After a long downtime, Hamal Hassan has come back with a powerful yet a commercial hit, Virumandi.
If there are some films which urges you to view in theatre (avoiding VCDs) , Virumandi tops in this list. Such a nice film (or I call a time-pass) enough to spend some money on.
Kamal has proved, as a director, his birth was in a village- a flat village story. Many things are appreciable in this film. In my views some +s and -s in this film:
The Jallikattu or Bull-fight: Watching a cricket match in Television is more interesting than being in the ground... Similarly, the bull-fight shot at good angles takes us live to the celebration.
Violence: Many scenes are terrific like the Heroine kicked at her chest (very new for Tamil Industry) , ferocious villan ?Kovazhalathan?, decapitation of human parts, beheading, the climax killing-scene, and many more violent scenes. But I think it has crossed the limits though they can justify they are necessary for the situations.
Songs are really nice, the song, Karpagratha Vittu... in the Climax BG really arouses us. The song, Unna Vida is shot in splendid lightning and beguiling locations. All songs are nice to hear. As the previous review says, one can understand the songs only when watching the movie. Once again Illayaraja-Kamal combination has proved.
Its hard to believe most part of the movie is filmed in an artificial set. Art Director has done a job of his career. Hats-off.. The pool, the central jail, the village, everything is from his amazing hands.
There is no racial-discrimination or fights in the movie, wonder why the movie was talked against by politicians.
The climax really didn’t suit the flow of the movie. Suddenly they are biased towards emphasising that Sentence to death should not be followed far away from the story.
The death of Kamal’s mother is a scene where Kamal shines in acting, similar to that in Mahanadhi, but I don’t think thats a scene to have given so much importance for. Similarly, the vulgar speech of Kamal with reporter Rohini is not justified enough.
For Abhirami, this is the role of her career. She best suits for this character. Many places are notable where she did well. Nasar could have used better. The sub-jailer, Paeikaman, doesnt seen to be a new-face. Comes throughout the movie, and has lived as that character. Naepolean comes as a sub-villian, but shows himself great in some scenes. Particularly, in the court scene where the judgement supports false statements of Kamal, he says, ??I can sleep well, but I dont think u can?? - a gentleman’s say.
The same story told in two different views is not new to the film industry but the two aspects, different camera angles for same flash-back and two different BGMs for same scenes is a splendid approach. In this regard, editing is not an easy job. Very fine piece of work from the editor and chromatographer.
Any review on Virumandi is not complete without a few words on the villan, I don’t remember his actual name, but what an act! Kovazhathan is a ferocious villan of the same race as that of Kamal. I would say, he?s the best actor of this film. But as an Uncle of Abhirami, its quite superficial he?s so rude.
Nice film to watch in a theatre, so say NO to pirtaed VCDs/DVDs...