The poignant line, "I have to constantly leap over the many fences they keep placing in my path, and I don’t know how far I should run to reach a place without any fences," spoken by Kittaan, the young hero of Bison Kaalamaadan, sets the stage for a powerful narrative. Our protagonist, yearning to become a national Kabaddi champion, finds himself relentlessly battling societal barriers. This recurring dialogue later transforms, with ‘far’ becoming ‘high,’ emphasizing that true liberation from oppression often requires a defiant ascent rather than escape. This core theme is masterfully explored in Mari Selvaraj’s fifth directorial, Bison Kaalamaadan, a politically astute and emotionally resonant drama that also marks his most accessible work to date.
Building on the success of his previous works, Selvaraj crafts a brutal world in Bison where deep-seated animosity can ignite explosive conflicts from the slightest interaction. This is vividly illustrated in a disturbing scene on a town bus, a moment that chillingly explains why Kittaan’s father (Pasupathy) initially discourages his Kabaddi ambitions. The film intelligently suggests how even revered customs can warp into something sinister. This concept extends to the simmering rage in Kittaan’s own eyes, mirroring the destructive feuds between two caste factions led by Pandiarajan (Ameer Sultan) and Kandasamy (Lal). While these factions are consumed by hatred, Kittaan’s violence is born of necessity—a means of survival and self-defense.
An impactful still from ‘Bison Kaalamaadan’ features Dhruv Vikram in character.
Drawing inspiration from the life of Indian Kabaddi champion and Arjuna-awardee Manathi Ganesan, Bison narrates the arduous journey of a young boy who dares to defy societal expectations and pursue his dreams. His battles begin at home, where he must first persuade his overprotective father to allow him to play Kabaddi—a dynamic that echoes themes seen in other sports dramas where protagonists fight for social liberation through sport. Kittaan’s school teacher (portrayed by a wonderfully positive Madankumar Dakshinamoorthy) plays a pivotal role, earning widespread admiration for his efforts in convincing the father to let his son pursue his passion.
Kittaan’s challenges quickly escalate to his local community, where his father’s long-standing feud with a relative sparks fresh conflicts. Complicating matters is Rani (Anupama Parameswaran, who deserved more screen time to develop her character), the relative’s sister, who harbors feelings for Kittaan—a narrative choice that courageously challenges conventional taboos around age differences in relationships. Beyond these personal struggles, Kittaan must confront the ingrained animosity within his town and the systemic biases he faces while representing his state in the national Indian team.
It’s important to note that Mari Selvaraj avoids a straightforward chronological narrative. The film opens non-linearly, showcasing Kittaan as an accomplished national player sidelined from a crucial match against arch-rivals Pakistan at the 1994 Asian Games in Japan. Through this initial setup, Selvaraj subtly underscores the ultimate futility of all forms of animosity, even those as deeply ingrained as the India-Pakistan rivalry.
The film Bison Kaalamaadan (Tamil) is directed by Mari Selvaraj, starring Dhruv Vikram, Pasupathy, Lal, Ameer Sultan, Rajisha Vijayan, and Anupama Parameswaran. With a runtime of 168 minutes, its storyline centers on a young boy’s relentless struggle to overcome constant societal obstacles and achieve his dream of becoming a national Kabaddi champion.
Demonstrating his narrative prowess, Selvaraj skillfully infuses the film’s visuals with surreal textual elements, such as striking imagery of the local deity Kaalamaadan and a sacred goat, or the poignant intercutting of two trapped marsh fish with Kittaan and Rani intertwined in a swamp. His earnest celebration of the natural world, captured through breathtaking montages and drone shots, is a rare quality among contemporary Tamil filmmakers. Intriguingly, Bison surpasses even Karnan as Selvaraj’s most commercially mainstream film. It features an elaborate gangster drama involving the two caste leaders locked in a power struggle, with the filmmaker unflinchingly portraying the brutal and macabre consequences.
While some scenes are undeniably unsettling, with stark depictions of violence, Selvaraj’s use of cinematic brutality serves only to highlight its utter futility, a message that resonates clearly. The gangster characters portrayed by Lal and Ameer are integral to Kittaan’s narrative; they represent two sides of a tragic coin, deeply entrenched in corruption. The film prompts empathy for them, making their mutual destruction all the more heartbreaking. Through a noble act, Lal’s character subtly conveys what Ameer’s character explicitly states: that a struggle initially rooted in the pursuit of equality has tragically devolved into a relentless thirst for vengeance and power.
Another compelling scene from ‘Bison Kaalamaadan’.
Selvaraj delivers a profound political statement, not only challenging the oppressors but also prompting introspection among the oppressed regarding whether their struggle is still for equality or has morphed into a quest for dominance. The dialogues in Bison are incredibly impactful, from lines that silence critics of caste-based reservation to Kittaan’s realization that while others contend with one or two adversaries, he battles everyone and the cumulative weight of generations of prejudice. Dhruv’s portrayal of Kittaan, particularly when he laments his inability to prepare for hatred inherited from generations past, powerfully articulates the unspoken anguish of many marginalized individuals in our caste-structured society.
In his debut leading role in an original story, Dhruv Vikram shines as Kittaan. His performance demands a portrayal of simmering intensity, and he expertly sculpts his character into a formidable, angry young man—a figure many will undoubtedly admire. The moments where he unleashes his inner fire are sure to electrify audiences. Dhruv’s disciplined movements and athletic build lend complete credibility to his role as a professional Kabaddi player, and Selvaraj ensures that the film never loses sight of its sports drama core. Despite Kabaddi not being a sport that typically translates well into visually spectacular cinematic moments, the choreography renders the matches incredibly realistic and gripping, with every raid keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Bison stands out for its seamless fusion of multiple genres—sports drama, biopic, social actioner, and gangster saga—into a truly singular and compelling experience.
The film culminates in a breathtaking climactic shot that powerfully connects back to the Kaalamaadan deity, a moment guaranteed to stir profound emotion. Selvaraj’s artistic skill and unwavering conviction are rare, making him arguably the most original voice among contemporary Tamil filmmaking greats. As a character in Bison muses, "When have they ever written our names so easily?" — a question that Mari Selvaraj answers with his fifth directorial, solidifying his status as an immortal and transformative force in cinema.
Bison Kaalamaadan is currently showing in cinemas.