VISITOR COLUMN

First things first – PANDIYANAADU is a superb film -  no doubt about that. Certainly, the best DIWLAI film of this year. But it stops right there. It could have become a masterpiece if Suseenthiran had decided to opt out of certain things.

 

Before I go about telling what the director should not have done, let me tell what the director has done some things brilliantly. The story is not new, but the way it has been showcased deserves a mention. This is easily Vishal’s best film till date. Not even Avan Ivan, I would say. Because, in Avan Ivan he had to strain a lot to show his acting skills. I always believe that audience should not realize that a person is acting. When they do, it is a failure on the actor’s part. But in this movie, Vishal has kept it very simple, where he cares much for his family and tries to bring justice for his dead brother. Imman, as a music director, has given a splendid BGM, especially in the scenes where Bharathirajaa cries because of his helpless situation and in the last scene of the movie where Vishal and his dad talks. Its simple, subtle, but very effective. The background song which plays when Vishal follows Simmakkal Ravi is aptly placed and it has got good intensity as well.

 

Surely, the choice of actors warrants a mention. Be it the elder brother of Vishal, director Bharathirajaa who plays Vishal’s dad, the elder brother’s wife, the daughter of the elder brother, everyone was spot on. Special mention to Bharathirajaa for showing subtleness in his expressions. It could have easily become melodramatic, but the actor in him did not go overbored. Vishal has been a revelation. Its so good to see him in this type of a role. The agony he shows seeing his dad unable to control his emotions over the death of his elder brother is a perfect example. Simple things do have more value. No character in this movie tries to act too much. Everyone followed a very basic approach and that works big time.

 

How the movie failed to become a MASTERPIECE

 

There was absolutely no necessity for the female lead character in this movie. The director could have easily done away with it. There was not a single value addition provided by the female lead character in the progress of the story. In fact, at a crucial stage, the director decided to place a song, which was needless. Trust me, when this song began, I could hear the disappointment of the audience including me in the theater. Becasue, till such time, the director had the audiences in his grip. But he let it down just because of that song.

 

Yes, we do come from the parts where songs, fights, sentiments become part of a movie. But when you are dealing with a movie which is more focused about taking revenge on a wrong-doer by a middle class family, I think you need to stick to realism instead of commerce. This is where the West differ from us. We often lament that we are not able to come up with movies that match the intensity, reality of the West. But the fact is that, we ourselves compromise. We certainly have talent to provide movies which can easily be above the films of the West and when you show a revenge saga, it’s a global appeal. Anyone can easily relate to it. So, why do you still stick to the compulsion of having songs at needless places. Nobody is going to complain if you take a move in 1 hour 45 minutes as long as the audiences are hooked into it.

 

Once Vishal decides to take revenge on Simmakkal Ravi, the crucial thing for him was to know where and when Ravi goes so that he can plan his action. Sadly, this has been conveniently placed like any other Tamil movie, where Soori very comfortably sells a mobile phone to one of the henchmen of Ravi and the director shows that the henchman starts to use that phone immediately. How convenient. I understand that the director did not have much time to show the details, which is why I reiterate that Lakshmi Menon’s characterization was not at all required. Now, imagine if that character was not there, the director would have got ample time and he could have showed in a more realistic way as to how Vishal tries to get information about Ravi, without having restricted to any sort of gimmicks.

 

That’s why, its even more disheartening to see that Suseenthran opted to do the same mistakes just like any other revenge saga. Had the director decided to let go off some of the mandatory commercial norms, and focused on more realism, PANDIYANAADU would have certainly become a MASTERPIECE.