Mandadi – O To Sail The High Seas Again
Mandadi, the Soori starrer, appears to be throwing a challenge to the few surviving traditional Indian sailboat builders, to rise above the shadow of the modern billion dollar yacht and ship building industry and prove their true worth.
The movie scripted and directed by Mathimaran Pugazhendi has awakened the memory of the merchant ships and navy of the great ancient sea faring civilisations of India that criss-crossed the globe powered by the monsoon winds.
The wooden sailboat that rides effortlessly on sea currents and winds under the direction of a skillful mandadi (captain) and crew, far more efficient and sustainable than any motor driven vessel, is the true pride of India. (How such a formidable tradition died and was wiped off from the Indian mind and soul over a span of half millennium with onset of colonialisation, modernisation and overthrow of kingdoms, is indeed a great puzzle.)
Most importantly the movie has successfully brought out the traditional annual sailboat race of Ramanathapuram and other coastal towns of South India into the public limelight. Unlike the annual Government sanctioned rowboat event, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Alappuzha, Kerala, no one outside the coastal towns where the sailboat races are held knows about them.
Of course, Soori’s heartfelt rendition of his leading role as Muthukaali, the mandadi of the Mugavai Maindhans team competing in the annual sailboat race, injected great zeal into the movie.
Muthukaali’s main rival, friend-turned-foe Sattapuli, the mandadi of the dominant Tsunami Riders team also put in an explosive performance as the arch villain in the movie.
The story co-written by producer Eldred Kumar and Ameer Jamal Khan together with Pugalzhendi is well plotted with a smattering of emotional and romantic scenes intertwined with outburst of greed, villainy, vengeance and heroism.
Mahima Nambiar gave an emotionally stirring performance as Angel Rakkamma, estranged lover of Muthukaali and presently mother of Maari (Mithun Jai Sankar) whose rash retaliation against Sattapuli’s son Kittan (Krish Hassan) set the movie plot rolling.
Arriving at Muthukaali’s workplace in Chennai, Maari who is on the run from Sattapuli and his goons comes under Muthukaali’s protection.
This subsequently causes Muthukaali’s return to his village, Mugavai from years of a self imposed exile after the killing of his mentor and lover’s father, Muni (Sathyaraj) by Sattapuli and his goons when Muni comes to Muthukaali’s rescue.
A village council intervenes to resolve the matter by getting Maari and Kittan to settle their score in the upcoming Mugavai sailboat competition. After Maari’s mandadi is lured away by Sattapuli’s side, Muthukaali agrees to lead the team.
The highlight of the movie ensues and the gripping action of competing in a sailboating contest where Muthukaali’s experience and expertise acquired as Muni’s favourite student, in harnessing the wind with sails, rudder, keel and distribution of the sailors’ body weight.
The engaging camera shots in the deep sea which was probably a first for a Tamil film and the action sequences including a midsea fight scene involving Muthukaali, Sattapuli, Maari and Kittan supported by a real life sailboating crew from the shoot location of Thondi and Pasipattinam under the command of veteran stuntmaster Peter Hein, held the audience at the edge of their seats throughout the race scene.
The music score and lively songs by GV Prakash blended in perfectly with the breathtaking scenes including drone coverage of the sailboat race captured by cinematographer S.R. Kathir and his team.
Whatever shortcomings of the movie highlighted by overcritical reviewers including heavy editing by Pradeep E. Ragav, to compress the great many sumptuous instances and scenic visuals obviously shot by the cinematographer, into 154 minutes of screenplay, are negligible compared to overall audience satisfaction.
ends
