What Is the Point of Having a Daughter If You're Not Going to Name Her Aruvi?

You probably haven’t seen any Tamil films. But if in your lifetime, you get a chance to watch one Tamil film, I beg of you to watch Aruvi. Life-changing would not be enough of a word to describe this film for me.

One day after school, we got a call from my dad, who is at work. He says that there is this new indie Tamil movie playing in the theatres just for today and tomorrow, and if we want to go see it. So the thing about me is, I will never turn down an opportunity to go to the movies, and that too on a school night, and my dad was the one to initiate that conversation? Count me in. You see, I had never heard of this film before that. Haven’t seen any posters or trailers, and there were no familiar faces in the film when I Googled.

I must’ve been thirteen years old. But when I saw the poster of a woman adorned with gold and a huge garland like a Hindu goddess, bright smiling face with a huge gun in her hand, something in me felt like I had to see this film. I will refrain from giving spoilers, as I genuinely urge you to go watch this film. The movie opens with a girl (Aruvi) and her transgender friend undergoing a police interrogation, and the narration intercuts between where she started and how she ended up there.

One cannot help but fall in love with Aruvi’s quirks and awkwardness as she grows into the person she is. You literally watch her grow into the woman she is. You will laugh because of her, you will feel responsible for judging her, you feel for her, you cry with her, and you will be left with the urge to be kind and hopeful. Is that not the point of it all?

The portrayal of so many societal issues: gender equality, sexual harassment, queer rights, consumerism, discrimination due to medical conditions, and so many more. All of this will leave a mark on you and will leave you thinking. Aruvi will consume you whole. The monologue she gives on consumerism will create disgust within you about yourself and everyone around you.

I can write a whole other essay on the music by Bindu Malini. This is an indian film, and yes, we have songs in our films, and no, the films aren’t “musicals”. Songs in film have been a long-time thing in Indian cinema, but the usage and impact are something to be studied. In this film, there is a song that captures every stage of her life.

The "Baby Track (Kukkotti Kunaatti)" will soothe you into a calmness. It always makes me clench my jaw towards the end, probably cause of my own daddy issues, but that's a story for another day. The lyrics feature imaginative, playful phrases aimed at engaging a toddler, but towards the end, Vedanth Bharadwaj’s voice is enough to make a grown woman (me) cry.

“Un paadham…poovaagum 

Un paarva…neer thoovum 

Oru kannaalae sooriyanae… 

Nee dhaanae 

Maru kannaalae maamazhaiyae 

Nee dhaanae 

Vandhaayae…en seiyaaga 

En thaayum…adhu neeyaaga 

Yezhainu ninaiyaadhae 

En saami nee dhaanae.”

English Translation:

“Your footsteps… 

turn into flowers. 

Your gaze… pours down like water. 

With one eye, you are the sun itself… 

You are that. 

With the other, you are a great rainstorm… 

You are that too.

You came into my life… as my child. You became… my mother too. Never think of yourself as helpless. You are my god.” Ugh, stupid English translation will not do justice to the beautiful and affectionate Tamil lyrics.

And then there’s “Teen Track (Asaindhadum Mayil)” Which features a rendition of a Hindu devotional song. But the purpose of this song is to capture Aruvi’s teenage years, which they do so beautifully. There is a shot where she puts on kajal, a bindi and admires her curves in the mirror. HOW COULD A MAN DIRECT THIS? WHO IS GIVING HIM THIS INTEL?

"Liberty Song (Cement Kaadu)" translates to cement jungle or concrete jungle, if you will. Go watch this music video, and it will give you all the more reason to watch the film. Fine, I’ll be kind enough to link it for you below.

It would be an absolute crime for me to write about Aruvi without acknowledging  "Hope (Merku Karaiyil)", with lyrics penned by the director, Arun Prabu Purushothaman himself.

“Idhuvae vaazhkkai 

Valiyum kooda anubavam 

Innum kettaal 

Varangal kooda vazhangi arulum 

Anbu udalukku aayul adhigam.”

English Translation:

“This is life. 

Even pain is an experience. 

And if you ask for more, 

Life may even grant you blessings. 

Love gives the body a longer life.” 

Again, I’m pissed at the fact that the English translation is not going to bring tears to your eyes. But to me, “Anbu udaluku aayul adhigam” is something that I carry with me every day. I will most probably get a tattoo of those lyrics, much to my parents' dismay, one day. But again, that’s another story for another day.

I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker since I was probably ten. But at that time when I watched Aruvi, I wasn’t thinking about the framing or the cinematography or the sound design. But I remember feeling like I had never seen anything of this sort. Such an intimate portrayal of womanhood, of rage and what it is to be human. Ultimately, this film became the reason I wanted to tell my stories, and I always find myself going back to it to understand the point of it all.

I remember the standing ovation after the film. I was unable to stand. I was unable to move. For a thirteen-year-old Tamil girl who has lived all her life in Edmonton, Alberta, this film has changed my entire brain chemistry. I could not believe a man made this film. I could not believe that this was the debut of many of the cast and crew, including the director (Arun Prabhu Purushothaman). I was frozen to my seat, but I managed to stand up, and I was clapping until my hands hurt. I was trying not to cry as I am not one who cries in front of my family. Oldest daughter things, ya know? Holding the tears in all those years makes me suddenly want to let it all out on random nights once every now and then. And when that happens, I have a list of films I watch:

Aruvi2016

Kannathil Muthamittal2002

Resurrection2018

Thanga Meengal2013

-And a new addition to that list: 

Meiyazhagan2024

I will be cuddled up in my blanket on my bed, crying until my eyes puff up, snot-filled nose as the credits of Aruvi roll, and I see my reflection on my phone's black screen. Also, up until this year, this absolute masterpiece, this absolute cinema was available to watch on YouTube. FOR FREE. Can you believe that?! Well, I'm partly sad that it's gone, I do hope to find it somewhere, in case you know, I need to cry. But no, for real. This is the kind of movie that I make my friends watch, and the whole time I’m looking at my friends' faces, watching their reaction.

I believe strongly that every filmmaker/film buff should have a close friend who is a film virgin, who hasn’t watched many movies or the good ones. I had the honour of forcing one of my closest friends to watch Aruvi, and the whole time I watched her reactions. She sat at the edge of her seat, she laughed, she cried, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. And most importantly, she wasn't able to guess what was going to happen next, which is always satisfying. Because no one likes having to gaslight their friend into believing they guessed the plot twist incorrectly five minutes into the film.

But what I’m trying to say is that we all have stories to tell. Aruvi will always be a part of my story. She will always be a reason for why I tell stories. And you should watch Aruvi because only then will you understand why I will name my future daughter after her.