Loads of literature has been written on this film. So let me point a scene, it’ll will be the editing which I like the most. Editor – Bhaskaran.
Bharathiraja has this habit to do crazy cuts. Example, in Muthal Mariyathai- When Sevanthi is killed in the river, her lover see her dead body and throw his flute, the shot is froze in the mid-air, we see people running- only their legs, Sevanthi’ father crying and people lifting her dead body from the river. Crazy cuts are only backed by the music.
Here in 16 Vayathinele, Mayil (Sridevi) walk into the doctor’ house with a hen (Kozhi). As she walks by the compound wall we can see the tender-coconut (elani) vendor. While she inside the house, the doctor takes advantage of her. Slowly as he makes his move by touching her hand, we are cut to the outside of the house; the elani vendor starts to cut a coconut.
For each hit on the coconut with the machete, the doctor is advancing his moves on her and successfully puts her on his bed. Suddenly she realizes that she gave too much room (cricket terminology). She jumps from the bed and run out of the house. The coconut vendor misses the hit and coconut fall in the ground. Psst, an opportunity lost for the doctor!
This should be an example of cross-cut in Tamil cinema, which is “cutting into actions occurring at the same time in two different locations”. Even though the coconut vendor is not a part of the story, but his action is a part of the narrative.
For the sake of my enthusiasm-
Another perfect example of cross-cutting is the Costigan interview scene from the film The Departed. Here all the shots are relevant to the story and narrative. The best part in this is the scene starts in the interview room, and then cuts to different locations- actions happening at the same time (Sullivan walking out and talking to Barrigan), there is flash back (Costigan talking with his uncle & being with ailing mom) and even future actions (Sullivan buying a property). Then back to the interview room.
Next revisit will be a best cinematography shot in Tamil cinema, along with a Hollywood film!
Other Tamil films you might be interested from this "Revisiting" series- Manal Kayaru, May Madham, Taj Mahal, Baasha, MMKR, Hey Ram, Sabapathy, Raja Paarvai, Vikram
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