Deiva Thirumagal

A. L. Vijay's 2011 Tamil film follows an intellectually disabled father's legal fight for custody of his seven-year-old daughter. Krishna, played by Vikram, is an adult with the cognition of a child; after losing his daughter he goes to court, and the opposing lawyer ends up questioning her own idea of family. The resemblance to I Am Sam was debated on release and the production acknowledged the influence. Vikram's performance is the film's axis and is contested: the preparation behind it is acknowledged, but the representational problem in playing intellectual disability this way is more visible now. Sara Arjun's work as the child is unforced and the most truthful thing in the film. The dose of emotional manipulation is high; the score and the cutting openly aim to make the audience cry. Who it's for: viewers who follow Tamil family drama and Vikram's transformation roles. Who it's not for: anyone sensitive to how disability is represented, or who will find the emotional pressure uncomfortable.