M Manikandan’s ‘Kakka Muttai’ looks into the story of two siblings yearning to taste pizza after being enticed by a new shop in their neighborhood. The film skillfully weaves themes of inequality, alienation, and consumerism induced by globalized neoliberalism. It challenges conventional notions of freedom—whether it resides in pursuing desires imposed by external influences or in autonomously choosing those desires. As the siblings pursue dreams shaped by societal perceptions, they confront the limitations and illusions of market-driven aspirations. 

What if at the end of our pursuits, we get to realize that our grandmother’s dosas were tastier than the Pizza’s of life – earned, gifted or stolen. Stop Pursuing, Start Living… Both Chinna and Periya Kaaka Muttai seem to be whispering to us.