Sometimes cinema transcends commerce. Sometimes it even transcends entertainment and sometimes it even transcends the medium. Uchidhanai Mugarndhal is one such film. Looking at the film, you can see that the intention is not to entertain or to earn; it is purely to document some grievous breaches of human rights that have unfortunately taken place in our part of the world.

The movie essentially talks about the plight of a 13 year old girl subjected to unimaginable brutalities that might make you squirm. Yet, it is not about an individual, it is about an entire populace who are displaced and lie in uncertainty between two governments. Some of the brutalities shown here might make you wonder whether such things can really happen and whether any person can bring themselves to do such heinous acts. But, we do hear of such things and read of them through various media, some even worse. So, we cannot call Uchidhanai Mugarndhal is an exaggeration or a one sided view of things.

It talks about war crimes, human rights violation, migration and India’s treatment of refugees. It does not make statements or opinions, nor does it call for radical action. It documents effectively the suffering of the unfortunate people. It is another step towards sensitization.

One can only imagine how much mental effort a small girl would have had to put to get under the skin of such a character. Most emotions that she has to express are alien to any child of her age, yet she manages well. All others in the cast are sincere in their performances; Sathyaraj, Seeman, Sangeetha and Lakshmi Ramakrishnan.

Let’s not bring this movie under the purview of stars and ratings. Obviously, this was not made with an eye on any recognition or commerce. It tells the rather painful story of people caught in the midst of war. But, they do show that the human spirit never breaks down, there is always hope.

Verdict: Laudable attempt to document gruesome realities.