Directed by Atlee, Vijay's Bigil is an adrenaline-pumping mass entertainer that delivers a message about football as a tool for women's empowerment and motivation. In a way, this is also a story of the underdog. Because it helps coaches and players move mountains and overcome challenges caused by family pressures.
It's a great performance from Vijay in her dual role of father and son that makes Vigil the winner. Scenes with female players are great. His subtle romantic track with Nayanthara is the icing on the cake. The film's rich production design, football choreography, and background music by AR Rahman make it a joy to watch. Shah Rukh Khan, who will likely direct his next film with Attlee, has reportedly said, "Bigil Chakde is on steroids!"
The story follows the basic sports template of her film, in which disgraced coach Michael Rayappan (Vijay) builds a women's soccer team lacking motivation and drive to make the impossible possible. Coach Michael (in the movie he is called CM) is one of the best footballers in his Nadu team in Tamil and was probably named captain of the Indian football team. Unfortunately his father Rayapan (Vijay) is a gangster and could harm the interests of the team so a ruthless businessman and president of his football association in India, he is enslaved by JK Sharma (Jackie Shroff). Kicked off the team. However, Rayapan "somehow" managed to get his son, whom he affectionately calls "Bigil", into the Indian squad.
However, unforeseen circumstances prevent him from fulfilling his father's dream of winning the cup. One day, when he saves his friend (Kathir), the coach of a football team in Tamil Nadu, from a gang led by his nemesis (Daniel Balaji), it changes his life. Friends and circumstances forced him to stand in for his friends and coach a women's soccer team made up of non-conformists who lacked team spirit and played for personal glory. He hasn't been on the soccer field in years, and the girls think he's more of a violent bully than a coach. Can you step up and win the All India Cup?
Bigil is basically a commercial film that tries to match Vijay's superstar image, and Atlee does a good job of tailoring the fan moment. In the scene at the station just before the break block, the action and atmosphere are in perfect harmony. The emotional father-son scene is well woven into the plot, and the crowd scene at the police station (unbelievably) gives you goosebumps. What has been criticized for lacking originality in the script, Utley makes up for it with compelling scenes that keep you drawn into the story.
Bigil's problem is that it's too long. The first half of about 3 hours (179 minutes) continues at a leisurely pace with the introduction of the characters. This movie cannot be assigned to the sports genre as it is more of a model mass entertainer. It is only in the second half that the story really kicks in, and the soccer perspective and the game come to life. Emotional scenes are the strength of this film.
Vigil is one of Vijay's best films of recent times, he excelled in a difficult dual role, especially as Layappan, an old man with a stutter and a rough voice.
