The Tamil
movie I watched last night at home theatre is obviously based on the title
Kaadu (forest) and the lives and way of living adjoining same. The movie wasn’t
much interesting to watch, but I did plainly for the message it carries on
forest conservation and the important of preserving the forest. The film shot
in and around Dharmapuri, one of the most backward and drought prone district
in Tamil Nadu, captured at its natural state.
Begin with a
note dedicating to all nature lovers and forests activists, Kaadu makes it path
clear and wants to point out the mindless behaviour of man toward
deforestation. Even though the movie comes under usual drama, the main plot
deals with Velu, who collects firewood in the forest and sells to the people in
his locality. Being a believer in nature, he makes certain not to cut a single
tree or plant in the forest to preserve it for future generation.
Velu’s friend
Karuna, who aspire to become a forest officer couldn’t cope up the bribe that
is needed by the selector. In desperate he smuggle sandalwood and get caught
but he request Velu to replace him so that his dream don’t ruin. Velu in jail,
Karuna becomes a forest officer by impressing the DFO and tries to take over
the forest for his personal gain by removing the people of the forest. Velu on
bail, fight against karuna, and smugglers on other hand, to save forest and its
people.
Directed by
newcomer Stalin Ramlingam, Kaadu ties to capture the views of people closely
associate with forest and what/how it suppose to be and seen. The film travels
on socio-political scenario (that well detail the lifestyle of the people in
forest) has great remarks throughout, touching topics such as eco-conservation,
unemployment and corruption in government engine and the important to rely on
roots. Captioned as forest, the film doesn’t show any animals but stressed the
need of them to be in the forest than in zoos.
Vithartha as
Velu in the role of a rural man is apt, as he had done many similar roles in
his carrier that began in Myna and his transformation into rebel is also convincing.
The film also conveys communism at its fair bit, Samuthirakani in the role of political
prisoner, with a mandatory reference to Che Guevara, spell out neatly the need
to fight for one’s right. For a movie with great idealism, the romance and
comedy comes as a flipside spoils the real cause of watching.
The film also indirectly
mark the late encounter of red wood smugglers or loggers in AP, whom were
mostly gone from nearby districts of Dharmapuri. Although the movie ends with
message, it wasn’t sharp hitting rather it should be as it make mandatory that
forest guards should be truly admirer of nature and forest activist to protect it
entirely. And if we continue neglect forest and keep ravage, the after effect
would be drastic that humankind would not survive.
