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Shamshera is a plodding action drama with the themes of freedom and retribution at its core

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Shamshera is a plodding action drama with the themes of freedom and retribution at its core

Tribal chief Shamshera sacrifices his life in an effort to win his people’s freedom. 25 years later, his son takes up the cause, avenging his father’s death and rescuing his people from the control of the British and communal leaders.

Examining Samshera: Having been driven from his homeland along with his people, Shamshera (Ranbir Kapoor), a tribal leader, is compelled to rob the wealthy, who view themselves as belonging to a higher caste. An Indian commander in the British military named Shudh Singh (Sanjay Dutt) betrays Shamshera and forces his tribe into slavery alongside him. Balli (Ranbir once more) devotes his life to this revolt while Shamshera loses his life attempting to free his tribe from the dual clutches of the British and the high-caste people

The background music and the slick VFX-driven graphics immediately draw you into the imagined universe set in late 19th-century India. The video quickly provides a framework for the tribe’s origins and motivations before delving directly into Shamshera’s narrative. From that moment forward, the movie starts to drag. It continues to be a slow-moving action-drama that features a caste-based conflict, a romantic vengeance story, and a run-in with the British Raj.

You’ll be exhausted at the end of the movie, to say so without giving away too many plot points. The picture drags through the length with a number of small, but noticeable technical hiccups, feeling far too stretched for its paper-thin plot. Despite this, Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt continue to be the centre of this drama. The actors give sincere performances despite a mediocre storyline, a weaker writing, and weaker dialogue. Even if he makes a lot of effort to improve a lacklustre script, it is always a pleasure to see Ranbir on film again after a long absence. Sanjay Dutt also does a good job acting menacingly. In fact, each time the performers interact on-screen together, their dialogue

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The supporting players in this drama, such as Ronit Bose Roy, Saurabh Shukla, and Iravati Harshe, don’t really add much to the story. If their characteristics had been chosen with greater consideration and care, it would have been very beneficial. It’s unexpected that they have such limited room to manoeuvre. Even Sona, a dancer played by Vaani Kapoor, falls far short in terms of an emotional curve.

The film’s action choreography is excellent, especially in the sequence just before the intermission and in some of the finale.

The soundtrack to the movie contains certain songs that will stick in your head, such as the song that introduces Balli in the movie or the love ballad that describes Sona and Balli’s relationship. The highlights of the movie are its background music, VFX, and cinematography.
In conclusion, although director and co-writer Karan Malhotra initially seemed to have a magnificent vision, it’s his execution that appears to have let him down. We only wish that it had all been put together more skillfully than what was visible given the scope, the available canvas, and the skills of the makers.

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

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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.

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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.

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