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is it that amazes someone while
watching a film? Is it the performances
of the stars they’ve admired
for years together? Or is it
the sheer brilliance of narration
and screenplay which moves at
the speed of a bullet from its
gun?
In this case, it’s both,
and I’m elated to say
that the bullet has accurately
and fiercely hit its target.
Unnaipol Oruvan, the story of
a frustrated common man who
bursts out his fury at the various
sectors of the chaotic world
sets you ablaze with praise
at the end of the film. It sets
you thinking, and keeps you
thinking even harder to hope
for change, a change for betterment.
The message of the film would
be better understood if I were
to make a reference to the old
saying: Fight fire with fire.
That is exactly what Kamal Haasan’s
character does in the film,
and does it with panache and
ease. He pulls off everything
that the character requires
making you laugh along to the
dark satires, sit on your edge
during the thrills and leaves
you moist eyed at will, resulting
in yet another role that will
be spoken of in the years to
come.
The ace actor from God’s
own country does not fall short
either. Mohanlal does justice
to the role of IG Raghavan Maarar,
with a confident and controlled
approach to his character. He
looks majestic on screen even
as he tries very delicately
to handle the most sensitive
of situations that are presented
to his character through the
course of the film.
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Though the two stalwarts hardly share any
screen time together, it is pure magic to
see them excel with sparkling chemistry
through their exchanges over phone and perhaps
what might arguable be the definitive scene
of the film: their penultimate dialogue
sequence which will unconsciously make you
clap as it happens and consciously make
you pray to not make it end!
Unnaipol Oruvan also includes some worthy
performances by the supporting cast namely
veteran actor Lakshmi, actors Ganesh Venkatraman
and Anuja Iyer though I feel that there
could have been a little more perfection
in the scenes that showed the news reporting
of the events that take place.
A tight screenplay, along with slick camera
work and editing makes sure the film does
not take the rear seat on the technical
front. Kudos to Chakri Toleti, the captain
of the ship, who has brought out the best
from everyone who worked in the film.
The minor flipsides are that it is hard
to differentiate the actor Kamal Haasan
from the character he portrays which is
that of a simple, common man. His costumes,
minimal make up and characterization comes
close to being called “Common”
but his sophisticated performance and multi
linguistic dialogues makes you feel that
he is a bit more than being just a common
man, for the character is elevated to that
of a larger than life personality at a few
points of the film.
Also, Unnaipol Oruvan employs a lot of gimmicks
that disappoint to a level. Though these
are used to create and subsequently maintain
the tone of the film, I felt that at some
points, there may have been an overdose
of the same.
Allegorically, the film is about the slow
degradation of a citizen who is unable to
digest whatever the people around him seem
to have tuned into. It explores the depth
of communal violence and red tapism within
the walls of the government. The film also
presents the school of thought that terrorism
and religion need not be inter linked at
all times.
It is relieving that there aren’t
any clichéd flashbacks to justify
the actions of Kamal Haasan’s character.
Rather, many of his notions and certain
actions are clearly understood without any
translation medium.
On the whole, Unnaipol Oruvan is you and
me: Every child who earns when he should
rather learn, every angry young man who
is denied of his rights, every woman who
is subject to abuse, and every senior citizen
who sees the country which used to be his
home now turn into just a mere house. All
our frustrations, our anger and our rage
that we’ve bottled up in our hearts;
well, Unnaipol Oruvan is about a man like
you, who has just broken that bottle open.
By P.G. Aditya
A student of Visual Communication,
And a daily visitor of your website.
pgaditya@gmail.com
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