Theeran Adhikaram Ondru Tamil Movie
I failed to instantly connect Theeran's director Vinoth who debuted with 'Sathuranga Vettai'. I loved that movie which went largely unnoticed due to a lack of star pull. The movie after a week of its run whimpered down with some average box office collections. But it received a lot of critical acclaim for the fresh content and presentation. Vinoth's hard work has been paid off now with a star vehicle - 'Theeran'.
Plucked out from a belligerent and sincere cop's case files, the episode narrates the action-packed thriller of nailing down lethal dacoits who created a menace in Tamil Nadu with their brutal and violent ways of extortion and dacoity in the early 2000s. The movie which was narrated as a backstory has been well researched for facts and is based on true events.
Karthi, in a promotional interview for 'Theeran', when he was asked whether it would match his brother's 'Singam', he was quick to admit that this movie has a different scale and the graph is unique. I then thought it was the cliched "promotional" rhetoric, but after watching the movie, I can't agree more with Karthi's statement.
Though we've been warming up with Gautham Menon's cop flicks, which strike a balance between action, romance and sentiment, this one here entirely focuses on the investigative angle. More in line with the narrative structure of 'Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu'. This is also one of that rare star movie, wherein the villain (and his gang) gets to win more than the hero - how many times have we seen a heroic cop being beaten and chased down by an entire mob of villagers?
Another refreshing aspect was that the villains who were from the rural North Indian milieu were allowed to roam on screen hinging to their nativity (their Tamil dialogues were more of a translation). I feel Abhimanyu Singh who plays the deadly dacoit leader has got an author-backed role in this movie when compared to the other Tamil films where his swearing would fall on deaf ears.
A cop's thankless career is also portrayed with some hard-hitting realities in the form of lousy bureaucratic measures from higher authorities and politicians. As the movie takes place in a period where technology and communication gadgets were not very widespread, it gives the much-needed authenticity of the narrative.
Karthi, as Theeran had done a commendable job. As a tough and intelligent cop where he thinks and then reacts, he was in his own league. As a naughty and romantic newlywed, he charmed with his boy-next-door image. A good example of showcasing two sides of the same coin. Rakul as Priya (can't the director think of a unique name?) played the generic idiot girlfriend, who falls for Theeran instantly and then as a doting wife fulfils the sentimental aspects that sort of blended well later in the story. Bose Venkat as the sidekick cop has played a poignant supporting role that balances with the action and sentimental equations.
Technically the movie was splendid with Sathyan's cinematography capturing the arid and dry parts of the Northern terrains and made us literally thirsty. The action portions were well choreographed with deeply rooted sensibilities and high octane chases. Editing, art and background score were well leveraged for an effective narrative that kept the audiences hooked - watch out for the action sequence before the interval block.
The chemistry between the lead pair was well brought out. But the elaborate romance which was made with an effort to make us empathize with Theeran was certainly at odds with the narrative. Also, the cat and mouse game between the hero and villain becomes monotonous towards the end, wherein a good 20 minutes could have been chopped off including an item number for the villain.
But certainly, the above-mentioned flaws can be overlooked as director Vinoth has fleshed out something fresh from the past Tamil Nadu case files backed with a well-researched subject that is intriguing and terrifying at the same time. The movie serves as a booster package for Karthi who has been desperately searching for a hit lately. Kudos to Vinoth and his entire team. Looking for the upcoming episodes of "Theeran".