Portraying child sexual abuse on screen can be tricky. The filmmaker has to decide how much of the abuse to reveal, and with what kind of visuals, to ensure that the portrayal is sensitive and not distressing to viewers. Movies like Etharkkum Thunindhavan are infamous for exploiting issues like the Pollachi sexual assault case, portraying the violence in a disturbing way only to valorise the hero for ‘saving’ the survivors.

Even before that, for a long time in Tamil cinema, rape and sexual assault have remained under the purview of the male gaze — the hero avenging the rape remains the focus of the plot, with the survivor often sidelined. Notions like shame, honour, and reputation were associated with the survivor, who was often actively discouraged from reporting the sexual violence. Like a breath of fresh air, Chithha shatters these regressive notions. The film deserves praise for portraying child sexual abuse sensitively.

No triggering, disturbing visuals of the assaulted children are shown. Even the details of sexual abuse are revealed only in the context of a police investigation. There are no accompanying visuals of the child’s mother dramatically collapsing, with sentimental music blaring in the background. A no-nonsense police officer even berates a man for hesitating to report his niece’s sexual abuse, fearing that the girl’s reputation would be ruined. She says people who think like him are no less harmful than the people who sexually abuse children. Such depictions are important, serving as proof that movies on child sexual abuse can be made without gory, blood-smeared, and charred visuals of the victims.

However, Chithha is not entirely devoid of flaws. The very last scene almost defeats the point that the movie was striving to make all along. Apart from that, some screen time could have been devoted to showing how the survivors were healing from the trauma, instead of showing Eswaran make the tragedy about himself and his vengeance. Despite these minor flaws, Chithha is a necessary watch and a masterclass on how movies on child sexual assault can be sensitive and engaging without constantly triggering the audience.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.

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