The first few seconds into Saamy Square’s new trailer ought to come with a seizure warning. As the screen flashes on and off, the story of the new Saamy takes off. We see the stern police officer punching villains, dragging and threatening them. The usual drill.
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Not much has changed in the Hari-verse. Even the #MeToo movement has done little to sway this director’s ideas about women.
In a particularly distressing scene towards the end of the trailer, Saamy smacks actress Keerthy Suresh. The whole scene is meant to invoke hilarity, as the background score implies.
Hari’s films have never been the sort to pass the Bechdel Test. Heroines are mere chattel in his movies. They are spunky in the beginning sure, but even that character trait exists just so the hero can mansplain to women how they should behave.
At a time like this, it is all the more important for filmmakers to adopt sensible, respectful attitudes towards women. Directors like Hari can set an example by making their mainstream, big budget films more sensitive to women.