21/01/2026
What a powerful and eloquently written review that goes beyond simple film criticism to place Parasakthi within a vital global conversation about language, identity, and resistance. Saranya Devan expertly uses the film as a lens to examine both historical and contemporary struggles against linguistic erasure.
Here are the key strengths and themes highlighted in the article:
1. Cinema as Political Statement: The review positions Parasakthi not just as entertainment but as an "uncompromising cinematic statement" and a "call to arms." It credits director Sudha Kongara for framing the 1960s anti-Hindi agitations as a urgent, present-day warning.
2. Global & Historical Resonance: Saranya Devan brilliantly connects the film's theme to other historical struggles:
Soweto Uprising (1976): Drawing a direct parallel to the protest against Afrikaans imposition.
Ngugi wa Thiong'o: Invoking the foundational decolonisation thinker to argue that language carries culture and memory, and that losing one's mother tongue is a form of enslavement.
3. Local South African Relevance: The review makes the story deeply relevant to the South African context, noting:
The ongoing marginalisation of African and Indian languages (isiZulu, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu) in favor of English.
The specific example of Indian languages being eroded from the University of KwaZulu-Natal's curriculum.
A direct call to action for the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights commissioner, to advocate for Indian languages.
4. Balanced Critique: While praising the film's overall power and performances (especially debutante Sreeleela and the music of GV Prakash Kumar), it offers a slight critique of lead actor Sivakarthikeyan's intensity in moments, which adds credibility to the review.
5. Personal & Communal Impact: By including reactions from local cinema-goers in Durban, Saranya Devan shows the film's immediate effect in sparking reflection on heritage and the importance of supporting Tamil cinema in a Bollywood-dominated market.
Core Message: The article argues that Parasakthi is a testament to the idea that language is the vessel of identity, dignity, and history. To defend one's mother tongue is to defend one's right to exist fully in the world. The fight is not a relic of the past but a structural, ongoing reality, both in India and in diaspora communities like South Africa.
Saranya Devan, writing from her perspective as a theatre-maker, academic, and "proud Tamilian," concludes with a potent summation: "When a language thrives, a people endure. When it is silenced, an entire history risks being forgotten." This review successfully establishes Parasakthi as a significant cultural work with profound political implications. **
Heartfelt thanks to POST & Saranya Devan. *Parasakthi* is currently showing with Cinecentre cinemas in Durban & Johannesurg. A film not to be missed in Big screens.
