The film ‘Tanmatra’ was so touching that I lost mood for some time. To revive back my spirits I went to the nearby cinema hall, which was running ‘Rajamanikyam’ and saw that film too. (I had gone holidaying to India and visited Palakkad, my ancestral home-town. Priyadarshini cinema was running Tanmatra and Priya cinema was running Rajamanikyam).
‘Tanmatra’ is a superb film recommended for awards. Mohanlal was at his best. I suddenly remembered U G Krishnamurthy’s sayings after I saw the movie. It is only the “memory” in human brains which causes us to enquire “reasons” for everything. Actually every moment is independent to itself. (tat + maatra = tanmaatra; ‘tat’ means that and maatra means moment; “that moment” only is existing!). It is our memory which links one moment to the previous moment or to the next moment. This is the cause of thoughts and thinking. No memory and we are free of thoughts. There is no enquiring behind cause and effect. All that philosophy, but I am so scary of such a state. A website tells me millions of people are identified with Alzheimer’s in the US, but mostly above the age of 60. The disease among the young is very rare. The symptoms as the disease progresses are very scary to read about. Luckily in the film the hero dies very fast. (I read that an individual can live a maximum of only 8 years once AD sets in). A moving film, well researched, well-taken and well-acted. Kudos to everyone involved