Cast: Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, Bhavani Sre, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Chetan
Music: Ilaiyaraaja
Direction: Vetrimaaran
After the roaring success of Asuran, Vetrimaaran wanted to do a simple film. He picked Soori, an actor who is known for his comedy roles, as his protagonist. Quite an interesting casting choice. The simple film turned into a two-part film, Viduthalai, of which the first part is all about setting up the plot, the characters, and the landscape.
Kumaresan (Soori) joins as constable in a tense geography where there is a constant friction between the government and a radical group called People’s Army. He is an innocent, kind-hearted guy who worships Vallalar (a saint who is known for preaching universal love). Soori is phenomenal as Kumaresan. It was a delight to watch him in the romance, he simply stole our hearts.
Through Kumaresan we witness the story and his performance helps us empathize with the character and the story. The film opens with a train accident sequence, which is a 10 minute long single shot sequence. It’s a gut-wrenching sequence, yet the way its shot leaves one in awe. The cinematography through the film is raw and realistic, establishing the landscape.
The film talks about police brutality, discrimination in the police system. The portrayal of violence is raw and uncompromising which might not appeal for everyone. The songs by Ilaiyaraaja are beautiful melodies which are simply mesmerising, but the placement in the film dampened the flow. The background music is a bit let down at certain sequences, especially the police shoot out sequence. The film might not be Vetrimaaran’s best, but it’s still a good film that keeps you invested throughout and intrigues for the next part.
Verdict: Soori shines in this raw, gut-wrenching socio-political drama
Cinephile's Amigo 
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