Movie: Indian 2 Shankar, the director Cast: Samuthirakani, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Jagan, Siddharth, Vivekh, and Kamal Haasan
CHENNAI: I felt a little nostalgic thinking back on Shankar's best work while watching Indian 2. His greatest works gave us the impression that everything was possible. In a week, you may become an expert in Bharatanatyam. Hell, if fate had it in store for you, you might even become the Chief Minister tomorrow. Even though the concept isn't as original as it once was, Indian 2's opening sequence demonstrates his ability to play to his advantages. Take, for example, the scene in which a corrupt man is shot but is shielded from harm by wads of cash tucked under his chest, evoking that iconic image of the working class.
I didn't comprehend the pathetic allusions to his own work, but these concepts nevertheless serve as a reminder of this director's timeless qualities. The bajji conversation from Sivaji, the nakkal-nickel joke from Enthiran... When you have the chance to improve upon your previous success with a follow-up to what may be your best movie, why cling to the past? Why take a chance on undermining this universe's veracity? These would cause a raucous celebration in a movie where everything works, but in this one, practically nothing works…The greatest Shankar movies made your unattainable dreams of an idealized future come true. However, they went beyond fancy VFX or fantastical ideas. The protagonist's impossible dream was kept afloat by strong narrative techniques that fused elaborate world-building with genuine human feeling. Wistfully, I thought about all of this while watching what is likely the director's least strong picture to date.
Senapathy's character in this movie is made less serious by the several gimmicky looks he is given. It also doesn't help that his makeup makes him appear like a pale, decaying replica of the person he once was. That pertains to his exterior. Nothing noteworthy about his inside is revealed either. Senapathy appears to have been viewed as a cool vigilante whose "varma kalai" ability is his greatest strength. That's a regrettable Marvel-ization of a man whose brains and unwavering ideological commitment are what really draw people to him.This movie doesn't care about his character; instead, it's content to take advantage of Senapathy for petty amusement goals, like making him imitate a cat. Repurposing Senapathy for the modern world was always going to be difficult. How would people be inspired today by this unwavering extreme who tolerates nothing? Naturally, with the gap between the rich and the poor, the widespread corruption, and all the decay, he would have many reasons to take action. However, it's all too much for one man to handle and compress into one film. Here, Senapathy's statement seems like a boomer droning on with little impact, in contrast to the Nizhalgal Ravi murder scene where it felt so forceful.
Furthermore, it doesn't help to see Siddharth and friends nodding along. Oddly enough, the vigilante in this movie is more Joker than Batman. When someone is about to die, he laughs a little nasty chuckle; once, it didn't even appear to bother that the victim was a good police officer. I suppose that supporting Senapathy after society condemns him is the intended response, but by then, this movie had very much destroyed my empathy for him. He offers nearly a corporate hand of support when one of his allies loses a close one, and he stands transfixed.
How does Senapathy feel about having to start his society's cleanup process over from scratch? He is portrayed in this movie as being rather amused by everything. When he lands in India, the police almost grab him, but he manages to get away and meows at them before doing so. Senapathy appeared to be a man who knew no other option and didn't seem to relish taking lives. Although it's an unpopular tactic, this individual is defective since he was raised during a period of conflict.Such intricacy is missing from this place. Is there any mention of his family anywhere? It could have been the intention for Indian 2 to forego any personal perspectives and immediately transform into a "social" movie. So where is the in-depth sociopsychological analysis of our society and its citizens? Senapathy has the brilliant idea to encourage people to rat on their loved ones out of the blue, and it might have been the central focus of the entire movie.
Senapathy prioritizes nation over all else, but what is a nation if not its diverse population? How do you persuade individuals to put their family aside? The best part of the movie is the section that discusses this around the end of the second half. The sequel to Shankar's Indian was long overdue and deftly nuanced, but Indian 2 skirts the essential question of whether a black-or-white zealot can comprehend or be inspired by the gray areas inside his nation's populace.
Even the way Senapathy is put to death in this movie is absurdly simplistic. The first movie left you with the eerie vision of a dead man whose mouth filled with rice that spills out of a sack. One of the victims is trotting along the road like a horse. Someone transforms into a woman, and the whole thing is meant to make us chuckle. Bobby Simha, who portrays Pramod, is limited to maintaining a somewhat agitated expression throughout. If this movie cared about any viewer's feelings, it would explain to us why Pramod considers catching Senapathy to be a “life ambition.”
The speaker, who is renowned for interspersing factual tidbits with his humor, refers to time in light of distance, yet nothing truly makes sense in Indian 2. You know how a sequel may be referred to as a "spiritual sequel" at times? I believe that Indian 2 may be characterized as a very depressing follow-up because it demonstrates virtually no comprehension of the spirit and fortitude of the original movie and its lead character. For these reasons, it's quite difficult to resist joining the chorus of people who hurl objects at the protagonist and cry, "Go back Indian!" in this movie…
