A few gems are so tiny that they fail to grab attention unless examined closely. But, they are gems nonetheless. And a true cinephile must respect that.
A similar situation is with this Tamil film called Jama. It doesn’t have a big star and the budget is also not very huge. But this film deserves our attention.
What is the story about?
In the village of Pallikondapattu, Kalyanam is a dedicated member of a street play troupe, struggling to break free from the role of female characters that he’s always cast in. His true dream is to revive his late father’s drama troupe, but he’s mocked by the villagers and constantly belittled by the current troupe leader, Thandavam. Despite these challenges, including the heartbreaking loss of his mother, Kalyanam’s passion never wavers. His extraordinary performance as Kunthi and later as Arjunan eventually earns him the respect he’s longed for.
The film beautifully explores the gender dynamics and the anxiety that a man is pushed into when he fails to fit in. The film is highly complex and it is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. However, if you are someone who can tolerate this idea then you are certainly going to be amazed.
We recommend that you watch Jama on Prime Video.