Waiting for the breeze to blow

``A good beginning makes for a good ending,'' says a poster staring out of the film-maker's office. And there's another which says, ``Success takes flight with confidence.'' And yet another which says, ``Nobody can stop the wind.'' Well, that ironically, is the poster of the film, still in the cans.

`Kaatrukkuenna Vaeli' is yet to see light of day, but the director is going all out to have the breeze blowing in his favour, arranging for a special screening for the film industry on Friday, and mobilising support.

``Who dare ban my film,'' a visibly disturbed Pugazhendhi Thangaraj, director, challenges. Speaking his mind out to Sudhish Kamath, a day after the special screening, he lashes out at the censors, completely denying making any political statement in the film.

``THE FILM is not about one Tamilian helping another Tamilian. It is about one human saving the life of another human,'' says the director.

``And no law in the world, or no government should be against one human helping another,'' he adds. ``Weren't we all shaken when the quake rocked Gujarat? Didn't we cry for them? Just like it is natural for us to cry for people affected there, can't I cry for people affected culturally closer home,'' he asks.

But then, he quickly clarifies. ``My sympathies are not for the militant or military organisation or any country or government. My sympathies are for the people affected because of the ethnic conflict.''

Ask him about his choice of names in the film (that tells the tale of the protagonist, `Subhash Chandra Bose', a doctor who treats an injured militant `Manimegalai' in his hospital called `Mahatma Gandhi' Medical Centre, and lets her escape, back to Sri Lanka, breaking the law of the land) and Mr. Pugazhendhi says he sees no controversy there.

``Subhash Chandra Bose, in the film is the son of a freedom fighter. If a freedom fighter builds a hospital, it is only natural for him to name it after Mahatma Gandhi. And also natural for me to end the story on January 30, being his death anniversary,'' argues the journalist turned film-maker who started his career with `Dinamani' in 1984.

``But what I can't understand is the objection to Manimegalai who I named after the classic that I got as my first ever prize during my days in Presidency. Also, Manimegalai in the film is not a real militant at heart. Nor am I glorifying militancy. There are at least two scenes in the film, internal references that can prove my case,'' he says.

Elaborating, he adds, ``In fact, Manimegalai, in the film, cries out uncontrollably for the IPKF ex-Servicemen who lost his eyes defusing a bomb and now felt betrayed, after trusting his Tamil brothers across the shores. It is that cry from Manimegalai, that reveals that she is not a terrorist but a girl with feelings which makes the doctor fall in love with her.''

The director knew he was in for trouble, right from the beginning. ``I expected cuts, not a total ban. Not even in dreams,'' he admits. Then why did he take the plunge? The media inspired him, he says. ``It's in the news everyday. Every single day, we read about ordinary people being affected in the ethnic conflict. I wanted to make my case for humanitarianism.''

Now, Pugazhendhi wants a debate, not just an order banning the film. With the Joint Action Committee in place, presided by friend Bharathiraja, the debutant director is all determined to fight it out, in spite of the primary argument against it that the film would not be to the liking of ``friendly neighbour Sri Lanka'' (which the director finds ``absurd'').

``I am not done speaking. If the matter does not get resolved before the election, I will have a lot more talking to do,'' he signs off, finally saying a line out of the movie: ``This is my life. Not just a profession.''

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