Films recently watched & worthy of some discussion

[mappi]

Manithan [2016 : Tamil : 2h30m : Drama and Crime fiction (Legal Drama)]
Directed by I. Ahmed

Dialogues : Ajayan Bala
Music : Santosh Narayanan
Camera : R. Madhi
Editing : Manikanda Balaji

Starring : Hansika Motwani, Aishwarya Rajesh, Udhay, Radha Ravi, Prakash Raj, Vivek & others.



Adhukaga avanga mela paridhapa pada sollala, Avanguluku ana nyayatha thaan kekurien.
Paavam Avangalum nambala madri manushangathaney, your Honour.

[I am not asking for pitiness, afterall they are our own, I am just seeking justice for them, your Honour.]

Sakthi (Udhay) reopens a dismissed Hit & Run case under Public Interest Litigation (Article 32 of the Indian constitution) in a court of law. Adisheshan (Prakash Raj), a leading criminal lawyer who appeared during the initial phase and liberated his client from the murder of six victims, is forced back to re-appear before the courthouse of Justice Dhanapal (Radha Ravi). During the stages of the trial, the foul play of mishandled key witness is brought to light, but the lack of eyewitness embarks the law to go with Adisheshan's claim that media targeting the rich and the public quenching their jealousy by wanting to see a wealthy citizen behind bars. Sakthi has got one more card to play, but the senior lawyer is always a step ahead of Sakthi. Thus, the cat and mouse court room drama unfolds, each advocate trying to cogent the law.

Ahmed has finely shaped the character Sakthi. Even when Sakthi is not all enthusiastic about acheiving a social victory - he jokes on his own non-success - the positivity in the form of amusement and pleasant emotions are intact. Sakthi just wants to be and behave normal but his entourage, usually it would be a complaining father, but here it's his own girl-friend (bad choice) who wants him to achieve what she thinks is right for him to achieve. So, our hero comes to city but his attitude remains the same. The point is, Ahmed never tries to modify this character between Acts. The other tiny characters are assembled beautifully around Sakthi, be it the dwellers of the area where Sakthi lodges, the road-side-restaurant cook, a personel body gaurd, the judge, the mocking policemen, a mediator, the rich family, a tea-stall owner, etc. During the final part of ACT-3, a character is introduced and his performence needs a special mention. Moreover, the setups are lively - court-room, High-court compound & the housing community. Using such enviornment, Ahmed elivates his character without "puzhuthi parakkum paaru" moments. Amoung several, the best depiction is when Sakthi peals off his bandage, just like taking off his thick skin and starts making new strides, this time the goal & ambition well defined and differentiated.

Santosh Narayanan, this time too, uses silence and just vocals to stamp in the needed emotions delivered by the slow-mos. 'Poi Vazhva' soothes when the song silently creeps in just like Akkam Pakkam Paar from Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum. The magic has to be experienced in a cinema hall. Out of the blue rings a rhetorical humming "Adho" admist an atmosphere of the living soceity (yet the movie is not preachy). The back ground score melts with the visuals and certainly enhances the characters - there are two musical bits for Adisheshan, the second one which is a kind of a Victory BGM played while Prakash Raj is rolling his eyes villainously is pure mastery.

Udhay has certainly shown great improvement. He maintains the grip on his character and at no point tries to overflow as lawyer Sakthi even when getting insulted, beaten up or slapped. He reacts exactly what the character demands. Much more could have been put in keeping in mind the depth of the character, but Udhay not only tires but also gives a neat performance. He sharply delivers his dialogues and during the closing argument in the court, he does try to roll the words between his throat and lips, expressing a poignant emotion when he says "Paavam Avangalum nambala madri manushangathaney, your Honour". Hats off Udhay, indeed a good start. It's not that he has to do only such films ; he has to do such films from time to time. Others in line are ofcoarse the veterans Prakash Raj and Radha Ravi. Even their voice act. The way Prakash Raj tries to turn the events at the court house with high pitched arguments filled with logic in multi-language, Radha Ravi calmly replies to him "Seri Seri", which is funny as well as demonstrating who is who inside the court. Ahmed has punctuated the film with such fabulous scenes. Aishwarya Rajesh is a part of the film too, I adore this girl, such a facinating beauty who never over shadows the allure with vulgar make-up, plus an actress who can cry or show anxiety spontaneously. Vivek does an extended cameo. He brings in a new named wife with him this time, but I felt like the footage had gone missing !

I am not storyteller, but still felt that Ahmed stammers a bit in producing a Crime Drama inside a Courtroom Thriller. Arguments fell flat. There is a lot of interruption during the investigation dissolving the core plot. Moreover, allowing Santosh Narayanan to be over melodramatic takes away the notion of the thrill. The length of the dialogues could have been longer and if the whole ACT-3 was inside the court room, the film would have been perfect. Nevertheless, Manithan-the film is excellent. Hats off Ahmed and team.

Manithan - Invincible