Viduthalai 1: Vetrimaaran wins again because his narrative is captivating
One of the few directors from the South, Vetrimaaran has been consistently successful both critically and economically for more than 15 years. Given that he passed up at least two star-studded opportunities to work on this side project, he has a lot riding on the success of his most recent film, "Viduthalai 1." It remains to be seen whether this gripping sociopolitical action thriller will just please his supporters or spark the conversation he wants in society.
'Viduthalai,' set in 1987, begins with Kumaresan (Soori), a newly hired police constable, arriving at his base camp in a dangerous forest area. He gets the job because of his hill driving skills, but the sadistic Officer in Charge assigns him menial tasks like cleaning toilets (Chethan). The enigmatic Vaathiyaar (Vijay Sethupathi), the leader of the Naxalite group Makkal Padai, is opposing the government's plan to establish a mining operation and a special task force.A force has been formed to capture him, dead or alive. Kumaresan, who has a good heart, saves the life of an elderly woman who has been attacked by an animal, and her granddaughter Paapa (Bhavani Sre) strikes up a friendship with him that develops into love. In an unexpected turn of events, Kumaresan becomes the only person to see Vaathiyaar aka Perumal's face, and when Paapa's life is threatened by the police, he embarks on a mission to capture the terrorist himself. What follows is what 'Viduthalai 1' is on the surface level, but there are many layers to it that must be observed in order to be felt.
Soori has completely justified Vetrimaaran's enormous faith in him, not only through his dedication but also through his talent. Soori's performance is so good that when he begins his long climb up the forest mountain, all you can see is Kumaresan. From his loving voiceover explaining events to his mother through letters to falling in love with Bhavani Sre to being humiliated by cops, he moves the audience with his emoting. For Soori, Vetrimaaran has written one of the best character arcs for a lead character in recent memory.What a mass reaction the former comedian gets when he finally gets his hands on a rifle. And, of course, Soori's dangerous stunts, such as falling off rooftops, are on an entirely different level. Bhavani Sre has landed the role of a lifetime as Tamilarasi, the tribal girl who falls in love with the hero. Her expressions of love are subtle, but her emotional outburst when losing a loved one is heartbreaking. Congratulations to her for dressing down in the most important sequence of the story. Rajeev Menon, the higher-ranking government official, and Gautham Menon, the lower-ranking government official The DSP have done their jobs well. Chethan, as the sadistic cop, and the rest of the cast delivered excellent performances. Vijay Sethupathi makes a very subtle appearance and appears in a few action scenes where he is barely visible. However, he towers in the scene where he is surrounded by Soori and the cops like a wounded lion. The few glimpses we get of 'Viduthalai 2' at the end are all Makkal Selvan, and the audience can't stop cheering for this rare actor who is a true boon to filmmakers of substance like no other.
The intensity and detail that goes into each scene in 'Viduthalai 1' works best. The very long take of the train accident aftermath and Soori's long mountain climb to his outpost are so well executed that they draw the audience into the world of the story and keep them there until the very end. The graphic representation of the the print media The film emphasises the narrative of the government's side of the story while sensationalising any random encounter death. The romance between Soori and Bhavani Sre is central to the story and drives the former to go to such lengths to capture Vaathiyaar.
On the other hand, Vetrimaaran's own 'Visaranai,' in which he has dealt with extreme police brutality, works against him, giving the impression that he has repeated himself. Similarly, Thamizh, the co-director of this film, previously addressed the plight of the constable in 'Taanaakaran'. As a result, these sequences are less gripping than they should be. There are also pacing issues and scenes that repeat the same point. The two romance songs only serve to lengthen the film.
The background score by Isaigniani Ilayaraja is reminiscent of the 1980s, which fits the story setting, but at times it seems to overemphasise the emotions. Velraj's cinematography is breathtaking when it comes to capturing the beauty and mystery of the mountainous forest terrain. At the same time, his lens gets close enough to register the protagonist's inner turmoil.through his eyes. With this promising franchise, RS Infotainment has made a strong and telling comeback. Vetrimaaran has once again wowed with his vision, authenticity, intensity, balanced politics, and handwork. He has created strong conflicts with high expectations for payoffs. However, whether this is on par with his previous work will have to wait until 'Viduthalai 2' is released.
