The story is more similar to Shankar’s earlier films where the protagonist plays the Robin Hood role to uplift the society. But this time, the director deals with the black money in the society.
This costliest Indian movie starts with an unconventional introduction of Rajni, you had ever seen in your life.The introduction song of the hero comes a few scenes later but with a glossy Nayantara touch. Vivek, who pulls out a remarkable performance of his career with his one-lines saves the dragging first half and a weak screenplay. Every single dialogue he delivers fits into the genre of comedy so well. He is at his best when he delivers the punch in music shop. Shreya, who plays the coveted role of this film does show her acting skills where needed. Suman, the villain of the movie is the best of villains in recent Rajni movies. With Rehman’s music, Sujatha’s dialogues, Thotta Tharani’s expensive sets for ‘Sahana..’ and ‘Vaaji..’ and KV Anand’s cinematography, this movie had everything to become the blockbuster of the year but it all needed one name to just carry it with STYLE. The one man, which Indian cinema had failed to recognize.
No matter it’s a scene with Vivek or Shreya or Suman, its just one-man show all through the movie. The dialogue delivery in the tea-stall scene after the interval is just to prove a point that he didn’t reach this position in industry by luck but by his acting skills early in his career. Yes, people can’t afford him to do some ordinary roles. We want him to be always a larger than life character in his movies.
The first half of the movie shows Rajni in comedy and romance. The second half of the movie takes Rajni into aggressive role of taking revenge against villain that we always wanted him to do. The gimmicks of coin and chewing gum are incomparable. The scene where he imitates Sivaji, MGR and Kamal are the best you would witness in this movie. In the end comes the bald character, MGR that sets the theatre with whistles and whoops. This would be remembered forever like his Alex Pandian in Moodru Mugam. What a surprise package it would have been, if the images of ‘mottai boss’ were never leaked.
The fight in music shop would have been perfect if comedy was not forced into that. The fight in drive-in theatre is a bit too much but the end of it is just ‘wow’. I liked it. The small fight in the farmhouse is the best in this movie. The song sequences are just a proof that it’s an expensive movie and the painting to everything around sets the trademark for Shankar. ‘Athiradee…’ song is a visual masterpiece and a treat to watch Rajni dance.
Though Shankar had failed to make an impact with the story and screenplay, he had just got everything what every Rajni fan would have wished him to be. Only for the first time, you will go for this movie expecting Shankar to do something. But the second time and from then, it is just for the one man you would hit the theatre again and again.
For a general viewer, if you had liked Shankar’s Gentleman and Anniyan you will like this even more and for Rajni fans, “THE BOSS ROCKS”.
“Six ku appuram seven da, Sivaji ku appuram evanda”
