Chennai Palani Mars is a ‘space film’... but the reason is not because it has a lead character aspiring to travel to Mars.
The reason is that this film is a million light years away from mainstream space, and it seems like that it was compiled when the writers were spaced-out. The lead characters are almost always ‘high’ on something for the film’s 120-minute run time, and for that reason, it may not be to the liking of the traditional Tamil movie audience.
Presumptive assertions aside, Chennai Palani Mars works for a multitude of reasons. The story is linear, but requires maturity from the viewer to be able to comprehend the cluttered aspects of the screenplay unfolding on screen. That’s something huge to expect of an audience, who have been pummelled on a weekly basis with sub-standard content. Having said that, it also felt like director Biju attempts to stuff too much of content into the package, which is perhaps the reason why many would feel alienated by the film.
The story is about Aakash (a discernible Praveen Raja) and the friend he acquires at a de-addiction centre, Aandava Perumal (Rajesh Giriprasad, in an engaging role).
As a child, Aakash grows up watching his father’s many failed attempts at reaching Mars with a balmy idea — travel via his... thoughts. A man now, Aakash is less approving of his father’s theory, considering he’s an astrophysicist! Stay with me on this... but he also comes up with an equation that he declares solves the unsolvable. That Mars travel is possible: with just the human thought. This is among the least confusing of the setups in the film.
When Aakash finds himself to be the subject of a murder investigation — two other key characters are introduced to us in the meantime: the investigating cop Thirupaarkadal Kannan and the constable Velusamy — he meets Aandava Perumal. Also an addict, Perumal struggles with rage issues when high. He has been kicked out of a band he formed for this reason, and singing is shown as a beautiful coping mechanism that he adopts, whenever triggered.
Aakash and Perumal escape the de-addiction centre, and the film too ditches the unconventional screenplay and comfortably settles into the road movie space for a while. The journey takes a long time to culminate at Palani, but the duo stick to their favourite mode of transportation: a two-wheeler. There’s nothing quite like travelling on one via the hinterlands of Tamil Nadu, and Biju captures the imagination of the audience with a few aerial shots. A particular shot that flips the camera upside down as their two-wheeler wiggles around the lane markers blows the mind.
There is comedy (of the slapstick, yuck, dry wit and black humour variety), and through the dialogues, the writer in Vijay Sethupathi shines through.
- Director: Biju Viswanath
- Cast: Praveen Raja, Rajesh Giriprasad, Vasant Marimuthu, A Ravikumar, Paari Elavazhagan
- Writers: Vijay Sethupathi, Biju Viswanath
- Storyline: A cocaine addict sets off on a road trip with a fellow junkie to realise his dream of reaching Mars, after pinning hopes on a scientifically unstable concept
For instance, the character, referred to in the credits as ‘Suicide Guy’, Karthik Krishnamoorthy, is introduced to us as a ‘saavanum nu nenakkira IT employee’. In another scene, Perumal looks at a dazed car driver, who unwittingly enters a world full of men (high on substance), and asks, “Nee ponam thane?” (You’re a dead body, right?).
A mention of the Greek myth of Icarus and Daedalus is received by a witty response from Perumal along these lines — “Appavum paiyyanum stuff illlama pannangala da?” (they thought of wax wings without using stuff, is it?). This comes at a time when contemporary analysis of mythology has largely been withdrawn from Tamil cinema. Then there are the numerous references to the act of pooping, and a sketch which cleverly uses a classic MS Viswanathan song! The Karthik Krishnamoorthy character even has the potential to be meme material. He pops up in unexpected circumstances, and subtly nudges the story arcs forward in a different direction.
But only when seen in isolation, these bits are clever writing. One particular scene comes to mind, when Perumal asks his friends where his band’s concert is taking place, and they trick him by giving him the location to a landfill instead. Perumal is then adviced by Aaksash, who says, “Keep performing. Enna panrom than mukkiam, ethana per munnadi nu mukkiam illa!”
When it comes to the whole package though... the film predictably suffers due to the quantum of parallel content. The final sequence, which admirably tips a hat to the multiverse theory, is ironically an example of this situation.
If you were looking for a message from the film, this is it. Chennai Palani Mars is no Orange Mittai, but both Vijay Sethupathi and Biju Viswanath have dared to push boundaries. It is a bold first attempt at experimental film-making. But if not for the name of Vijay Sethupathi, this is probably a film that would have found its home on an obscure digital streaming platform.