Last week, the first look of “Viduthalai Part 2” was released. As a devoted fan of Vetrimaaran and this cinematic masterpiece, I couldn’t resist the perfect opportunity to write a review for “Viduthalai” Part 1. My goals for this review are twofold: to introduce and celebrate this work of art, and to get everyone as excited about the second part as I am.
If you are a fan of Vetrimaaran, you’re likely familiar with his unique style of filmmaking. His movies are raw and unfiltered to the core; from the location and dialogue to the colour grading, delving deep into the grassroot of the social issues. “Viduthalai” follows a similar formula, exploring the emergence of extremist groups, state violence and the lives of tribals- especially women- caught in between this. Set in a forest and inspired by numerous real-life incidents, this film masterfully blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
Set in the 1980s in rural Tamil Nadu, “Viduthalai” centres on the locals’ struggle for “liberation” against those in power. The film begins with an eight-minute single-shot sequence of a train accident, setting the tone for the rest of the story. It explains the conflicts between the state, police, Makkal Padai (people army) and the public caught in between. Amid this tension and pressure, Kumaresan (Soori), is newly recruited as a constable to the police unit tasked to capture Perumal Vaathiyar (Vijay Sethupathi), leader of Makkal Paddai.
What makes this movie unique is its neutral approach to storytelling. At different points, the film portrays the perspectives of different stakeholders. The opening train accident and the plight of police stationed there may initially evoke sympathy for the police. However, as the story progresses, the brutal killings and abuse of men and women by the police in the name of questioning prompt you to question their ethics and perhaps support the emergence of the rebel group, Makkal Padai. But in between, the film reminds us not to forget the hundreds of innocent villages who lost their lives and liberty. Kumaresan grapples with this common dilemma throughout the film. By breaking the story into two parts, anticipation builds around Kumaresan’s character transformation, on how he will break free from an obedient government servant to someone who adamantly questions the system and may even work with Vaathiyaar.
Vetrimaaran makes some very interesting casting choices. The cast, especially Soori as constable Kumaresan and Goutham Vasudev Menon as DSP Sunil Menon, delivers stellar performances. Soori, known for his comic roles, might have been a challenging choice for the central character, but he effectively brings out the innocence and helplessness of his character. GVM, a filmmaker whose films often glorified cop killings, now plays a cop that exposes police brutality in the most hard-hitting fashion. Although Vijay Sethupathi’s role as Vaathiyar is restricted to an extended cameo, he leaves a significant impact, making the wait for the second part even more exciting.
While it remains one of Vetri Maaran’s top works, “Viduthalai” has its shortcomings. Despite the raw and candid shooting style, the movie fails to evoke the bone-chilling empathy that Vetri achieved for his protagonists in other movies. Also, the theme of police brutality explored in Maaran’s “Visaranai ”, detracts from the originality of “Viduthalai”. Ilayaraja’s music and the romance between Kumaresan and Tamilarasi often feel out of context. However, the ultimate judgement of the movie can’t be given until the story is complete.
“Viduthalai” is a must-watch for me as it includes my perfect formula: a powerful movie discussing social issues without any pretence, raw to the core, with the new cinematic perspective of Vetrimaaran as a bonus. With the first part setting up the background and developing the characters, I am eagerly waiting for the full-blown implosion in the second part.
Warning: The movie isn’t for the faint hearted. If you are interested in dark thrillers that leave you with a punch in your gut, I welcome you all to this handpicked masterpiece from “Vetrimaaran Cinematic Universe”.
Edited by Yatin Satish
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