Rights, Wrongs, and the Art of Storytelling

Pa. Ranjith’s Thangalaan is a bold, complex narrative that brings the weighty themes of oppression, untouchability, and land rights to the forefront. For those of us engaging with Tamil cinema from the diaspora, narratives centered on rights carry a unique resonance and dissonance. In today’s global, streaming-driven world, even without deep immersion in Tamil cinema, we can instantly access Ranjith’s work alongside a wealth of critical perspectives—from scholarly analyses to fan breakdowns. Otherwise it can be that we learn about the specificities of particular social struggles through the films themselves, Pa. Ranjith’s Thangalaan offers such an exploration, delving into the fight for rights —to land and to dignity— against the backdrop of colonial exploitation and caste oppression.

Through the tale of Thangalaan and his community, Ranjith not only recounts a historical struggle but also invites a broader audience to consider how the fight for justice, though rooted in specific cultural contexts, often mirrors global battles for equity and human rights.

WANT MORE PROGRESSIVE TAKES ON ARTS, CULTURE AND POLITICS

- SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TODAY!

Set in the mid-19th century, Thangalaan centers around a tribal community in North Arcot, whose land is deceitfully seized by upper-caste landlords. The community is further exploited by British colonial forces, who are lured by the promise of gold beneath their lands. The film’s protagonist, Thangalaan, played by Chiyaan Vikram, leads his people through these trials, while grappling with both external threats and internal turmoil.

Ranjith’s signature style is evident in the film’s rich use of metaphors and political undertones. From the onset, Thangalaan is steeped in symbolism—the gold that drives the British greed, the land that represents more than mere soil, and the mythical figure of Aarathi, a sorceress whose presence blurs the lines between reality and legend. These elements serve to amplify the central themes of the film, reflecting the historical and ongoing struggles faced by marginalized communities in India.

Thangalaan is a significant work for its unflinching portrayal of caste-based oppression and the exploitation of indigenous communities by both local elites and colonial powers. The film’s exploration of these themes resonates with the broader struggles for justice and equality that are central to our mission. However, the film’s narrative choices — particularly a drift into abstraction and magical realism — oscillate between landing with real metaphorical strength and not quite meeting the challenges of translating complex social issues into compelling cinematic experience.

The performances are stellar. Vikram delivers a powerful portrayal of Thangalaan, capturing the character’s vulnerability and resilience with equal finesse. Parvathy Thiruvothu, as Gangamma, the steadfast wife, grounds the film with her understated yet compelling presence. Malavika Mohanan’s Aarathi is a revelation; her transformation into the enigmatic sorceress is one of the film’s highlights, adding a layer of uncanny danger that

One of the most poignant aspects of Thangalaan is its depiction of how marginalized communities were often left with little choice but to align with colonial forces in their fight against local oppression. It’s a controversial take — to poisiton the British as lesser evil compared to the entrenched systems of caste and feudalism in India — and it definitely ups the stakes for its audience — demanding an engagement with the layered complexities of oppression, both in the colonial past and in contemporary contexts.

Thangalaan at its center it is a film that contributes to the ongoing conversation about caste, land rights, and the legacies of colonialism. We’re reminded that the rights in question—whether they pertain to land, dignity, or identity—are not just historical footnotes but ongoing battles — and that today’s media rich landscape is one such battlefield where storytelling can be a powerful tool in the fight for rights.