Netflix’s film, Test, suffers from really weak conflicts that seem all too unrealistic and inauthentic, and I can’t speak for anyone else, but they weren’t able to grab my attention. I don’t deny that the intention of the filmmaker and the writers was in the right place, but the execution was lacking. Test is the story of a couple who had their own obsessions. Where one wanted to change the world, the other desperately wanted to be a mother. So let’s explore all the major events in the Netflix film to figure out the protagonists’ fate in the end.
Spoiler Alert
Why was Saravanan lying to Kumudha?
Saravanan, an MIT graduate, had big dreams, and he felt that one needed a touch of madness to accomplish something extraordinary. He desperately sought funding for his Hydro Fuel project, where he sought to create fuel from water. He believed that if his experiment was successful, then he could greatly reduce the carbon emissions of the nation. The problem was that the system was so corrupt that even after toiling day and night, he wasn’t able to get a green light for his project. The industries secretary, Meiyappan, demanded 50 lakh rupees in order to start the project, and Saravanan tried making him understand that he didn’t have that sort of money. Saravanan took a loan from a goon named Kutty, hoping that once his project started, he would be able to repay his debts. Kutty worked quite closely with a local jewelry shop owner named Dharmesh. That jewelry shop was just a front for several illegitimate businesses that Dharmesh ran. Dharmesh knew about Saravanan and the amount he had taken from Kutty, but he didn’t interfere in the matter because he didn’t want to waste his time over trivial issues.
Dharmesh wanted to go big, and to do that, he came in contact with a member of the match-fixing syndicate named Dimello. Dharmesh and Dimello wanted to fix the match between India and Pakistan, and they knew that if they wanted to make big profits, they would have to get in touch with some A-list player and bring him on their payroll. Arjun, one of the greats of the game, hadn’t been performing well of late, and so Dharmesh tried to get in touch with him and make him a lucrative offer. But Arjun didn’t pick up Dharmesh’s calls, and so the latter’s plan came to a standstill. Saravanan, meanwhile, lied to Kumudha about everything. Kumudha’s father had opened a canteen so that, after he was no longer there to look after his daughter, the family would have a running revenue source. But the canteen got shut down, and Kumudha wasn’t aware of it. Kumudha for the longest time believed that Saravanan had borrowed money for the canteen and that he was no longer involved in his passion project, which might lead him to bankruptcy. Kumudha desperately wanted a kid, and she was in conversations with the doctors to go for an IVF procedure. The doctors had told her that she would need around 5 lakhs for the procedure, and Kumudha, unaware of what was happening in her husband’s life, was quite sure that he would be able to arrange for that money. All hell broke loose when, one day, Kutty and his men arrived at Saravanan’s home and told Kumudha what he had been up to. Apart from shutting down the canteen and taking money, Saravanan had also used the papers of Kumudha’s ancestral house as security. Kumudha was disappointed, heartbroken, and frustrated beyond any measure.
How did Kumudha know Arjun?
At the beginning of the film, we got to know that Arjun and Kumudha had studied in the same class. Moreover, Kumudha’s father was Arjun’s first cricket guru, and the latter had a lot of respect for him. When Arjun had just started playing professional cricket, he made some good scores and went to his guru in the hope that he would appreciate him. But Kumudha’s father had his own way of dealing with his students, and moreover, he had a lot of expectations of Arjun. Kumudha’s father believed that Arjun was meant for greatness because he was so passionate about the sport. So instead of appreciating him, Kumudha’s father told Arjun about where he went wrong, and that didn’t go down well with the man. After that day, Arjun never talked to his coach, but as fate would have it, years later, Kumudha started teaching in the same school where Arjun’s son, Aditya, studied. Kumudha loved Aditya like her own kid, and she also once went to Arjun’s house to celebrate Aditya’s birthday. Kumudha was Arjun’s biggest fan, and at times Saravanan did feel a bit jealous of it. Also, Saravanan could never understand people’s obsession with the game. He was of the opinion that the same money could better be spent on things like philanthropic activities or the development of the nation.
Why Didn’t Arjun Betray His Nation?
Just like Saravanan, Arjun too was going through a rough patch in his career. Arjun wasn’t scoring runs, and the current captain of the Indian team wasn’t in favor of him being in the team. Arjun, after much drama, got one last chance to represent his country against Pakistan on his home turf, Chepauk Stadium, and he knew that it was a do-or-die situation for him. The test match between India and Pakistan commenced, and the first day didn’t go as Arjun would have liked. Arjun was in a bad mood when Aditya came and started pestering him to let him watch the match in the stadium. Arjun got angry, and he slapped his son. Aditya didn’t come back home that day, and fortunately or unfortunately, Kumudha found him and took him to her place. Saravanan came back home after losing all hope of starting his project, and when he saw Aditya there, his evil side took over his judiciousness. Saravanan knew that he could use the situation to his advantage. Saravanan called Arjun and, without revealing his identity, told him that Aditya was in his custody. Saravanan told Dharmesh that Arjun would do whatever they wanted, provided Dharmesh got the papers of his property back and the money he had demanded. Dharmesh agreed to Saravanan’s demand, and Arjun, too, decided to play as he was told. Arjun got out the first day intentionally, as he just wanted to save his son’s life. Arjun’s wife too told him to do whatever the kidnappers told him and not let his conscience overpower his judgement. Everything was going as per Saravanan’s plans, but on the very last day of the test match, Arjun decided to not adhere to the former’s commands. Arjun knew that by doing so he would put the life of his son at risk, and as much as he hated himself for doing that, he just couldn’t betray his nation. Despite being injured, Arjun played a fabulous innings, and he won the match for his team.
Meanwhile, the match-fixing syndicate came to know that Saravanan had kidnapped Arjun’s son, after which they had Dharmesh killed, as it was totally against the protocol to mess with a player’s family. Just before the industry secretary could make a public announcement about the hydro-fuel project, Arjun chose not to betray his nation, and Saravanan’s plan backfired. Saravanan lost his composure, and he decided to kill Aditya, as he didn’t care if he was sent to jail or hanged for committing the crime. Arjun faced the greatest dilemma of his life. He could either choose to be a good father and save his son’s life or be a true patriot. He chose to be the latter. When the entire nation rejoiced, Arjun stood in the middle of the pitch, with tears in his eyes. I believe Arjun’s innings against Pakistan could revive his career, and the speculations about his retirement will come to a standstill, at least for some time. The selection committee wanted him to announce his retirement, but after the match-saving innings, they wouldn’t be able to pressurize him to do so.
Did Kumudha Kill Her Husband?
The thing I found strange about Kumudha’s behavior was that she became a part of the plan and decided to hold on to Aditya till they got the money. Kumudha was obsessed with having a baby, and though she knew that what they were doing was wrong, she went along with the plan. So basically, both husband and wife were obsessed with certain things in their lives, and they were ready to put everything at stake for it. Maybe it was the weak writing, or the makers intended that to happen, but I never felt Kumudha and Saravanan were in love with each other. It felt like they both had made a compromise, and though they were civil with each other, there wasn’t any love between them. Kumudha flipped out when Saravanan decided to keep Aditya for a bit longer, as he wanted to extract more money from his father. Kumudha was an honest criminal; she only wanted money for her IVF treatment, but Saravanan wanted more. He had big ambitions, and he was ready to go to extreme lengths to fulfill them. Also, there was a sort of resentment inside Saravanan. He was trying to do something good for humanity, but still nobody supported him, and on the other hand, people like Arjun got so much love and adoration for playing a sport. The people considered Arjun a hero, whereas people like Saravanan, who were pushing the boundaries of what newer technology could achieve, were considered losers.
During Test’s ending, when Saravanan, filled with rage, charged towards Aditya, Kumudha came back home, and in order to save the kid from her husband’s wrath, delivered a heavy blow to his head with a cricket bat… the thing he had hated the most, or the totem associated with the sport, eventually led to Saravanan’s demise. The question that arose in the end was why did Saravanan and Kumudha do what they did? Well, I think whatever Saravanan did was not for his wife but for his own obsession. It was his inhibition that made him feel like a loser. Yes, at times, Kumudha did look down upon him, but it was Saravanan’s obsession that made him go through all those negative emotions. Also, I believe that Saravanan was a narcissist who didn’t care much about the world and its social welfare as much as he cared about his own legacy and his own ambitions. As for Kumudha, I think she became really self-centered, as apart from having a baby, nothing else mattered to her. Maybe it was only me, but I did feel that she respected Arjun more than she did her husband. She never said it out loud, but she was attracted to him, something that Saravanan did taunt her about in the beginning. Kumudha’s overprotective behavior towards kids, especially Aditya, made me feel that her desperation had affected her mental health. The biggest evidence, I believe, was the way she agreed to get intimate with her husband amidst everything that was happening in and around her. Also, the way she came to save Aditya’s life said a lot about her mental state. At that moment Kumudha didn’t care if her husband lived or died, and all she wanted to do was save Aditya’s life. She couldn’t let a monster end the life Kumudha had grown fond of. Saravanan had already given up on their own kid, and she didn’t want another life to get lost because of his mad obsession.
Is Saravanan Really dead?
In Test’s ending, Saravanan fell to the ground, and blood started oozing out of his head. The film ended on an ambiguous note where we didn’t exactly come to know if Saravanan actually succumbed to his death or if he managed to survive. However, the film’s ending mentioned that Saravanan’s project had finally been started by the government, implying that he got the credit that he truly deserved. But because we didn’t see any official investigation against him or his family, it could be theorized that maybe Arjun didn’t mention Kumudha and Saravanan’s names to the police, likely to protect his childhood friend and not botch his image in the public especially when he got some recognition for his project. Furthermore, Arjun knew that it was Kumudha, his son’s favorite teacher, who saved Aditya’s life, giving Arjun all the more reason to protect Kumudha’s identity to keep her from all harm that her husband had brought upon her. If Saravanan’s dead, then we don’t really need to worry about his return, but if he survived, then he would certainly try to take revenge on Arjun, and this might be further explored in Test’s sequel.
