THE FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

What is it that makes us watch some movies over and over again?
Why is it that sometimes after a dreary depressing day, we seek the reel world to escape?

Medical research has proven that cinema therapy is one effective tool to cure depression. Those random images on screen woven together to form a canvas to paint a story have an infalliable formula of feel-good inherent in it!

Take for instance the timeless Balachander flick 'Ethir Neechal'. The tale of a struggling yet ambitious errand boy and his ultimate triumph in life still inspires us, while simultaneously making us double-up with laughter at its interwoven comedy track!

'Life is Beautiful', although dealing with the holocaust, is one movie that makes us cry at the brutal nature of the human mind while at once showing us to what extents we can stretch our strengths to survive.

So what is it that makes these movies a sure-shot cure to replenish our hope every once life deals them a blow?

Movies have this innate ability to make us take a break from reality and portray the very same reality in a way that the make-believe seems more real than the existent reality. This surreal space where we connect with the players on-screen is where the director plays with our mind and gives us the impression that the recorded thing going on a piece of canvas cloth, with some story enacted by random people is what is happening then and there. Our worries get suspended, our responsibilities-tossed in the air. For a while, reality gets redefined. And in that time-space, when a director portrays a tale that showcases the ultimate triumph of the human spirit, it touches some part of our soul and it feels good!

This triumph of the human spirit is served not just with a simple direct narrative but with some extra doodling of ideas on reel- comedy, action, drama, music, dance etc. Comedy makes us laugh our hearts out. ‘Thillumullu’ proves us that point! Bruce Lee flicks tell us why we love it when the baddie gets bruised! Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, through its breezy romance sweeps us off our feet. Mr.And Mrs.Iyer, Mouna ragam, Paasa Malargal, Abhimaan speak volumes about the drama of life. Dance and its gusto in movements and the emotion-churning ascent and descent in music somehow leave a joyous footnote to the proceedings.

With popcorn or without your cold coffee, sprawled in your favourite couch or standing in the aisles of a crowded touring talkies, in that short span of a few minutes or hours, what is going on in screen somehow does something within you and makes you smile. They may just be puppets danced around by a story-tellers’ hand, but they tell us a tale so very like our own- hardships, struggle, heartbreaks, tears and the ultimate quest of success and smiles. Ah.. feels good!