Vikram – Beginning of the End or End of the Beginning?

In the year 1986, Vaali penned this down:

நான் வெற்றி பெற்றவன்
இமயம் தொட்டு விட்டவன்
பகையை முட்டி விட்டவன்
தீயை சுட்டுவிட்டவன்
என் வீரமே வாகையே சூடும்

_{(Naan Vettri Petravan; Imayam Thottu Vittavan
Pagaiyai mutti Vittavan; Theeyai Suttu Vittavan; En Veerame, Vaagaye, Soodum)}

The above metaphorically translates to ‘I have seen it all; I have done it all – My bravery always triumphs!’. That is Kamal Haasan, for us. 232 films later, we might think we have seen all the characters of him. We might also think he has done it all. What could be different with Vikram? Well, you are in for a surprise.

If Vaali was still physically present, he would be proud that his words are still fresh and relevant. Nobody else could have written an opening song for a Kamal Haasan movie better than Vaali. He’s the man. The myth. The legend.

Is this post a write-up on Vaali? No. (Although there aren’t enough words to describe his legacy). Is this a review of Vikram? Hell no. Let’s get this straight. Who the f**k am I to ‘review’ a Kamal Haasan movie? Folks, there is a reason people call him ‘Aandavar’.

I want this post to be a celebration of ‘Vikram’. What I aim to convey is how much I enjoyed this absolute masterpiece of a movie. Probably the only time I felt sad leaving a theatre. Well, not just me. I could sense that the rest of the audience too, were not ready for the ending. (Or the beginning?)

As a famous YouTube sensation says often – ‘Open Pannaa’, you are transported into the world of Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan (quite literally) and Lokesh Kanagaraj without any delay. It’s like a slap on your face. Everything happens when you least expect them.

Why did Kamal Haasan agree to do a movie with a 3-film old Lokesh Kanagaraj? The answer lies in the script. Strong writing is the backbone of any successful movie. No actor/technician can save a sloppy script and we have evidence supporting this statement. (read: Beast, Valimai, and Annaatthe)

Being a Rajini Kanni since forever, I can only feel jealous that Thalaivar is not picking such powerful scripts. His legacy also deserves a celebration like this (Petta is the only exclusion?) and not just ‘Kudumbangal Kondaadum’ victories.

As much as we all love to identify ourselves with the ‘Cinephiles’ who primarily enjoy ‘Award-winning’ and ‘Film-Festival’ pictures, we have to agree that commercial-masala movies are what drive the Indian film industry. They are the bread and butter of what we call ‘Indian Cinema’. Such tales are the ones that resonate with the larger audience (including you and me) and that is why our ‘heroes’ are still flying cars and escaping bullets.

Okay, now be honest with me. We all love and adore Kamal Haasan. But tell me, when was the last time we celebrated this action/commercial side of him on the big screen – Vishwaroopam? Dasavatharam? Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu? I think it’s fair to assume that we have come a long way since then – as an industry altogether and also as individuals. Vikram is a brutal, ruthless action/commercial movie. It indeed is a celebration of the Alwarpetta Aandavar.

Okay, so Kamal is glorified as a larger-than-life character. Everything in this movie is about him – mannerisms, dance, action sequences. No scope for other actors to perform. Apdi dhana?

Adhaan illa.

As I said earlier, Lokesh Kanagaraj is a great story writer. The detailing of each character and the different layers act as a strong foundation of this monstrous architecture called ‘Vikram’. What’s interesting here is how he has managed to get FaFa, VJS, and the rest of the cast to deliver their best individually. Kamal Haasan is one of the greatest actors of all time. It is a tedious task to even act with him and get noticed, let alone be stand-out performers. Vijay Sethupathi is an acting monster. I have my own personal disagreements with some of his recent movies but this performance is yet another feather on his cap, joining ‘Vedha’, ‘Jithu’, and ‘Bhavani’. Fahadh Fassil is a madman. He is usually from a different dimension. Here too, his acting speaks for himself.

Vikram truly is a feast served in Lokesh Kanagaraj style. Imagine going to a restaurant expecting the food to be good. When you finish eating, you realize that it was one of the best meals you have ever had. Vayarum, manasum, neranji irukku. At this moment, someone’s bringing you your favorite dessert and says it’s on the house. Wouldn’t you be overjoyed? Well, that is what Suriya’s presence does to this movie. It is an experience by itself and I can’t put together words to describe it. Anything revealed might become a spoiler, so I am going to stop here 🙂 Go and watch a different Suriya. A Suriya you have never seen before.

If I talk about all the actors only and miss mentioning Anirudh Ravichander, it would be a crime. He keeps setting new standards with every film and it is going to take him quite some time to surpass the kind of music he has created for the world of Vikram. This is his era.

Since I have established myself as a Kanni, I also would like to state this – Kamal Haasan is beyond numbers. He is an emotion. So if you are someone who is interested in knowing the business side of this movie, go ahead and figure out the logistics. But if you are someone like me – paid 200-odd bucks to escape from reality and watch a movie – don’t waste time fighting over first-day collections, the number of shows, gross, share, etc. It is not our job, so let’s refrain from it. Lokesh Kanagaraj wanted you to experience an Aandavar film in his world. And he has hit this one out of the park. He is here to stay.

Do yourself a favor and watch this one on the big screen.