What brings Kollywood so close to spirituality? Perhaps it is the idea of hoping against hope. Tamil cinema audiences are accustomed to seeing their stars emerge as larger-than-life saviours who vanquish evil, restore justice, and offer catharsis when all seems lost. In many ways, both cinema and faith operate on a similar promise: that a force greater than ourselves will eventually intervene and set things right. There could hardly be a more natural convergence than the overlap between hero worship and divine intervention. With the upcoming divine-action entertainer Karuppustarring Suriya and Trisha in lead roles, filmmaker RJ Balaji looks to fuse the grammar of mass cinema with our instinct to look heavenward for help. Here are some Tamil films that explored that fascinating idea.
Palayathu Amman
The beauty of this film is that the characters, unlike those in films usually centred around a deity, do not have black-and-white representations. Here, even the good-hearted Savithri (Divya Unni), who vacillates between believing and doubting, fearing that Palayathu Amman (a divine Meena) might take her daughter away one day. The film doesn’t deride the sceptics, but offers a kind hand to restore their faith. This is true for both Savithri and her husband, Shekar (Ramki). Palayathu Amman is a timeless classic that reminds us that the Deity’s fiery countenance does not necessarily mean that the devotees need to let go of something dear to them.
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