Madras Matinee movie review: This story of a lower-middle-class auto driver tries to showcase a hero who doesn't exist

Hindustan Times

4 days ago

When we peruse the newspaper each morning, there are some human-interest stories that resonate with us and cheer us up. And there are other stories that you see unfolding right before your eyes in the lives of people around you, which strike a chord. Films like Kudumbasthan and Tourist Family all explore the lives and struggles of middle-class families, and Madras Matinee, directed by Karthikeyan Mani, falls in that category.
The story is narrated by sci-fi writer Jyoti Ramayya (Sathyaraj). He is asked to write a book about people in real life rather than fantasy, and he decides to take us through the story of Kannan (Kaali Venkat), a lower-middle-class auto driver and garbage collector. Ramayya starts off by telling us how middle-class lives are mundane and boring, and where nothing exciting happens to anyone. So, is Kannan's life any different?
In the case of Kannan and his wife Shelly, it is about working hard to pay their mounting bills and provide a good life for the family. In fact, their children, daughter Deepika (Roshni Haripriyan) and son Dinesh, have desperate aspirations too and want their family to move upwards financially. Every incident in their life, though, is dramatic and sentimental, touching upon the values the lower middle class cherish. For instance, Deepika gets a prestigious IT job in the US, but Kannan wants her to get married since marriage is seen as more important at that juncture in life. In the case of smartphone-obsessed Dinesh, there's a clear generation gap between the parents and him, and it becomes an issue. Meanwhile, there are other characters and situations that come into their lives periodically, adding more drama and comedy.
Director Karthikeyan Mani has given us a story set in Madras (Chennai), which is supposed to be a slice of life with characters that we can relate to and probably meet in everyday life in this city. And that's appreciable. Unfortunately, the screenplay, which tries to combine drama and comedy, is flawed, and that's where the issue is. At times, it feels that certain situations are over-dramatised for the sake of it and that perhaps in real life, these issues would die down quickly. And the reverse as well. Some characters could have been given more depth (like Dinesh, for instance), and the humour not used flippantly in situations that are serious (like Deepika talking about bullying).
DOP Anand GK has captured the sights and sounds of many aspects of Madras beautifully, from the street corner auto stand to the tea stalls and more. Music director KC Balasarangan tries to draw us into this distinct world with his sounds.
At the end of the film, though, one wonders what the eventual takeaway was from the lives of Kannan and his family. Yes, we do see the transformation of not just Kannan but also Ramayya move away from fantasy to reality and try to showcase real-world heroism and strength to brave adversity. Like the title - Madras Matinee - was it supposed to be a lazy afternoon timepass, looking at the life of a lower middle-class family in Madras? Or was it supposed to be about humanity triumphing over everything? Madras Matinee is imperfect in its execution, and while one empathises with Kannan and his family, one doesn't find a real-life hero to cheer on.