Vivegam, Thala Ajith Kumar’s 57th movie has quite a lot going on. But in the end, despite the alien landscapes and the hi-fi (more like sci-fi) tech, it’s a confusing combo of sentiment and slick.
Veeram, Vedalam, Vivegam
All three movies have been written and directed by Siva, and were nearly consecutive releases, with Gautham Menon’s Yennai Arindhal, breaking the chain after Vedalam.
Director Siva has a typical masala approach to filmmaking and this ain’t a bad thing at all. He knows exactly how to pack a punch in the key dialogues and is a master at tugging at the heartstrings of his audience, through brother-sister, hero-mother, husband-wife sentiments.
In fact, some of the best scenes in Vivegam are between Ajith and Kajal Aggarwal. The on-screen chemistry between the two is a classic ‘60s fare. From empathy to non-verbal understanding to telepathy, they make everything plausible together.
The problem is that Vivegam is touted as this hi-tech spy thriller. It’s not. It’s actually a story of a village clan leader, his friends and his wife, disguised as an action blockbuster.
Think of a Kasauti Zindagi Ke or any random mega-serial of your choice. Now imagine all of the actors dressed in spacesuits and living in a colony in Mars. Would you call that a science fiction series?
This is where Veeram and Vedalam worked, and Vivegam failed.
Vivek Oberoi, The Villain With a Hero Crush
All through the movie (literally), Vivek Oberoi is to Ajith what Sam Trautman was to John Rambo. He keeps singing two line ballads for Ajith, even as he’s hunting him down and trying to kill him. The way he praises Ajith, and stresses he lays in his tone, make it all a bit...awkward.
Akshara Haasan’s role is more of cameo. There’s probably more to her, but in this movie, she gives away nothing.
Herculean Effort, Gone in a Blur
Vivegam is a very detailed film. Every gizmo, every computer hack and world-ending weapon has been thought through to keep disbelief suspended. But it all moves so quickly, with so many fast-forward shots that I could take it all in only in retrospect.
The action sequences are actually beautifully choreographed, though not original (there’s a lot of The Raid and Marvel movies in there). The only problem is that I’ve had to replay them inside my head, in 1X speed to appreciate them.
The end credits play out like a Jackie Chan movie, where all of Ajith’s action out-takes are revealed. Sprained fingers, scratches all over the body, very risky falls, bike stunts, snow-bruises; Ajith went through it all.
And yet, all I was left with was Ajith’s Power Rangers pose in the climactic fight. He tears off his t-shirt, reveals his surprisingly fit physique, and then does that thing with his hands the pink Power Ranger does, to activate her powers.
At the end of the day, with over 2000 screens across the world and more than 700 in Tamil Nadu; with thaali (mangalsutra) sentiment in climax (she’s also pregnant); with punch dialogues on friendship and betrayal; with a fan base that’s unimaginably loyal; Vivegam will have a successful run. But it’s bound to test your intellect, like it did mine.
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