Burqa review: Sincere, mature debate on religion, repression and humanity

Burqa review: The writing is beautifully complemented by the lead performances of Kalaiarasan and Mirnaa.

Burqa, from writer-director Sarjun KM, is one of the most refreshing films to have come out of Tamil cinema in recent times. It’s refreshing because the film, given the issues it touches upon, leaves a strong impact without ever feeling like much effort has been put into making this an important discourse. It is this quality that makes Burqa, which has opted for a direct-OTT release via Aha, standout and likable. Everything about the film, including its writing and staging of scenes, feels organic and seamless.

Burqa review: The story is centered on Najma, a young Muslim widow who is observing Iddat.

Set against the backdrop of a Hindu-Muslim communal riot, the story is centered on Najma, a young Muslim widow who is observing Iddat - the period of solitude of 4 months – following the death of her husband, Anwar (Suriya). Surya (Kalaiarasan), who takes part in the riots for money, gets severely injured and arrives at the doorstep of Najma, seeking refuge. Reluctant to give shelter to him initially, Najma eventually decides to let Suriya in her house and even attends to his stab wound, thanks to her brief experience of working as a nurse. Over the course of the next 24 hours, the two strangers get to know each other while indulging in a mature debate over religion, repression and humanity.

Unlike most Tamil films, Burqa plays out like a conversational drama and it works beautifully in the film’s favour. Even though the film discusses issues like religion, faith and cultural practices among others, it never feels it’s trying hard to leave an impact. There’s a beautiful scene where Najma tries to explain why she observes Iddat, despite being completely against the idea. She blames her religion for making it a tradition which has been passed on across generations. Surya, who listens to her open up about her life, stops and corrects her with a thought-provoking line – ‘It is the people who are to be blamed, but not the religion’. Who knows better about people and society than the son of a sex worker? A few scenes later, as Suriya talks about being raised in a brothel by his mother, we understand how he knows so much about people and how judgemental the society can get.

The best aspect about Burqa, its writing in particular, is that it never looks down upon any religion. It merely questions certain practices that are blindly embraced by people who are most of the time feeling helpless in such situations. The writing is beautifully complemented by the lead performances of Kalaiarasan and Mirnaa, who pretty much take most of the screen time except for a few fleeting shots of the supporting cast. Both Kalaiarasan and Mirnaa deliver their best in roles that are unlike anything they’ve played before. Apart from the acting, it’s the music by Sivatmikha that really enables the film to resonate strongly, even in the silences, between dialogues at some crucial junctures.