hunt for gold in Kolar, with a few villagers. After many troubles, when they finally find gold, Thangalaan is obstructed by Aarathi (Malavika Mohanan) a fierce guardian spirit of the earth.
When the greedy Lord Clement (Daniel Caltagirone) attacks Aarathi, Thangalaan kills Clement. It is then that Thangalaan, who has long been having dreams with premonitions, realises that he is Aaran, another guardian spirit, reborn as Thangalaan, protector of the forest and its people. When Thangalaan tells Aarathi, “We need the gold to survive, as our lands have been snatched away,” she retorts, “Will gold solve your problems?” Although Thangalaan finally discovers gold, Aarathi’s question lingers in the air unanswered, in a cautionary tale.
Director Pa Ranjith takes on a lot—caste issues, an adventure story, a messiah story, and magical realism, with myths of the ancestry of the “low” castes. The special effects with leopards and snakes give it an Indiana Jones feel. Chiyaan Vikram is mesmerizing as Thangalaan and gives his all to the role. Parvathy Thiruvothu is marvellous as his spirited and brazen wife. The screenplay, by his frequent collaborator Tamil Praba and Pa Ranjith, is layered, and comments on many issues, abounding in metaphors, and even wicked humour. There are powerful scenes, for instance, in which Thangalaan wears a gora saab’s shirt, pants, boots and rides a horse, or when Thangalaan brings his bare-shouldered wife sari blouses, commenting on Sanskritisation, when the “low” castes detest the upper castes, yet aspire to be like them. Or when the “low” castes are driven to side with the British colonisers to escape the exploitative upper castes, it comments on our actual history too. There’s also wicked humour: when the “low” caste villagers leave to hunt for gold, the upper caste landlord panicks about who will till the land. His administrator cautions him to let them go: “The British gave it in writing. If we defy them, we’ll be called anti-national.” The metaphors include a beheaded Buddha statue, which when restored, marks the place gold will be found; earth spirit Aarathi who, when attacked, has her blood turn to gold. A Kishor Kumar’s cinematography is compelling, but it is a challenge for editor Selva RK to keep the diverse material tonally harmonious. GV Prakash Kumar’s music includes the catchy Minikki and Thangalaan songs; the latter goes, “Break free, O harbinger, break the shackles of caste, our dawn is near.” The end credits include archival photographs of labourers in the Kolar gold mines. The film is produced by Studio Green’s KE Gnanavelraja and Pa Ranjith’s Neelam Productions, and its women contributors include coproducer Neha Gnanavelraja. An important film.
Meenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival, National Award-winning critic, curator to festivals worldwide and journalist.
Reach her at meenakshi.shedde@mid-day.com
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