The first single from director Pa Ranjith’s upcoming production, Pariyerum Perumal, was released on March 4. Titled ‘Karuppi En Karuppi', the song has been composed and performed by music director Santosh Narayanan.
Presented in monochrome, the song begins with a note that says “This song is dedicated to the lives of innocent little souls that do not know why they’re being killed all over the world.”
The song carries with it, in every frame, the head of a dog (a native breed). The films’ poster, that was released a few day ago, also had the face of a dog in its foreground.
The song refers to Karuppi, a dog that has been killed in caste-based clashes. The lines “Did he laugh when he killed you? Did he glare when you barked?” tells us the story of oppression and caste-based discrimination.
The song’s video alters between studio shots of Santosh’s recording and outdoor shots of people interacting with the dog’s head.
The dog’s head seen in the video can be seen a symbol of all the oppressed, innocent lives that have been lost.
The lyrics of the song, penned by Vivek and Mari Selvaraj, talk about how the innocent can be waylaid by the cunning. The lines “They pamper and kill. They choke you to death. They caress your cheek. They break your leg” are strong indicators of the deceit that the influential use to smother the innocent.
The song comes across as a lament of a loved one who had previously warned the victim of the dubious nature of humans. “The Black, The White, The God, The Devil, The slave, The Lords, The cheapskates, The ruthless. I told you there are many kinds of people. Why didn’t you listen to me?”
The visuals also show Pa Ranjith, director Ram, farmers, actors Kathir and Anandhi listening to the song while the dog’s head remains a recurring element in the frame.
The song concludes with the lines “Two legged or four, we wander this earth. You're not a dog. Aren’t you me?” Followed by an oppari (traditional folk song for lamenting one’s death) in the background.
Pariyerum Perumal has been written and directed by Mari Selvaraj and the film stars Kathir, Anandhi, and Yogi Babu. Earlier, in an interview, director Mari had mentioned that the film is based on the lives of people in the Thirunelveli-Thoothukudi region.
The film’s title refers to a local village deity worshipped down south (Pariyerum Perumal - God who mounts the horse). Director Mari also explained that the film’s protagonist, who plays a law student, shares his name with the title.
Director Ranjith’s Neelam Collective recently produced Malini Jeevarathinam’s documentary Ladies and Gentlewomen. The production house has also been instrumental in bringing out The Casteless Collective - an indie fusion-music band.
Pariyerum Perumal is Mari’s first directorial venture. The director has authored a Tamil short story titled Thaamirabharniyil Kollapadathavargal (Those who weren't killed in Thamirabharani) and a fiction series in Anandha Vikatan called Marakave Ninaikeren (I hope to forget). In an interview, Mari shared that director Pa Ranjith got in touch with him after reading his writings.