Synopsis: Mathew sets out on a journey to become a politician — and to come out as gay.

Review:

“Avana nee?” is a popular Tamil phrase often used to mock people who aren’t straight. It loosely translates to “Aren’t you the guy?”, which is usually interpreted as “Aren’t you gay?” The phrase became widely popular among the Tamil audience when the fan-favourite comedian Vadivelu used it in one of his films, directed at a character who overly expresses his desire. We might have also come across trendy phrases like “Why are you gay?” in online spaces.  

Neither the filmmakers nor the general public would understand the damage it has done to the homosexual community. How would you feel when a toxic boss makes fun of you at work? Or, how would you feel when your favourite cousins didn’t make it to the family event you hated? Left out? Perhaps, we would understand it better after watching Joe Baby’s Kaathal The Core! 

The story of this film is pretty simple — a man named Mathew (Mamooty), struggles to come out as gay. Probably this is the first time we encounter an actor of this high stardom playing a role like this. There is also another layer to this story, which is Mathew’s ambition of becoming a successful politician. 

We see how constant rumours about his sexual orientation (that he isn’t straight) affect his political career as well as his psychological well-being. In fact, this part exactly reflects the society we live in — that you ought to be straight, or else, you would be shamed. We can sense that Mathew is deliberately hiding something; we also understand that he is confused and struggles with his feelings. 

But when his wife Omana (Jyothika) is introduced, it opens up a whole different perspective — the subtlety she brings to the character is remarkable. We sense that something is going on between Mathew and Omana which doesn’t look good. The issue seems like a long-term one, and the reason remains an element of suspense until we see the couple in the courtroom. 

Joe Baby tackles one of the complex issues with striking maturity. It’s easy to sound politically incorrect and risk misleading the audience, but the courtroom conversation between Mathew and Omana only broadens our perspective. Taking sides doesn’t work here, as each of their views seems valid — thus, leaving everything to the story to unfold. 

Additionally, whenever Mathew and Thankan (Sudhi) appear together, their emotions seem to be very intense, which brings us more into the film. The unexpressed love between two men is beautifully captured — it is something we don’t frequently encounter. 

The final verdict? 

Joe Baby’s Kaathal the Core is a sincere attempt to turn complexity into simplicity; it opens up various possibilities, making the abnormal feel normal, and the unusual seem casual. Moreover, it avoids spoon-feeding and lets us observe matters as outsiders, helping us understand the inner agony of the homosexual community — perhaps, only endless love could undo the damage done by our popular society!