To Let Movie Review: An urgent social issue imaginatively confronted with a singular accent

There have been films about the housing shortage and how the Indians have been hit by crooks. One of the first films on this subject appeared in 1977, Gharonda in which two fascinating actors, Amol Palekar and Zarina Wahab, perform a couple in distress deceived in a promised apartment. The pain and the pathos were drawn with rare sensibility and showed how desperate was driving them into a hopeless gulf.
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The clbadic Balu Mahendra in 1988, Veedu in Tamil, was a masterpiece that also spoke of Sudha's impotence (translated with a touch of excellence by Archana). ) who was trying to find a home for herself and her family. disturbing, and pointed out how the obsession of the middle clbad for the possession of a home often had disastrous consequences.
The last of Chezhiyan, To Let (who won the National Award for Best Tamil Image last year), addresses a subject similar to Gharonda and Veedu the desire to have a home. But the protagonists of Chezhiyan have a more modest ambition, although the woman, Amudha (tried with a wonderful natural ease by Sheela), has the feeling in a moment of weakness too ambitious that to own a house (without renting one) with a spacious kitchen and a small balcony to be a dream come true for her. Her husband, Ilango (Santosh Nambirajan, also a natural), is a struggling writer, whose film stories can shine but receive no credit. A producer is willing to pay for it, but does not bear his name. Their little son, Siddharth (Dharun), can not understand when his parents can own a TV and that a two-wheeled car must live in a rented home.

The owner of the apartment (Athira Pandilakshmi) is not only stupid, scorning Amudha and Ilango, but also cruel when she asks them to leave in an extremely close time. The difficulties of the couple then begin, and begin to multiply when they find that it is almost impossible to find a home. The reasons, if not the excuses, vary from the business of Ilango (the cinema is little appreciated by the owners) to his caste through his eating habits.

All of this is still true today in Chennai, where the film takes place. Single men and women are often not-no-owners, as are members of some religious communities. And filmmakers competing for the world of foil are often held miles away.

What is most striking about To Let is his ability to stay focused on what he intends to explore. Czezhiyan, who also wrote the story and powered the camera, refuses to play poplar card that most Tamil films are tempted to do. To Let does not contain songs or dances, and the music we hear comes from the old TV that owns the family. In the process, To Let turns out to be a must-see piece of cinema not only about the misfortunes of Ilango and Amudha, but also about the hundreds of thousands of others who are struggling to find a decent apartment.

The work is sincere and honest, net after 99 minutes, even though it could have avoided some hype spots. Leave may be perceived by some as a trifle too dark and depressing. A more imaginative curve could have done the business.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

(Gautaman Bhaskaran is an author, commentator and film critic)