Raavanan Tamil Movie

The film with its action keeps the audience hooked. And with AR Rahman's foot tapping music, Raavanan keeps you entertained. There is not a dull moment. Yet, you can't help missing the Mani Ratnam of Anjali, Roja and Guru. Jun 18, 2010 By Mythily Ramachandran

Raavanan inspired by the Hindu epic is a story of vengeance, that of Veera (Vikram) who avenges his sister's (Priyamani) rape and her subsequent death. Veera is a Robin Hood kind of guy, rugged and tough and hated by the cops but much loved by his people. When his only sister is raped, following which she commits suicide, Veera is out to settle scores with the police. Ragini (Aiswarya) wife of SP Dev (Prithviraj) becomes the pawn when she is abducted by Veera and kept hostage. Dev launches a search for Ragini and the saga revolves around this.

What captivates the viewer from the word go is the breathtaking visuals of the film. Credit for this goes to ace cinematographers Manikandan and Santosh Sivan. You watch with open mouth wonderment as each scene unfolds new vistas of Nature. Memorable is the scene where an eagle lands on the boat in which Ragini is travelling and the next minute it takes off for the skies as the boat with the towering Veera draws closer. Shot in natural light, the visuals of every frame are heaven on earth. And there is lots of colour, the earthy kind, greens and browns with touches of different hues. It is just spectacular.

Coming to the cast, the film rests entirely on Vikram's shoulders and he executes his role with elan. One moment he is the angry tribal leader who does not hesitate to kill, another moment the joker with his eccentricities and slowly you get a glimpse into his heart that has a soft spot for Ragini. Vikram clearly dominates the cast. Aiswarya has put in a good performance while Prithviraj as the tough cop is excellent even where he reveals the shades of grey to his character when he suspects her chastity. Prabhu in a supporting role excels and Priyamani as Veera's sister is commendable. After a long hiatus, it is a pleasure seeing Karthik in a humorous role, reminding you of his 'Mouna Raagam,' days.

Mani Ratnam's signature sign is there on each frame. Most of the scenes have been shot in water or under the spell of rain adding to the splendour. Group song sequences and picturisation are done in his typical style. And children in song sequences catch your eye, especially the cute little girl who is always smiling. Remarkable is the climax stunt scene.

The film with its action keeps the audience hooked. And with AR Rahman's foot tapping music, Raavanan keeps you entertained. There is not a dull moment. Yet, you can't help missing the Mani Ratnam of Anjali, Roja and Guru.