Rhythm

Vasanth's 2000 Tamil film follows two people who lost their spouses in the same train accident. Karthik is a photo editor, Chitra a woman left alone with a young son; they meet without knowing about that shared loss. The subject is the length of mourning and what those around them expect. The families want them to marry again and the neighbours talk; the narrative does not hurry the two together and keeps that slowness deliberately. Arjun and Meena lead, with Jyothika appearing in the passages set earlier. The music is a significant part of the film and the turning of the seasons builds its rhythm. The tone is grave and the melodramatic elements measured. Who it's for: those who like quiet Tamil drama and narratives about grief. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a driven narrative; the film is long and deliberately slow.