When I saw Kannathil Muthamittal as a child, it was just a tale of a happy and naughty young girl. And that was really endearing. But when I re-watched it a few years later, the movie hit me like a truck. The tale was certainly emotional and eye-opening. It got me really curious about the political scenario of Srilanka. It was probably a little too much for a tween. At 24, I have now watched the movie at least a 100 times because it has become my jam. It is the movie that sows hope in my mind, anytime I feel a little blue. A normal person would find the things he likes and leave them at that. But I wanted to know why this movie had this effect on me? Out of all the movies that I have seen over the years, why this movie continues to have this impact on me?
It wasn’t until recently that, I realised that stories of orphans strike a chord with everyone. They are universal. If you leave the magical world, Harry Potter is the tale of an orphan. Lord of the rings is the tale of an orphan. My favourite story arc in Harry potter is also the one between Sirius (God Father) and Harry. The book Kite Runner which is also a heart warming story is also about an orphan. Take any good drama television series, you will find how the writers have weaved in an adoption or orphan story arc into it. Grey’s anatomy, Friends, Modern Family, Parenthood, This is Us. Even Game of Thrones has the orphan Jon Snow arc.
Recently I watched a series of vlogs about an american couple adopting a child from India. When they say nothing comes close to true human emotion, they are absolutely right. Seeing that child slowly adapt to the new environment is just heart rendering. No movie or television show can ever capture that real, raw emotion. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqvT2CaTxgvCqL9AoSuWAxQ )
Stories of people from broken homes and orphans are symbols of hope. Hope that anybody, any underdog can make it in this world. It is a reminder to those who feel weighed down by their first world problems. It triggers our brain to be grateful for the life and family we have. For a period of time, at least until the movie’s impact fades away, you look around at your environment and be contended with everything and everybody in your life. When you are complaining about the kind of people in your life, some people would kill to have at least one person in their corner. And that can really change the way you look at the world.
Writing about human behavior is one of the most fascinating experiences for a writer. It is fascinating because, it is really the most unpredictable thing in the entire world. I will continue to write on human behavioral patterns, dislikes and likes and anything else I learn on the way. Nothing scientific, just a simpleton’s observations of the world.
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