The conversations between a communist and a capitalist in cinema

We’re really entering that zone, huh? Sounds too ideological in the title don’t it? Don’t worry; the article isn’t an attempt to convert you into either of the ideologies. It’s just a little commentary on a movie that I grew up watching, but understood only recently.

Out of the blue, the CD of Anbe Sivam (2003) came into my home and we watched it together as a family. I watched it several times after that but would watch it only for the jokes between the two leads, Nalla Sivam (Kamal Haasan) and Anba Arasu (R Madhavan).

I would start watching the movie and the run time lasted till the station master at Ichapuram railway station announces that the Coromandel express will arrive at “ two to two to two two”. Quite recently, I decided to watch this movie again because having watched it fifty times in the past clearly wasn’t enough. I decided to go further into the journey of Nalla Sivam and Anba Arasu. What might that mighty seidhi (message) be?

Nalla Sivam and Anba Arasu are two of the most interesting characters in Tamil Cinema. They are complete opposites of each other and yet strangely complement one another. Nalla wears thick glasses and has scars running across his face and Anba Arasu looks stunning. Nalla spreads love; while Arasu indifferently says “Ennakku Anbu Pidakadhu” (I don’t like love). Nalla works with the union and Arasu is an ad man. Nalla dresses in red and Arasu can mostly be seen in white. Nalla is communist and Arasu is capitalist.

There is a beautifully done street play spearheaded by Nalla. He looks quite dashing with a Bharathiar Moustache, acting in a play that speaks of revolution. The street play addresses globalisation, MNCs and a stingy plutocrat who is willing to pay his employees a meagre salary of Rs 910.

According to the concept of class distinction in the world, there is inequality across all countries but the rich form a minority in each of their countries. The rich of all countries are in co-operation with each other and ensure that this system stays in place. A concept as weighty as this is addressed in the play quite simply. Also street play is a mode of communication used in the alternate paradigm, which has its roots in Marxism.

Anba Arasu works in advertising – the tool for capitalism. Advertising is the mode of communication in the modernisation paradigm. It has a top to down method of passing on information, unlike the mode of the communists, which is more bottom to up. Throughout the movie, Arasu doesn’t do one nice thing for anyone. He is selfish and quite individualistic (traits of capitalism maybe?). When he has the chance to do something self less, a traumatic incident from his childhood starts acting up. He quivers at the sight of blood. However, just an interaction with the boy who needs blood is enough for him to sign up to donate all the blood in his body. His character development through the movie is quite amazing. It is gradual, the lessons he learns has experiences backing them and he has a wonderful mentor and brother in Nalla Sivam.

There is a scene in the movie, where the union members are trying hard to put

together funds for a street play festival, when one of the members suggests bringing in Coke or Pepsi as a sponsor. Though this suggestion is taken down, it makes for an interesting choice as a communist is still in need of capitalist tools to communicate his agenda.

Just like Nalla and Arasu, the two ideologies exist in parallel and in some strange way complement the other. In fact, the title of the movie is itself a combination of the names of the characters of the movie. It can be broken down as: Anbe Sivam – Anbe/Anbu from Anbu Arasu and Sivam, from Nalla Sivam. The names coexist, just like the two characters and the two ideologies.