Readers Write In #745: Is Jeevan ‘The Joker’ in ‘The G.O.A.T.’?

By Vinu Karthick

Did Venkat Prabhu deliver The Joker to Vijay as Jeevan? Vijay’s performance embodies this Archetype, enhancing the psychological depth of the story with emotional intelligence.For me, their exploration of this archetype extracts a phenomenon, hitting it out of the park—both literally and metaphorically.

There’s an African proverb: “If a child does not feel the warmth of the village, it will burn the village down to feel its warmth.”

As a student of mental health, exploring villain archetypes in Epic style storytelling has always led to interesting insights. When a collaboration between a Writer and Actor in exploring a character’s psyche is sincere, it’s felt. Adding to it is the twin element of Two characters (The Hero and The Villian) with extremely opposite personalities,yet a similar core tying them together. We see it play out between The Batman and The Joker,Harry Potter and Voldemort, and so on; One seems to be seeking something from the other. One is Saved and sheltered while the other is Orphaned and Abandoned.

After watching The G.O.A.T, It haunted and disturbed me until I watched it again. Something was yet to be comprehended.

Ghost could have been an equally fitting title. Eh

A tragic separation between Gandhi and Jeevan shape what they become,until they face each other again. Gandhi has moved on with Resilience, Given or Given to a Daughter-Jeevitha. His daughter lightens up his otherwise burdened and watered down life. Jeevan is Brutally Kidnapped and given to the ways of Manipulation-Can he be blamed? The Collective field of the world which is active with wars,shows up in the shadows- the real reason behind a personal tragedy that lights up and Burns.

I felt respected as an Audience to be left here, not being able to personalise this blame and put it on someone. Everyone was a victim here.

There’s a disturbing ritual in Thailand called *Phajaan*, where kidnapped baby elephants are tortured until their ‘spirit’ is broken. The elephants become numb to pain.Jeevan gets Kidnapped in Thailand.

In *The Joker*, the character is revealed to be the abandoned son of a father who moved on to raise a privileged family—his other son becoming *The Batman*. Both characters were abandoned and left to fend for themselves on the streets, filled with rage and pain. Gandhi on the Other hand,like Batman, earns the sympathy(The warmth) of the world, as the tragic hero.

Jeevan kills his childhood friend in an abandoned theme park for Children. He pulls everyone back into that space, where things are not pretty anymore.

It initially felt random when Jeevan sheds a tear, after slitting his girlfriend’s throat. Does Jeevan’s childhood fear of Abandonment surface here?

In Italy, a woman is killed every day, often by her boyfriend or husband, when they decide to leave the relationship. And these were “Normal” men!

Killing his childhood could have been the final, fatal blow to his inner child. He sheds a tear despite him being him. For me that was a phenomenal play with the human psyche.

Jeevan, much like The Joker, sits calmly in the interrogation room, in the face of outrage from others. It’s as if he draws warmth from their unrest and tension.

When a child grows up alone on the streets, without understanding the cruelty around them, they could see emotions as a weakness. Manipulating others’ emotions and creating chaos becomes second nature. Characters like Jeevan and The Joker connect with others through outrage, as if saying, “Now we see things the same way.” The Joker wins when *Batman* loses control—unearthing a side of himself that he can no longer keep hidden. Whether intentional or not, this archetype naturally embeds itself into the story of The G.O.A.T. Jeevan Triggers Gandhi like no one else can. Like their characters, these archetypes hijack the narrative,taking centre stage with ease.

Hijacking

One criticism I initially had was with the song placements for Jeevan, especially after the murders. It felt jarring during my first viewing. But on reflection, it felt as if Jeevan’s character was hijacking the very storytelling.In the *Spark* Jeevan is seen fondling women behind Srinidhi’s back. Was this his fantasy, or was it a ‘High’ after committing murder? ( The sounds reminded me of the Snake charmers tune,seducing and luring its prey into a hypnotic web. The colour tone in this song was bright and the textures were shiny. Usually associated with poisonous insects and plants.)

That was a bold and playful move from Venkat Prabhu to make this call-To let the Narrative slip a bit, peeking into a madman’s fantasies.

A sense of unease crept in when Gandhi brought Jeevan into his wife’s house. His sister glows with the privilege of having both parents’ love, but how unfair is this for Jeevan? Bringing an adult with a murky past from the streets of Russia into a domestic space feels almost like inviting a wild elephant into your living room.

Ghilli

At the end of Ghilli Vijay stands next to the woman he cares about, disturbed as he stares at the dead villain, surrounded by a cheering crowd in the aftermath of a sports game.

In The G.O.A.T Vijay once again stands in a stadium, surrounded by cheering fans, but this time, he looks at the lifeless body of his own son.

In Ghilli, we walk away with a sense of triumph and relief. In The G.O.A.T, we leave with the hero in the throes of tragedy.

Gandhi is left where he began—with guilt. When he exclaims in drunken Joy,casually sitting inside a car that Jeevan brought happiness back into his life, it becomes clear what’s at stake for him. For me, Gandhi was hijacked out of his strength and senses, the moment Jeevan entered his life again. He ends up losing Jeevan again and saving Jeevitha ( or again saved by her), just like the first time. His greatest tragedy accompanied by Solace repeats itself in a haunting full circle.

In Ghilli The villain was a stranger. In The G.O.A.T The villain is Gandhi’s own negligence. Venkat Prabhu’s hero is left in a world that remains broken, perhaps, more than before. He has to navigate this world with the solace of his Alive ‘Jeevitha’. I felt like the Movie somehow understood how it was for me to live in a war-active world,to live with what happened and what will happen and find solace in what is Alive.

Dying to Nostalgia

A generation aware of mental health and therapy would relate to this narrative. For Gandhi,letting go is necessary. Dying to nostalgia is essential to see the world as it truly is. Nostalgia and expectation can distort our clarity and perception of the world.

People waiting for another Ghilli might be left waiting. Jeevan hijacked ‘Appadi Podu’ and killed it mercifully, making room for new explorations in mainstream cinema, where the hero and villain are almost the same—shaped only by circumstance.

Perhaps the *Joker* archetype found its place in Tamil cinema, moulded within the constraints of a hero-centric industry but without shying away from its inherent madness.

The intention behind this article is crystallised in gratitude. When a storyteller, within the limitations of hero-centred entertainment, sincerely explores such a psychological zone with an actor allowing himself to delve into that psyche, these archetypes emerge naturally. Whether conscious or not, these are signs of sincerity, passion, and playful exploration. For that, my thanks!

Writing this article has been an emotional response to the critiques. On a cold Berlin evening, I sought warmth and comfort under a tree that speaks Tamil. While I may find flaws in its shape or imperfections in its leaves, I cannot deny the warmth that tree provided me for those three hours,understanding the madness of this world with me and sheltering me from some cold realities of living as a foreigner in a big European city.

– A Rasigan