ANNATTHE (2021)

Critic No. 246

Director: Siva

Written by: Siva, Savari Muthu, Antony Bhagyaraj, Chandran Pachaimuthu

Produced by: Sun Pictures

Casts: Rajinikanth, Keerthy Suresh, Khushbu, Meena, Soori, Jagapahti Babu, Abhimanyu Singh, Prakash Raj

Music: D Imman

Language: Tamil

Genre: Action, Drama

SYNOPSIS: 

Kaalaiyan’s (Rajinikanth) beloved sister, Thanagameenakshi (Keerthy Suresh) returns to her village after her studies and soon the family arranges for her grand marriage. Fate strikes with a different plan when circumstances lead Thangam to get into a web of trouble and Kaalaiyan has to save her before it's too late. 

REVIEW:

After giving a blockbuster emotional film like ‘Viswasam’, all eyes were on ‘Annatthe’ as it marks Rajinikanth’s return to a village space drama after a very long time. Known to balance melodrama with the right mix of ‘masala’ ingredients, on paper Siva really looked like a perfect fit to shape a vintage Rajini film. So did ‘Annatthe’ crackle as expected?’

‘Annatthe’ revolves around a panchayat president Kaalaiyan, fondly addressed as Annaatthe by everyone around him, and his sister Thanga Meenatchi. They dote on each other like crazy. How do we know that? We are told so. In an early scene, we see Kaalayian taking home Meenatchi, who has just returned after completing her studies in Kolkata, in a car. An old woman mentions how sad the brother was without his sister, and Meenatchi immediately gets all sentimental, and we get a flashback about a mother dying during childbirth and a brother taking on the mother's duties and looking after his sister. That is the first warning of the film’s generic, melodramatic treatment.

Then, Kaalaiyan decides to arrange a match for his sister . Why? Just because a couple of old women ask him when he is going to get her married! But then, he wants his sister to be within a 5km radius so that he can go to her help whenever she calls him. And when an alliance comes their way (the groom is a doctor), Kaalaiyan agrees to it and as a loving brother, he asks his sister many times before he decides on the alliance. Thangam agrees willingly laced with a lengthy blatant, emotional dialogue that her brother’s wish is her wish.

Meanwhile, fate intervenes and the brother and sister are estranged. He tracks her down to Kolkata, where he witnesses her in deep trouble. With Thangam not wanting to let her brother see her in such a state, Kaalaiyan decides to go after the man who has made his sister's life miserable and be her shadow (literally, Siva films Annatthe overlooking his sister from a tall building and casts his shadow on her when she walks).

Annatthe feels like a weak mashup of Siva’s Vedhalam, Viswasam and Veeram. Though the previous films had a higher dose of blatant emotional scenes, they didn’t really irritate us because of the balance that comes in other ways such as action scenes, songs, and comedy. However, in Annatthe, every scene has an emotional beat that is treated with exaggeration and loud TV serial-like score to elevate the scenes. The template soon becomes tiring when it comes neck to neck for almost three hours and Imman’s music becomes louder by scene as well. 

A simple conflict of Thangam not liking the groom stretches out unbelievably and the second half though had some great action blocks, falls flat due to the predictable route it takes. The lack of a formidable villain plays a spoilsport as well to the film. We only end up feeling sad that from Mark Antony and Neelambari, villains in Rajinikanth films have come down to this caricature level. Keerthy Suresh gets a good scope for her acting as well and has done a decent job in her surface-level role. It’s good to see Prakash Raj in a prominent role after a long time and he makes his presence felt in the first half. Though there are tons of other stars including Nayanthara, none really have more than 2 or 3 scenes to shine. 

So is Annatthe a total washout? Not really and let me sum up what I liked about the film. Firstly is Rajini’s energy and hard work that he has invested in the film. He looks fresh at every scene without any signs of his age. He looks great and comfortable in the village space and there are tons of nostalgic moments including one sequence where he plays the parai drum in a white shirt and dhosti. 

Secondly, the songs in the film by D Imman are another plus and the accompanying visuals are well executed with each frame looking fresh and colorful. I really felt 'Annatthe, Annatthe' is one Rajini's best opening songs in the recent decade. The action sequences have good pacing as well as strong build-up stagings, creating a few nice mass moments for Rajini. Of course, I would have hoped to have a more realistic action staging where Rajini receives a few punches as well but sadly all of them are one-sidedly choreographed. 

That said, Siva is definitely not a bad director but ‘Annatthe’ is definitely his weakest mainly due to the outdated, on-the-face treatment. I really wish he reinvents himself quickly to come up with a stronger film. As for Rajini, the man has done so much for the Indian cinema and no bad film can move his crown an inch.

VERDICT:

Despite Rajini’s ever striking charisma and energy, ‘Annathe’ is let down by predictable, flat writing that is stamped with an overdose of painful melodrama at every, single frame. 

CELLULOID METER- 2.5/5: