MAHARAJA (2024)

Critic 322

Director: Nithilan Saminathan
Written by: Nithilan Saminathan
Produced by: Passion Studios, The Route, Think Studios
Casts: Vijay Sethupathi, Anurag Kashyap, Natarajan Subramaniam, Abhirami, Singampuli, Mamta Mohandas, Aruldoss, Munishkanth, Manikandan, Kaalaiyan, Sachana Namidass
Music: B. Ajaneesh Loknath
Language: Tamil
Genre: Thriller, Drama

SYNOPSIS:
Maharaja, a barber, seeks vengeance after his home is burglarized, cryptically telling police his "Lakshmi" has been taken, leaving them uncertain if it's a person or an object. His quest to recover the elusive "Lakshmi" unfolds together with an underlying mystery that he is hiding.

REVIEW:

Director Nithilan Saminathan made his directorial debut in 2017 with "Kurangu Bommai," a well-woven crime thriller that had critics raving. He comes back to the screen after seven years with "Maharaja," another thriller, which is also incidentally Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi’s 50th film. Nithilan is known for his puzzle-like screenplay and strong emotional core, and "Maharaja" is no exception.

Nithilan’s films are so intricately constructed that surprise is everything to him, and this "big reveal" is attained by construction and contrivance meant to shock the audience. In "Kurangu Bommai," this technique of hiding information and slowly revealing just what needs to be revealed worked relatively well. He has tried this in "Maharaja," and it has succeeded fairly well.

"Maharaja" is a world in which, for no comprehensible reason, a lorry rams into a home, destroying lives. It’s a world in which a man goes out of his way to help another but gets mistakenly identified as the enemy. It’s a world of gut-wrenching pain, and perhaps for that reason, the striking images of the two main characters, Maharaja and Selvam (Vijay Sethupathi and Anurag Kashyap), are of them, at different times, screaming in agony.

As for the performances, talented Vijay Sethupathi undoubtedly stands out with his performance. His portrayal of Maharaja is very realistic, and one connects to him emotionally as well. The nuanced changes his character undergoes throughout the film are well brought out by Vijay Sethupathi, and one must appreciate the writing by the director here. Kudos for landing a great character with less star appeal and more depth in writing for his 50th film. A surprise in this film was Anurag Kashyap, who delivered a strong performance as a common man with different shades. Other characters who shone were Natty, Singampuli, Kaalaiyan, Manikandan (Boys Fame), and Abhirami.

As much as it is deep and engaging, the film feels very well engineered, and the final twist might be smelled miles away. However, the way Nithilan moves his film to the final act still manages to move you and leave you with a punch in the gut at the end.

"Maharaja" depicts how actions can spiral into catastrophic outcomes. The story begins with a seemingly trivial event—a villain enters a salon and answers a phone call. This simple act sets off a chain of troubling events. The film cleverly mirrors this idea by starting with a game of antakshari in the salon, where each song connects to the next, symbolizing the domino effect of actions. Unfortunately, Mamta and Dhivya Bharathi's characters are limited to brief appearances.

Cinematographer Dinesh Purushothaman's raw angles and natural lighting bring us closer to the characters, while art director Selvakumar brings us the world of "Maharaja" with his precise production design, especially when it is based on a prop. The real star after the director and lead actor is editor Philomin Raj, who has put out various timelines and puzzle-like structures of the screenplay in an engaging way without evoking any confusion in the audience.

Despite some shortcomings in the predictability of the final twist and the limited roles for some characters, "Maharaja" leaves a lasting impact with its intense narrative and stellar performances, especially by Vijay Sethupathi. Another feather in the hat for Vijay Sethupathi, it’s a film that resonates with the audience and highlights Nithilan’s prowess in crafting intricate and emotionally powerful stories.

VERDICT:
"Maharaja" is a poignant thriller that marks Vijay Sethupathi’s milestone 50th film with a deep and engaging narrative, strong performances, and intricate direction by Nithilan Saminathan.

CELLULOID METER: 4/5