Tamal Kundu
Based on the Indian concept of art and its enjoyment, ‘Navarasa’ is a Netflix anthology series created by acclaimed Indian filmmaker Mani Rathnam (‘Roja’). Episode 6 of the series, titled ‘Roudhram,’ revolves around a young man named Arul (Sreeraam), who gets arrested after he severely assaults a local man. The police torture him to find out the reason for the attack, but he declares that he will only say it after the man he attacked is dead. Roudhram means anger, and that is what serves as the central theme of the episode. Here is everything you need to know about the ‘Navarasa: Roudhram’ ending. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Navarasa: Roudhram Recap
In ‘Roudhram,’ wealthy money lender Ganesan (Alagam Perumal) forces a local shopkeeper to pay him the money the man owes him. Later, as Ganesan is about to leave for home, Arul attacks him with a hammer and severely injures him. Ganesan is subsequently hospitalized, and Arul is arrested. The police torture him to find out the truth about the attack, but Arul withstands all the pain silently. Meanwhile, a young police officer navigates through the pressure from her seniors to solve a case. The episode’s narrative is framed in such a way that the audience will erroneously believe the officer is investigating’s Arul’s case.
Navarasa: Roudhram Ending: Why Does Arul Attack Ganesan? What Happens to Ganesan?
Ganesan is a wealthy man in whose house Arul’s mother, Chithrama (Geetha Kailasam), works as domestic help. Their family has been financially struggling since Arul’s father left them with considerable unpaid debt. Arul has a younger sister named Anbu, who aspires to rise above her circumstances and make something of her life. As the family fails to pay the rent, their landlady cuts off their power.
Arul has some dreams of his own. He wants to play soccer and earn money through it, but he doesn’t have the required shoes. He convinces his mother to ask Ganesan for the money, reminding her several times that she must ensure that they don’t have to pay any interest. His mother reluctantly agrees. That evening, when she returns home, she looks much more somber than usual. But she seems to have gotten the money and takes her children out shopping. They get new sports shoes for Arul and clothes for Anbu. They even eat out and truly enjoy the day as a family.
Arul joins a local soccer team and leads them to a massive victory. When he goes to Ganesan’s home to give his mother the good news and the money he has won, he discovers that Ganesan has forced his mother to sleep with him in exchange for money. Anger boils him from within as he rides around the town aimlessly. He has an accident and takes his bicycle to a repair shop. When he sees Ganesan, he simply loses it. He grabs a hammer and hits the man on the side of the head.
Arul doesn’t say a single word to the police about why he attacked Ganesan until he learns that the latter is dead. He is put through severe torture and finds strength in anger to withstand it. After he is told about Ganesan’s death, that anger evaporates, leaving Arul exhausted and broken.
Who Is the Police Officer?
Initially, director Arvind Swami cleverly leads the audience to believe that the young female police officer (Riythvika) is in charge of Arul’s case. She has garnered some notoriety among her subordinates for her anger. In the past, she has gotten into trouble for beating up a detainee, so a female constable tries to keep her away from the accused of their current case. It is ultimately revealed that the officer is actually an older Anbu.
That day, after Arul sees his mother with Ganesan, Anbu comes across her brother as he rides away in panic and trauma. Confused, she goes to see her mother and watches as Chithrama comes out of Ganesan’s home, and the latter pushes some money into her mother’s blouse. Anbu is an intelligent young woman, and it doesn’t take her long to realize the truth. Since then, she has stayed away from her family, especially her mother.
At present, an older Arul calls Anbu to let her know that their mother is on her deathbed and wants to see her. However, for Anbu, that anger that she started to feel all those years ago hasn’t gone away and is now mostly directed at herself. She knows that everything her mother did was for her and her brother and deeply resents herself for it. Her self-loathing is so enormous and all-consuming that she can’t escape it and go see her mother in her final moments.
Read More: Is Navarasa a True Story?
