Filmmaker Mohan G Kshatriyan, known for his films like Draupathi, Bakasuran, Rudra Thandavam, has expressed concern over the themes portrayed in the recent Tamil film Dude. Speaking to Tamil Janam, Mohan said that while open discussion on ideas and philosophies is essential, certain justifications shown in cinema could send misleading messages to younger audiences.
He said, “You can talk about any philosophy – about Periyar, or about Scholar Annadurai. You can discuss their principles; you can internalize those and have conversations about them. Everyone has the right to deliberate on ideas, that right cannot be denied. So, there’s nothing wrong in having these discussions. But what’s interesting about this particular film is, when such characters are created in the movie, usually the film keeps it negative or doesn’t provide justification. But the director here is quite a young guy – perhaps at his age, he doesn’t fully grasp the gravity. He’s actually justified the story he’s presented.”
Explaining the theme of the film, he said, “Essentially, two people fall in love from a very young age. It’s a blood relation, like cousins. At one point, when their love isn’t accepted, immediately the girl finds another lover within six months. When the wedding is about to happen with the new lover, she tells this to the hero. To unite with her old lover, she arranges a fake wedding with the new lover, and the interval of the film comes after that. Up to that point, the movie was very good. The screenplay remained engaging throughout. But in the second half, there’s a subject that seems extremely unpleasant; it’s hard to see how this is possible in real life. Pradeep Ranganathan is a really good actor; he created sympathy for the character and kept us invested in the film. It makes you want that character do whatever is necessary to achieve this goal. But if you look closely, after the child from the new relationship is born and the marriage is over, the hero puts his initials and gives permission for the girl and the new husband to live together in his house. This is repulsive. It’s hard for families watching this film in theaters, not to frown.”
Expressing his thoughts, he said, “The point of this interview is to say: If your children watched this film on their own, it’s important that you have a healthy debate with them. What did they take away from the movie? What mindset are they going to carry for the next 10 or 20 years? Again, I want to stress – they justify this strange notion of sacrificing your own life for your lover to let them live with someone else. That’s what’s justified in the film, which is a very wrong idea to pass on to the next generation. So, if parents see their kids watched the movie alone, have a discussion. Or better, watch the movie together, see these problematic themes, and open up a discussion; take it as a good opportunity for dialogue. That’s how this movie should be watched. The director’s justification is incorrect. There are many Tamil movies that have sparked such debates, like “Andha Ezhu Naatkal” and in most of K. Balachander’s films. In those films, the hero’s character would be portrayed as a villain, and the heroine’s character as a flawed or problematic one. They highlight that such things should not happen in society. But here, the hero and the director just go ahead with whatever they please. In today’s times, after losing phone contact for six months, just meeting at a wedding and discussing these things is not realistic, but that’s the director’s viewpoint.”
He further added, “There’s also a storyline where, after an abortion, it’s declared that the child will not be born again; this is just something the director put in for the narrative. There’s another plot thread about going abroad which was very forced. It’s pushing things as progressive, but it’s not something you can readily accept. Ultimately, it’s up to the audience to decide; I’m sharing my own views. To parents: if your kids watch this film, have a good discussion with them, it’ll be beneficial for you. And about the creators of the film—if something similar happened in their own families, think about what decisions they would make. Can you accept this if it happened to your family? So “Dude” has been well received, and has sparked major discussion among people. Through Sarathkumar’s character, the film addresses honor killings, which is very welcome. If, say, there was no love between the hero and heroine, and he sacrificed for them to be together, maybe it could be accepted. But if there was actual romantic feeling, it is disgraceful. So, the film has created a discussion. I urge parents and children to use this as a chance for healthy debate and understanding.”
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