96- Romanticizing of a doomed relationship
96 is the story of a doomed teenage relationship. Call it a rom-com or rom-trag ! , the story fits into both the genres in its own ways. What sets 96 story apart, I feel is the ‘romanticizing of the failed relationship’ . This is something novel in the genre and in Tamil Cinema. Most of such failed relationships do not dwell deep into the mind states of the couple, after the relationship ends. If it does, it is biased to one character and shows us the extremes of anguish , and agony .
Practically speaking people get on with their lives after the failed relationships , in whatever mental and emotional capacities they have, but it life is never glossy hereafter. It always leaves a sense of void in their lives, urging them to fantasize about a world where they are happily together.
The story opens with Ram’s introduction song ‘Karai vandha pirage…’ that is breath-takingly beautiful depicting the serenity & bliss in his life. Through the song, we are immersed into Ram’s world and are prompted to see his life from his perspective. This is a subtle clue that the story is about him. He finds solace in photography as it has the power to capture and retain memories, and Ram is someone who likes to cherish on those memories.( Jaanu is now nothing but a cherished memory), but yes, it has a tangible physical form. Perhaps that’s the reason he plans for a reunion as he longs to see his undying love of life. It would be unfair to dismiss Jaanu as his teenage crush or his first love. (Referring Autograph here). Even after many years, he’s the same Ram who gets butterflies in stomach on the mere sight of Jaanu. . A little talking by Jaanu warms him up ,making him comfortable in his skin. Later in the evening, both Ram and Jaanu open up, talk their hearts out, perhaps much more than what they did in their entire childhood. Both get to know about each other, slowly leading to the crux of the doomed relationship.
Jaanu is someone who is practical, unlike Ram, or may be she is matured enough to take life in her own stride. She gets married and moves on with her marital life while Ram decides to move on with the memories He pursues the newly cultivated passion for photography (We never see him holding a camera in his teenage) . Although Jaanu urges him to get married, he does not show keen interest. He does not want to marry. It’s not easy for Ram to move on. If it was, he would had by then.
As they part their ways, at airport, we see Ram standing still indicating the Ram is now again all alone, and the onus is on him to embrace the new memories , that also includes revelation of a bitter truth.
