VIKRAM VEDHA

Produced by-Y Not Studios

Scripted and Wielded by- Pushkar –Gayatri

Cast-Madhavan, Vijay Sethupathi, Kathir, Varalaxmi Sharath Kumar, Shraddha Srinath and Prem

Running Time- 147 minutes

Censor Rating-U/A

Rating-****

The beauty of the script lies in the fact that it is difficult to take sides between the two unusual characters of Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi, one a dedicated, dashing and a dare-devil encounter specialist while the other is a hardcore, intelligent criminal with a ‘proven track record’ who has an emotional side too! Clash of the titans, it is and the film’s USP is the narrative that has been structured on the basis of the fable of Vikramaditya and Vedalam!

The film cannot be simply categorized as belonging to the ‘cops and criminals’ genre as there is much more underneath! The filmmakers have constructed a well crafted puzzle that is interesting as well as engaging, right from the moment go!

Have embarked their film career with quirky comedies as ‘Oram Po’ in 2007 and ‘Va: Quarter Cutting’ in 2010, the directorial duo has come a long way since and eventually come of age too!

In one way, the film questions the idea of the good and the evil with two principal characters to boot where the audience is always made to get into a dilemma as to whom they should root for between the two! Eventually, the audience gets over the dilemma and start rooting for both! The film also makes a statement on ‘Dharma’ arguing that it need not necessarily be on the right side of the Law! Also, the screenplay doesn’t project a protagonist or an antagonist but speaks about two people, both of whom tend to a larger good but in the bargain happen to do smaller bad things! Not exactly the ‘chalk and cheese’ kind they both are but yet slip into those two characteristics time and again!

Performances-wise, both Maddy and Sethupathi comfortably and conveniently prove that they both are a class apart. While the latter is methodical and hence well prepared, the former appears to go about instinctively as he gets into a rhythm with customary ease!

For that matter almost all the characters showcased in the film have gone about their roles well. While one gets a feeling that Kathir who starts off well gets handicapped very soon by the limited scope that the script has offered to him; but Varalaxmi has been cast in a character that rings in a sense of déjà as she has played a loud-mouth on one too many occasions!

Vikram (Madhavan) is an encounter specialist who is busy with his team laying down plans to nab a self-styled don, Vedha (Vijay Sethupathi) a smart and intelligent criminal whose is dead sure what he wants and for that he would not mind getting people dead, if the situation warrants it!

A planned encounter based on a tip off gets the team of cops round up the team of criminals headed by Vedha, but minus Vedha and a few others! The police team end up killing Pulli (Kathir, a neat cameo!), none other Vedha’s younger brother! Much to the consternation of all those concerned Vedha walks in to surrender while the team of cops is busy laying nets to nab him!

From then on, it is matter of storytelling sessions between Vikram and Vedha which were supposedly sessions of interrogation!

With each session, Vedha opens raises questions for Vikram to answer as the narration unfolds through flashbacks! Having set the platform for such a style of narration through the title sequence that presents the story of Vikram and Vedhal in animation form, the director duo has exercised good control the proceedings and the climax is indeed a surprise!

P.S.Vinoth the cinematographer deserves a pat on his back for his excellent visuals. Sam C.S. has come up with a spellbinding soundtrack!