Connect with us

Movies Reviews

A career-best performance from Sai Pallavi in one of the most significant Tamil movies in recent memory, according to the Gargi review

Published

on

A career-best performance from Sai Pallavi in one of the most significant Tamil movies in recent memory, according to the Gargi review

Sai Pallavi gives one of the most moving performances by a mainstream heroine in recent memory in Gautham Ramachandran’s Gargi. It is a sobering story about a daughter’s struggle for justice. The movie, which is unquestionably the best Tamil film of the year so far, focuses on a very delicate subject and handles it with an uncommon level of empathy that is hard to find these days. Gargi is a breath of fresh air in a time when star power and overt machismo are the only things that matter in popular cinema. It has a lasting impression.

Gargi, a teacher who is from a lower middle class household, is portrayed by Sai Pallavi. Her mother produces and sells idli batter from her home while her father works as a security guard in a local housing society. She has a younger sister who attends school. Gargi has no significant life goals and her family is her priority in life. When her 60-year-old father is listed as an accused party in a gang-rape case involving a young girl, her life is suddenly flipped upside down. The remainder of the narrative is on Gargi’s pursuit of justice and the difficulties she encounters along the road.

Gargi examines the effects on a family when one of its members is the main accused in a rape case from a social perspective. The movie depicts what it means to be affiliated with someone accused in something as delicate as a rape case, even if they are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This includes media sensationalism and risking ostracism. The movie challenges us as a culture to think carefully before drawing conclusions based on frequently misinformation spread by the media. It is extremely uncommon for mainstream Tamil cinema, which is known for catering to the public by going the commercial path, to approach such a subject so carefully, and the script deserves special appreciation for handling it so sensitively.

Advertisement

The writing, namely the dialogue, is what gives Gargi its power. Gautham Ramachandran’s handling of the material, the haunting and beautiful imagery, and the overall approach to the rape portion of the story serve as evidence of his sensibilities as a director. He pulls the emphasis away from the incident’s tragedy and onto the drama that ensues, which is what makes the proceedings so engrossing and immersive.

Sai Pallavi is the star of this show throughout. She shows that she still has a lot of untapped potential in what is undoubtedly her best performance of her career. It’s a performance that will affect you profoundly. What deserves more appreciation is the conviction to choose this role and to play it with such care and compassion (of the character’s suffering). There probably won’t be a Tamil movie heroine performance this year that can top this one. The casting of the movie is another noteworthy aspect. It was a stroke of genius to cast Kaali Venkat, who typically plays comedic roles, in a crucial lawyer position. The rest of the casting is also excellent. The soundtrack by Govind Vasantha brings the picture to life.

Film: Gargi

Director: Gautham Ramachandran

Advertisement

Cast: Sai Pallavi, Kaali Venkat

Group Media Publications
Entertainment News Platforms – anyflix.in      
Construction Infrastructure and Mining News Platform – https://cimreviews.com/
General News Platform – https://ihtlive.com/
Legal and Laws News Platforms – https://legalmatters.in/
Podcast Platforms – https://anyfm.in/

Advertisement

Tollywood

Viduthalai Part 2 movie review: Vijay Sethupathi shines in a highly sermonising story

Published

on

By

Viduthalai Part 2 movie review: Vijay Sethupathi shines in a highly sermonising story

Viduthalai Part 2 movie review: Vijay Sethupathi again puts up a class act with the Vetrimaaran film fails to live up to part 1.
Viduthalai Part 2 movie review: Director Vetrimaaran often portrays the underrepresented sections of society, including the poor, working class, and marginalized. His films depict the harsh realities of life, focusing on themes like caste, class divide, corruption, and systemic oppression. And while these form the core themes of his films, his characters stand out for their brilliant emotional depth and complexity. When Viduthalai Part 1 came out in 2023, it not only established Soori as a highly talented actor, but also spoke about the emergence of extremist groups and where they stem from. (Also read: Viduthalai Part 2 Twitter review: Vijay Sethupathi deserves National Award for his performance, say fans)

Viduthalai Part 2, which was released on December 20, takes off from the first part with the clash between the tribals and government forces and revolves around Perumal (Vijay Sethupathi), the leader of the extremist group Makkal Padai (People’s Army). While part 1 was about Kunaresan, this moves beyond him to the main figure in contention.

What is Viduthalai Part 2 about

The police nab Perumal, and we get told this school teacher’s back story and why he became who he is. Shaped by the communist ideology, Perumal fights for what he believes is unjust, and the director has been quite clever in showcasing empathy within the revolutionary movement as well. As the story of Perumal unfolds, there is a heavy infusion of politics and emotionally charged dialogues to make us empathise with Perumal and his fight.

Advertisement

Director Vetrimaaran has also added many intricate political and social touches to the characterisations. For instance, Perumal’s wife, fellow comrade Mahalakshmi (Manju Warrier), cuts her hair short because she feels long hair would make her more fragile. We are also shown how Karuppan (Ken Karunas) bestows a name on himself. We are also shown the power play between those in power and those who are weak and how one exploits the other at will.

On the whole, Viduthalai Part 2 seems to be an ode to people like Vaathiyar aka Perumal, who stand up for a cause and the downtrodden. Perumal embraces lal salaam and, along with it, renounces many of the toxic values that society holds dear. For instance, he marries Mahalakshmi, who was married before, but he never questions her about it – it’s inconsequential to him.

What Viduthalai Part 2 lacks

While Viduthalai Part 2 has many aspects that one appreciates, it’s not as stellar as Part 1 as it gets very sermonising. In part 1, Soori’s character was beautifully crafted, and one expected to see more of him in part 2, and that was a letdown. Viduthalai Part 2 is all about Vijay Sethupathi and he has carried the film able on his shoulders. Unfortunately, Vetrimaaran, the astute writer, seemed to be missing in this film and that was disappointing. Viduthalai Part 2 carries a strong ideological theme and is another socially relevant film from Vetrimaaran.

Group Media Publications
Entertainment News Platforms – anyflix.in      
Construction Infrastructure and Mining News Platform – https://cimreviews.com/
General News Platform – https://ihtlive.com/

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Anyskill-ads

Facebook

Trending