‘Viruman’ movie review: Karthi and Prakash Raj are darlings in this blazing rural drama that is firmly rooted in its traditions

ghost of thevar magni And virumandi, arguably remains two of the greatest films of Tamil cinema, even after two decades. And to a large extent, these two films – written by Kamal Haasan – provide the basic framework for these rural dramas that are set in and around the Madurai belt. It is not surprising that Viruman These are the colours. it’s kind of a spin thevar magni Who had a paternal grandfather in Shivaji’s Periya Thevar and a dutiful son in Kamal Haasan’s Shaktivelu. Now what if these two characters are face to face? This is not the only similarity; Reminds you of the way Karthi is introduced virumandi, if you want to jog your memory a bit. Actually, right after Karthi’s introduction, Prakash Raj’s Muniyadi is walking home with his companions. Out of desperation, he interrupts and shouts at them that he is the only one to watch. Something about this short performance of Raj reminds you of Sivaji Ganesan right after the iconic Panchayat scene. Of course, we get a Panchayat scene Viruman very. in kind virumandiSomeone is cunningly behind a piece of land owned by Virumana.

Something about this film catches your attention and that is Karthi. There’s something “likable” about Karthi that it’s hard to dismiss any of his performances as “whatever.” Even though he gets a “been there, done” character here, Karthi has the ability to do it himself. He’s dear to the long drawn out first half and his “likeness” is what gets you invested in it. Viruman, even though the scenes, songs, situations and stunts are a bit generic. If the film is enjoyable even in parts, it is because of the cast of Karthi and Rajkiran, Suri, Singam Puli and others.

What is with Tamil filmmakers and their penchant for romanticizing the notion that heroines are a mere reflection of the hero’s mother? And what does this say about the heroes these women have fallen for? Viruman sees the complexions of his outspoken mother Muthulakshmi (Saranya Ponavannan) in Thane (Aditi Shankar who sells the character quite well). It’s Viruman’s uncle (Rajkiran gets a kick scene at the end. He’s awesome) who makes things worse. Seeing Virumana, who looks frozen in front of Than as he gives him an ear, Rajkiran plants a seed in his head. That after that, he is the only Than ‘hears’ and the fact that they meet in their mother’s grave should be an indication. Viruman and Thein have a late night chat on WhatsApp but their romance has not been updated and they want to be painfully cute. Save for a few scattered laughs from Suri who is really capable of jokes and gets some bang, the film gives us a deja vu feeling of being in similar places, featuring similar characters and familiar beats in Muttiah, Pandiraj’s multiverse. feature. and the victory of Shiva.

To depict the laid-back life and carefree attitude in the villages, films like Viruman risks romanticizing traditions and popularizing some thorny notions of the past – “a woman should be like Bumadevi, not Phoolan Devi,” says one character. A manipulative and abusive father is presented as a cheerful and retarded man with enough juice to ‘entertain’. The fact that it is played by a talented actor like Prakash Raj, makes it almost impossible to make him unsuitable. A character’s suicide is shown with the least amount of sympathy. the people you meet Viruman Let go of his principles and beliefs that he maintained for decades and gain knowledge in terms of visuals. How cold is he?

one of those things that’s going in Viruman There is chemistry between Karthi and Prakash Raj. This is more natural than sharing a Karthi with Aditi, who, at best, could have passed off as her brother. These two actors – Karthi and Raj – keep you hooked to the proceedings, even when it hits a series of ups and downs in the second half. The astonishing charm that Muttiah penned in the first half is tear-jerking. If there’s a takeaway VirumanThis is how we have finally found a formidable pair in Karthi and Raaj for the Tamil remake ayyappanum koshiyum,

Viruman Currently playing in cinemas.