Eudaemonia is an illusion

Kavalai Illatha Manithan (Man without worries, கவலை இல்லாத மனிதன்; 1960)

That is what everyone is yearning for, for a life without worries, happy, without pain, of eudaemonia. From time immemorial, everyone has been throwing their two cents worth of sense into the cooking pot. At the end of the day, we still stay confused about what is expected of us.  We are still searching for the elusive happiness but what is it we are actually looking for? Can we be happy and what is happiness? Some swear that life on Earth is just a testbed for bigger things to come in the afterlife, so we are expected to live in a particular manner to ensure a place amongst the Blessed ones there. Then there others to profess that our time on Earth is a reward of sorts for all the aeons of karmic cycles of birth and the torture of rebirth of a lesser being. But wait, that is no reason to rejoice as our progress can be reversed if our conduct is far from the exemplary. And another viewpoint is that we are here, that is all. The sole of our existence is for the progression of the human race. We just come and go to connect the dots in this jigsaw puzzle called civilisation.

Continuing our journey of philosophy in Tamil cinema, we explore a light comedy starring JP Chandrababu (Joseph Panimayadas Chandrababu Rodriguez). Hailed as the then new fresh nimble talent who swept to stardom with Jerry Lewis-que slapstick antics, his ability to sway to modern western tunes, his yodelling and his brand of philosophical thought provoking evergreen songs, his entry to the silver screen almost did not materialise. He almost died, attempting suicide by ingesting copper sulphate salts after not being able to meet a director for auditioning but he made a grand entrance afterwards. Just when the tide was changing, a failed marriage plunged him into a bitter battle with the bottle and depression. Just when he thought that the rough seas had settled, a failed movie venture (when he offended MGR) made him penniless. He spent his last few days on the goodwill of friends. Rather ironic to the title of one of his hit songs and movie, 'Man Without Worries', his life never lacked any of it. 

This film narrates the tale of three characters (a father and two sons) who thought that they had found their secret formula to life. The father, TS Balaiah, is quite happy with his job of a restauranteur, working hard who money as his answer to happiness. Like Adam Smith's model of commerce elevating the socio-economic strata of a nation, he believes that money is the answer to all. He believes in the division of classes based on wealth and caste.

The elder of the brothers, MR Radha, thinks that his sole purpose in life is to enjoy life. He finds pleasure in recreational sports, even though he does not work. There is no need to work as his father has deep pockets and he is the rightful beneficiary of his money. His seek for pleasure includes music, women and wine. 

The younger brother, the protagonist, Muthu (Chandrababu), is a young new graduate of law, who has a more socialistic outlook on life. (Incidentally, Chandrababu's father in real life was a freedom fighter). He tries to cement the invisible fence that divides the caste and the classes. All through the movie, socialist ideology is sprinkled sporadically in the dialogue. His love interest is a tribal girl. 

The plot of the story is the arranged marriage of the elder brother to a girl who is in love with another and the elder brother had already impregnated somebody else and denies responsibility for it. In comes, Muthu, the younger brother, the do-gooder, to correct the love quadrangle and put things in order. After much jostling and hoodwinking, all three characters must have realised that Man can never be without worries.

We are all too intertwined to live as an island. Our bonds that we develop in the course of our lives makes it impossible to stick on to our ideals. Our bars need to be lowered. Exceptions have to be made. Rules are made to be bent. What works for the goose may not work for the gander. There seems to be no true blueprint for living. We make our rules and bend them as we saunter along.

கவலை இல்லாத மனிதன்
உலகத்தை அறிந்தவன் துணிந்தவன் அவனே
கவலை இல்லாத மனிதன்
போவதைக் கண்டு கலங்காமல்
வருவதைக் கண்டு மயங்காமல்
மெய் தளராமல் கை நடுங்காமல்
உண்மையை போய்யை உணர்ந்தவனே
வாழ்க்கை என்பது நாடகமே
வந்து போனவர் ஆயிரமே
கொண்டு சென்றவர் யாருமில்லை
கொடுத்துப் போனதும் நினைவுமில்லை
அந்த நாடகம் இன்னும் முடியவில்லை
மறு நாளைக்கு வருவதும் தெரிவதில்லை
வாழ்வை அறிந்தவன் சம்சாரி
வாழ பயந்தவன் சந்நியாசி
கண்ணீர் வடிப்பவன் மூடனடா
காலத்தை வென்றவன் வீரனடா நல் இன்பத்தை தேடி உறவாடு
நீ எழுந்திடு மனிதா விளையாடு

The Man with no worries,
He who understands the world and is brave,
is the man with no worries.
doesn't bemoan what is gone,
not faltered by what is to come
doesn't shiver to uphold the Truth,
understands the truth and the lie,
Life is a drama,
thousands come and go,
nobody brings away anything,
nobody remembers what was given away,
that drama has still not ended,
when it recurs tomorrow, we wouldn't realise.
One who understands life indulges in pleasure,
He who fears life is an ascetic,
He who cries is a fool,
He who wins time is the brave,
Seek happiness in good relationships,
You, man, rise and play!