Darbar

2020, Tamil, Amazon Prime, 6.2/10 IMDB, Directed by A.R. Murugadoss

A revenge saga of a cop, packed with AR.Murugadoss style, intelligent racy anti-social clean up scenarios in the first half and tragic mis-fit of hasty screenplay in the second half, saved by Thalaivar’s charm through the length of the movie.

Can anyone pinch me to see if I am dreaming, is the man really 70years old? We are fond of many 70 year old league globally, who were admirable. Yes aging did enhance their appeal to the masses..

As one my doctor friend was quoting in the FDFS today morning, Sean Connery was one such actor who brimmed to fame in his 70s more than his James Bond days.. But, hey even he played his age and his voice did half the mesmerising.

But, here we have a man playing 15 years less than his real age as a Commisioner in his 50s and he charms you with his ‘Childish Innocence’, yes, you read it right, his navie innocence for which we fell in love during his prime acting career.

His charisma hasn’t waned one bit, rather has gone up high. The anger in his voice, the stammering in his love proposal, the Ultimate Trademark Swag, which is the template for our Pan Indian actors, he just engulfs you. All his traits are real treat for thalaivar’s ardent fans, its jealousy for the younger actors including their fans, point of mockery for those anti rajini fans.

The moral here is- ‘Thalaivar involuntarily seeps in to the viewer’s subconcious’.

AR Murugadoss has a pattern of story telling and when it pairs with a flawless screenplay, it has always worked wonders. But at times when the screenplay is not grippy enough, it only means, lethargy has set in after they accomplish couple of high achieving scenes in the first half.

The best example for this would be the difference between Thuppakki and Kathi. In Thuppakki the screenplay was a high achiever where as Kathi had too many loose ends and poor handling. This is exactly that difference between the 1st half and the 2nd half. The first 10 mins of the movie kinda hints you, that this is going to end this way.

Nayanthara has very minimal scope, as the director is unsure how to go about with the characters age difference being vast and Nayan or her fans wouldn’t buy the concept of she being a step-mom for a woman in her mid twenties. This is again where Petta movie scores as Simran and Rajini were of the similar age.

Nivedha Thomas does a neat job but again when she calls thalaivar ‘appa’, its nothing when compared to Sai dhanshika calling him ‘appa’in Kabali.. That was a real goosebumps moment but here the scene lacks depth and seems like a copy paste shot of Sathyaraj and Nayan in Raja Rani.

Yogi Babu simply brings the roof down. The teasing and pulling leg scenes, remind you of ‘Chandramuki’ vadivelu combo.

Sunil Shetty is not an ounce of a villan material opposite the lion like ferocious hero on-screen. Even his attempt to stare like a villan, makes it look confusingly romantic, reminding the way he saw jothika in Dum dum dum.

The crucial hospital sequence after the RTA, the concussion and brain hemorrhage, were shot unbelively stupid and it’s sheer negligence on the part of the directorial team. A complete let down by ARM.

The main drawback of the movie is, the villan whom Thalaivar is fighting against, doesn’t have enough scope to make us believe that he is ‘dark and full of terror’ kind. Eventually we end up not rooting for the ‘good winning over the evil’ as the personal revenge saga of the 90’s also kicks in. Thank god there weren’t any flash back clips of horrifying killing of the loved ones.

Anirudh is not noteworthy. His Petta scored and worked better.

It’s a Must watch for many and a Good watch for some.

Long Live Thalaivar. My mind voice is screaming, cut loose the politics and do more movies till your last breath thalaiva. ‘VA Thalaiva’…