The movie ’’Virumandi’’ is a classic. And there are reasons why.
I am an admirer of good cinema, thus an admirer of Kamal Hassan
But for the last 4 years or so, I have felt disappointed with almost all of Kamal’s movies.
Hey Ram would have been a classic - excellent direction, superb acting by all, super music, the movie was revolutionary in its style - but it failed in the most important department, the story-screenplay. Bad characterization, confused story (in fact, many stories) - it was a success to Kamal the Director, but a miserable failure to Kamal the writer.
Aalavandhaan was the same - exactly the same faults, in the same area, by the same person.
Anbe Sivam, I don’t even want to talk about.
Naladamayanthi, too. It was a joke; an insult to Kamal the writer.
All this from the man who wrote classics such as Mahanadi, Devar Magan, and that beautiful-yet-simple masterpiece, Nammavar!
When I almost gave up on him, he comes back with VIRUMANDI!
What a movie!
Simple and beautiful story - excellent screenplay - superlative direction - superb acting by all. There is a logical progression in the story from scene to scene.
Contrary to what a few have said here, every single scene is a Gem!
I bet to any person who has not yet seen the movie: you would not have seen such a movie before. Especially the first half, specifically the first 15 minutes. Also the ending - so, almost the whole movie!!
Watch it. You will love it. Take it from a man who has been the severest critic of Kamal Hassan.
***Responding to some who feel “sad” about “commercial” “deviations”****
The **Jallikattu** and the **Climax** - they are not ’’compromises’’ - they are a logical necessity and logical progression, respectively. I’ll tell u why.
Virumandi is, in a way, a showoff - he wants to go all out to impress his Lady Love. And he is the Hero of his ’’gang’’ - however dimwitted they happen to be! Thus, I found nothing ’’out of place’’ or ’’artificial’’ about Kamal’s Pole-top intro and the Jallikattu. It is more like ’’Ore Kallula Rendu manga’’ that the frontbenchers got something visually and aurally stunning to respond gustily to.
The same is with the climax. Actually the movie changes pace and seemingly alters its direction in the climax in the jail - but we realise that it is a logical dramatic progression of the story - and it opens up the space for the Conflict between the antagonist and the protagonist to come to Resolution, in a slightly unexpected manner and place. Again, not a compromise - but ’’Ore kallula...’’
And let me clear this confusion, who told you the movie is about Capital Punishment? (This question is addressed to those who felt ’’disappointed’’ with the second-hand treatment this ’’theme’’ got)
The movie, as the title says, is about a man called Virumandi. Simple.
It is about two worlds, in each of which, Good and Evil are constantly entwined in a fight for survival.
The ’’Capital Punishment’’ is more like a ’’dedicated to’’ that one finds in the first page of novels - something that the author/creator values, and something to which he can proudly dedicate his work, because he has done an honest job in it. In most cases, the ’’dedicated to’’ has nothing to do with the work.
Even then, this ’’dedicated to’’ is brought into the movie so naturally, as a dramatic progression.
---------------------
This movie will be nominated as India’s official entry to the Oscars.
And I disagree with Kamal’s views on the Academy Awards, which I find silly - but that’s another story, which I am in no mood to think about, given the immense happiness I am now feeling, when a Master lives up (maybe surpasses?) to the standards he has set for himself.