Bigil- What is in this sports kit?

Can a film peddle several topics - fight against the politics in the sports industry, rip apart social class distinctions, discuss casteism and make a valid criticism of male chauvinism, female empowerment, all at the same time? Technically speaking, it is impossible for any director to explore all these critical endeavours on one platform. In an Atlee film, it is even scarier to give this ambitious project to a boy who has a track record of mixing 7 swarangal and 7 raagams. So how does Bigil support young women in self-actualizing their inner power - empower - to truly leapfrog women’s empowerment?

Bigil, right from the trailer to its audio launch speeches, screams female empowerment and that this film is a tribute to Singapenneys of our society. I wonder if it is justified in the first half of the film that is peppered with so much build-ups for Bigil who is a former state player and someone who possesses cartoony body-language that is mandatory to pull the crowd aged 16 and below. There is a cute dance and stunt introduction, followed by a few more fights in the first half. A romantic sequence is established.

But I have yet to know what Bigil does for a living as he is neither a football player nor a coach at this point of time. Like in every don film, how do they pay their bills? Like really, I am curious man! Sothuku enna thaan la pannreenga? There is a Baasha reference when Vijay’s friend, Kathir meets Vijay and he addresses Vijay as “Baasha Bhai”. We hear about Rayappan, Bigil’s father, in the flashback. Rayappan sings a MGR song. Ok, all the mass/commercial elements with the indication of “I-might-come-into-politics” are ticked. But what happened to the female empowering story that you promised, Atlee?  

If only Atlee, copied scene to scene from just one film (that is SRK’s Chak De India. Atlee, just FYI, since you may not know such a film exists), Bigil could have been a real treat. Because I quite enjoyed the 2^nd half. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised that Atlee managed to weave sensitive and relevant topics in the second half. According to research, women’s empowerment can be categorised in these 5 aspects-

-women’s sense of self-worth;

Pandiyamma tends to have a liking for food, is called out as Gundamma by the hero who uses reverse psychology during a crucial match to fuel a winning spirit in her. In other films, a girl probably could have been answered with a tearful response to that. But here, Pandiyamma’s first reaction is to fiercely roar at Vijay,

“Don’t you ever call me that?”

Even though critics point out the paradox in this scene as it can be labelled as ‘body-shaming’, I love how she retaliated instead of a soft approach- to cry. And that is where I believe Atlee has scored a few brownie points.

 -their right to have and to determine choices;

One of the players in the women’s national team is married and her husband becomes a hindrance to her football dreams. Nayanthara and Vijay intervene and explain to the husband from an orthodox family about the choices a woman has and the liberty she can take.

-their right to have access to opportunities and resources;

Atlee leaves a blank in this segment

-their right to have power to control their own lives, both within and outside the home;

A story of an acid-attack survivor makes quite a mark. The way she deals with punishing the attacker, after several years, speaks volume. Even though I completely disagree with that kind of a solution, I love that there is space given in the story to tell us how women can take control of their lives.  

-and their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally.

Another blank by Atlee.

Having ticked almost 3 out of the 5 boxes, this is indeed quite an achievement in a film like Bigil. But there is another problem. All these issues are single-handedly solved by Bigil’s intervention or lecturing. On top of being a coach, he basically goes around as a life consultant and a motivational speaker which may again questions the vision of how they want to show the power of women.

In a film that speaks about giving respect for women, there is a stalking scene where Vijay drives his bike straight into Nayanthara’s college classroom and asks her to come out of the class to settle for a trophy that she damaged the day before. Instantly, Vijay who has only met her twice, utters, “cup-a aparam kodu. ippothiku enaku company kodu.”

Is this supposed to be considered as a flirtatious pick up line exchanged between 2 grown up adults?

And Yogi Babu goes, “Aval thaan ivana ushaaar pannitaa”

Ushaar pannitaa? So much so for Singappenney, Mavaney!

Despite all these flaws and some clichéd regressive lines/scenes, Atlee equalises each drawback with a bicycle-kick goal! Just like how the colour of jersey worn by the girls during the football matches keep changing between red and orange because of the poor colour editing and VFX team, the highlights and lows keep changing from scene to scene in the narrative.

Being an ardent Vijay fan, let me say this- Vijay's strength, other than his young genes, is in subtle acting in certain emotional scenes. There is a scene where he listens to the story of how the girl was brutally attacked by a stalker and the trauma she went through after suffering from the acid burns. With hands clasped together, there is a drop of tear trickling down his right cheek. Very well-emoted scene that was! 

If you wonder why Vembu needs a short-hair wig or why Nayanthara has super long manicured nails being a physiotherapist, remember the kutti story by Vijay during the audio launch- the story about how a boy who sells flower was hired to work in a pattasu factory.

If you forgive those mistakes, then believe what Atlee said in the same function, “This is my best writing film thus far”