One of the most hilarious movies made in recent times, this one showcases how some minimalist-yet-efficient can elevate even a simple, plot supported by some excellent writing, direction, editing and performances.
Set in today's urban India, without dwelling on the way unemployment is all-pervasive, along with lackadaisical attitudes to work itself, and the way life has become cheap in the face of blatant flouting of the rule of law and everything society needs to keep the criminal element in their limits, or behind bars.
In another mainstream flick, this could have been the typical honest cop and politician taking their time and attitude to clean up the dregs of society, but in débutantes Kumarasamy and Kavineyam's deft hands, turning the typical trope around, and narrating it without making it heavy-handed from the typical heroic perspective, elevates the material into something that has to be experienced in order to gain the full extent to which one can be entertained.
To be circumspect, I was not impressed with the way it all began, but once I got past the first 15/20 minutes, and the montage of what the main crew was up to commenced in earnest, I was hooked.
This movie has surprises galore, with the way the quirks of the gang-leader have been presented - it allows us to poke fun at those elements, but always treats him with respect in spite of those, and Vijay Sethupathy, like in all of the other works he's done, never drops character.
His sequences with his girlfriend, in the midst of all the planning and all the action, are a treat to behold, for a movie that never loses focus from the 5 tenets of, ehrm, kednaping.
Evoked 'Neram', while also reminding how much better realized this was than the former, with both of them having various elements in common:
An almost doc-level appreciation of today's urban milieu, treated with utmost sincerity and respect.
Real characters uttering realistic lines, and not getting away with anything they do. Actions have consequences, and no (ehrm, good?) deed goes unpunished. None.
Almost treading into creepy area, with the subject matter, but keeping the tone light nevertheless.
Cinematography, prod design, art and sound design, along with the score in service only to content, that is ultimately controlled by the maker.
1 excellent teenmaar song, in this case being 'Kaasu Pannam Duddu Money Money'.
Where 'Neram' failed, IMO, was in taking a few artistic liberties that would not have seemed out-of-place in a mainstream flick, but did stand out there like sore thumbs, to use an oft-repeated cliché time and again. This one, on the other hand, embraced its Indie roots, and stayed true to that.
It was nice to see Ashok Selvan (Thegidi) joining hands with both Simha (Jigarthanda, Neram) and RJ Ramesh Thilak (Neram) and the whole thing, to me, worked as an Indie ensemble. I will look forward to seeing anything this team works on in the future as well, while remaining surprised that the writer and the director have not made anything since this one. Joined as they are by veterans Radha Ravi (have not seen him in many, but he has been slumming too) and MS Bhaskar (also in character throughout - nice little feat). It was also nice to see Karunakaran and Yog Japee (he looked familiar) for the first time, and I am curious to see other works they're in. As I mentioned earlier, in a different genre of movie, Japee would've been the main lead. And that, would've been one hell of a boring yarn.
And oh, Santhosh Narayanan (Cuckoo, Jigarthanda) did the score.
Not to be missed. Not in cinemas, but do purchase the DVD. I'm super-glad I bought mine, and look forward to introduce this to like-minded enthusiasts.
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