There is a beautifully warped scene in Neela Nira Sooriyan that wonderfully embodies the intersectional nature of feminism and the multilayered conversations about trans rights. Halfway through the 97-minute film, Aravind, a physics teacher, has transitioned to Bhanu, a physics teacher. She is visited by members of her family who are shocked by her decision to become a woman. Tempers are flaring, words are being thrown, and emotions are oscillating. Bhanu’s elder cousin, played by Semmalar Annam, is flummoxed by her decision to transition. The cousin’s husband seems much more at ease, and says, “This look suits you. You look good.” Pat comes the reply from the cousin, “Yeah, in your eyes, any woman except me is beautiful.” In one swooping statement, we see her admonish her husband’s roving eye, accepting Bhanu as a competition, and then goes on to ask, “What do you think is the advantage of turning into a woman. Do you think we have it easy? Being a man is the best thing.” Bam! An important social commentary is used as a throwaway line. But the scene isn’t over yet, because the punchline is left. “But this is what makes me happy,” says Bhanu.
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Now, this scene, in essence, is the soul of Neela Nira Sooriyan, directed by Samyuktha Vijayan, who plays both Aravind and Bhanu. It is a beautiful tale of a man deciding to accept her inner voice and become a woman, not just physically and mentally, but also societally and bureaucratically. While we have seen snippets of the former two aspects of this story in many films, Neela Nila Sooriyan does an excellent job of exploring the latter two. There are systems in place, but are they fair for everyone? There is an overwhelming sense of empathy, but does it come without a side order of judgement? There is acceptance on some levels, but can it ever happen without going through the other six stages of grief? The film provides insights into a bunch of these topics, but never enters into the preachy territory. In fact, even if it did, we wouldn’t have blamed the film because it is extremely rare to see such a voice being platformed in mainstream cinema. But the tremendous restraint in the writing and the direction shines the brightest because it acts as a reflection to our own inherent biases about portrayal of trans characters.
Samyuktha Vijayan as Aravind in Neela Nira Sooriyan
What really works in Neela Nila Sooriyan is the intense self-reflection of the protagonist, and the subtle statements that call for financial independence of the members of the trans community. It is this financial independence that provides Bhanu the voice to stand up for herself. Of course, the support from her colleague Haritha and her partner is important. Especially on the mental level because she is the only one who refers to Aravind as ‘her’ long before Bhanu becomes public knowledge. Through these scenes, Samyuktha effortlessly shows how easy it is to empathise. She also weaves a slightly overlong even if effective tale involving the school authorities, and how empathy isn’t always without a facade. Then, when Bhanu comes out to her parents, we are shown how empathy is not everyone’s cup of tea. But again, she never blames them completely. It is her family after all, and the writing treats the parents and their emotions with a lot of respect.
Another important positive of Neela Nira Sooriyan is how Samyuktha and her team have a firm grip on the cinematic aspects. The performances are compelling, and so is the beautifully understated music by Steev Benjamin, who triples up as the cinematographer and editor. The visuals of Neela Nira Sooriyan are as poetic as the title. Be it that brilliant shot with a table lamp, a mirror, and Aravind getting frustrated with taping his growing breasts, or the long shots of Bhanu having to walk through traffic, dirt, and dust to do something as basic as using a washroom at work, the film does an excellent job of giving us a slight peek into the journey, but never once makes us forget that the aesthetics is only to make things palatable for the mainstream audience.
While we are tuned to expect visuals of Bhanu going through a harrowing experience as she transitions, Samyuktha beautifully subverts that to show us a parallel tale of a young student Karthik (a terrific Masanth Natarajan), who is grappling with his sexual identity. These portions open up the importance of proper sexual education in our educational institutions, and paints a poignant picture of the stark difference between utopian revolution, and hard-hitting reality. It is through this story that Samyuktha tells a story of how in this struggle for identity, more often than not, every single person is on their own. It is a pity that the film rushes through these portions without allowing it to breathe to its fitting end. The hurriedness takes away from the emotional impact of the final act where Bhanu comes to terms with how in the fight between self and the system, the system always wins.
Masanth Natarajan and Samyuktha VIjayan in Neela Nira Sooriyan
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Take, for instance, the terrific scene in a government office where Bhanu has to file an affidavit for an official change of name. This scene unfolds like a separate film altogether. It shows how things are changing, but at a pace designed by people who aren’t really the stakeholders. But it doesn’t mean their intentions are wrong. It is so beautiful how Neela Nira Sooriyan asks a bunch of questions, but never rages against the system that works against the community. Samyuktha points out the problems in the system, and wants to start a conversation and work towards a solution. She understands that this conversation cannot be held in a vacuum. It has to happen well within the core of the society. Neela Nira Sooriyan is less like a pamphlet that can be discarded on a whim, and more like those ‘important questions’ students want to read before the exams. It might not be enough, but it is necessary. At the end of this blue-heavy rainbow, there might not be a pot of gold, but there is definitely a ladder for anyone who wants to move to the next step.
Neela Nira Sooriyan Movie Cast: Samyuktha Vijayan, Masanth Natarajan, Haritha, Gajaraj, Geetha Kailasam
Neela Nira Sooriyan Movie Director: Samyuktha Vijayan
Neela Nira Sooriyan Rating: 3.5 /5
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