VIDUTHALAI - PART ONE (2023)

Critic No. 314

Director: Vetrimaaran

Written by: Vetrimaaran, B.Jeyamohan

Produced by: RS Infotainment, Grass Root Film Company

Casts: Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, Bhavani Sre, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Chetan

Music: Ilayaraja

Language: Tamil

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama

SYNOPSIS: 

Kumeresan (Soori), a new recruit in the police department, gets caught in the conflict between the government and a revolutionary group as he clings on to his path of righteousness.

REVIEW:

Vetrimaran has created a new benchmark in Indian cinema, quite consistently with his hard hitting films that not only dwells deep on character building but also touches on some of the sensitive socio-political issues that exist in the country through fictional setting. Though the film kicks off with a disclaimer that the story is entirely fictional with Vertimaran's voice, I read it as a sarcastic pun to the pro-government activist. 

The film is narrated from the perspective of Kumaresan (Soori), a righteous police constable who gets recruited into the team that has been on the hunt to capture Perumal aka Vaathiyar – The Mentor (Vijay Sethupathi), the leader of the local separatist group called Makkal Padai (People’s Army). Kumaresan joins the force with big dreams but little does he know that he would spend most of his time doing menial jobs – from delivering food to every check post through the forest to doing tower duty at night. When Kumaresan accidentally crosses paths with Vaathiyar, his beliefs about what’s right and wrong gets altered. 

The film immerses us with a 8 minute one take set (in the director Alejandro G. Iñárritu style) in the aftermath of a train blast which is definitely one of the most chilling scenes choreographed in Indian cinema. Vertimaran doesn’t stop there, he further shocks us with subsequent police torture with some blurred out nudity as well. Apart from throwing the spotlight on police brutality, the film also discusses the state of politics in Tamil Nadu in the 1990s. I will not say that all the plot points are not predictable or never seen before but how Vetrimaran injects intensity and realism makes a huge difference and impact.

Soori comes off as the most memorable actor in the film and his brilliant performance will continue to haunt you for a long time. Be it in emotional scenes, tender romance scenes or stunts, he lives off as Kumaresan. Bhavani and Chetan are other two supporting actors who will be well noted for their solid show. Vijay Sethupathi creates an impact with a brief but strong role that steers the narrative. The romance track between Soori and Bhavani doesn’t look jarring at all and in fact gels well to further stack up on the main conflict. 

As usual, Vetrimaran’s genuine vision is realized through his dedicated technical team. Velraj’s exquisite frames ensure that the audience feels each space closely while Ramar’s sharp editing pumps up our adrenaline at each plot point. Ilayaraja’s vintage style songs fit the 80-90s setting very well. I just felt that some of the shocking nude scenes could have been held till the climax to maximize the impact on the audience rather than spilling from the 1st half of the narration. The film also takes a more mainstream route and plays less rougher than Vetrimaran's previous similar themed film, 'Visaranai'.

The climactic action scenes which are masterfully executed (thanks to stunt director Peter Hein) keeps the audience at the edge of the seats while smoothly ending at a peaking sequence. The brief glimpses of Part 2 provide a satisfying ending while also raising our anticipation to uncover the truth and politics behind the conflicts. That said, Vetrimaran proves yet again that he is one of the most important, consistent directors in Indian cinema. 

VERDICT:

Vetrimaran meticulously sets up another intense, shocking socio-political drama about police brutality that is further elevated by Soori’s dedicated performance. 

CELLULOID METER- 4.5/5: