Navarasa

Since we are confined just to our home, we watch a lot of TV. Recently came across this Tamil Netflix original Navarasa. I have not completed watching it yet, but the first few. I am watching something in a regional language after a really long time honestly, so following the language only by the subtitles took a little more effort from me than the mindless sitcom watching I generally indulge in. Following subtitles while feeding a child is even more difficult, but I accomplished it, so yay me. Spoilers ahead.

Sometimes you watch some things in cinema and you laugh at it. The episode, or volume as they call it, on “Hasya” (laughter) was just that. A very cute little story involving a dog which falls into a shit hole, and then the shit hits the fan, literally. Then I was ambling through the rest of the episodes. The episode on wonder, was a brave attempt at sci if, but mostly was me reconciling with the fact that Arvind Swamy has become old AF. Then I found myself applauding the fact that they first pick up lines from Nolan unabashedly and then actually talk about how Nolanesque the idea is, I mean, the gall!

But what really hit home, and perhaps I can’t go on watching now is the episode on “Shanthih” (Peace), where the episode ends with a question mark at the end of the word. A man goes over beyond enemy lines in a war zone to rescue a puppy but gets killed. I mean, as if the premise was not gut wrenching enough, they had to keep a baby, a puppy, a dead brother story line and a guy who believed true compassion exists in every human - made the audience hope for a moment there and BAM! I knew all along it was coming, but pretty cruel, that ending. 

So I made a humdrum about so many chores to complete because that’s how I channel my frustration and went to sleep. I don’t think I can watch the rest. Though I hear the next one on anger is great. Let’s see, may be I will watch it today (but I have to sneak some time away from the kid).