Karthik’s win in Mayakkam Enna
The road is not easy for Karthik. Passion, love and hope can only do so much to uplift his spirits when everything seems to be bleak. The biggest adversary in the life of Karthik, an aspiring wildlife photographer, is his idol, Madhesh Krishnasamy. Madhesh exploits Karthik not once but twice in the film by stealing his photographs and consequentially, the recognition it would have awarded him otherwise. This breaks Karthik, literally and figuratively. His mental health goes for a toss; his relationship with his wife, Yamini, becomes strained. After enduring several pains, Karthik finally wins. More than Karthik’s win, it is his confrontation with Madhesh–who has been nothing but frustratingly cold and callous to our innocent man’s struggle and ambition–that stands out in this film and even in Dhanush’s filmography.
For the pain Madhesh inflicted on Karthik, we want our man to give it back. The film makes us loathe Madhesh with all our hearts. So when an embarrassed Madhesh tries to avoid meeting our hero after he wins a prestigious award in the film’s final ending scene, we are cheering for Karthik. It’s an ultimate mass, revenge moment but the treatment is anything but that. Karthik stares at Madhesh in a close-up shot. The sight of Madhesh might evoke either disgust or ridicule in Karthik, who simply smiles and says, “Thanks,” and leaves. This culmination is the most unconventional, subtle yet satisfying mass moment in Dhanush’s entire filmography.