Rings the right bell, almost
Probably one of the most impactful film of recent times. It’s good to see big actors breaking the shackles and going into roles like this. Between the concept, I’d rate ‘Nerkonda Paarvai’ better than this, not only because it had a bigger star but it’s far tougher and uncomfortable movie. But as a film, ‘Jai Bhim’ was better made. ‘Jai Bhim’ for most part keeps us in the grips, if not for the minor flaws. But it’s not easy to make a film on a definite subject. The director would always be confused on which route to take between documentary and traditional film making. This film too suffers somewhat in the process but doesn’t fail, thankfully.
Not a big fan of Surya, but he was at his scintillating best in ‘Jai Bhim’ with a serious character, much closer to his personality. Thankfully he need not appear as a rough guy shouting his guts out, in the process of appearing raw. The characters that best suit for him would be like that of ‘Ayan’ or ‘24’. A charming lad getting in the midst of action. That’s where he appears at home. Other characters, it just feels like he’s trying too much. With only exception being ‘Pithamagan’, easily his best and totally unexpected of him. People would think ‘Nandha’ was on the same lines, but that character felt mechanical. Vikram having aced ‘Sethu’ and ‘Pithamagan’, Suriya’s character in Nandha felt like it was more conscious to not imitate what Vikram did in those films, than to bring its own flavors in the film.
Coming to the film, the film was on point right from the first scene. We get to know what we’re going to witness, so it was just a matter of time before it was going to get hard hitting. Even though Rajakannu (Manikandan) and Sengeni’s (Lijomol Jose) part was short lived, it was sweet and makes us want more. Many a time, I used to see Nari Koravar’s and wanted to research/make a film about them, so I was happy to see something on the lines of that in the film, but the film was more about the injustice they face than about their lifestyle. Happy that my subject was not touched upon, but I’d have really loved to see about their life before their plight.
Within quick succession Rajakannu gets caught by police and the investigation starts. Adv. Chandru (Suriya) comes to fore. His introduction was dramatic and needless but otherwise he did a fair job. Thankfully the makers didn’t do any prosthetic make up to make Suriya look like Chandru, because that was not the point of film. But every other actor barring Prakash Raj, didn’t make any impact. With only exception being Lijomol Jose, what an actor! Except for that one shot where she sits in rain with her kid, her scenes were lit. Be it the pride when walking to her place by not getting on jeep or when talking to Suriya with sympathy about gold in her thaali, she was lovely and a pleasure to watch. Even though she appears throughout the film, the way she makes herself small and even invisible is a trait of a great actor. In a way the director achieves to show how small and unfilled their community is, in the midst of civilization.
Having the likes of Guru Somasundaram, M. S. Bhaskar and wasting them in such small roles was a disgrace. In fact, even Rajisha Vijayan doesn’t have any role. It was the second time I was seeing her character wasted. First in ‘Karnan’ and now this film. She was one of the actors whom you’d wish to remember to be the character you love, than as an actor. Just like how Emma Watson would always be remembered as Hermione. But she broke it and came out in flying colors in ‘The Perks of being a Wallflower’. I thought Rajisha would do a similar thing in any one of the films, unfortunately she doesn’t. I’d have been happy to remember her as ‘June’ and never saw her afterwards.
For all the good things, why were there so many songs in the film. especially the romantic song in the middle which comes as a flashback was so so needless. Spoils the flow of our film. Its unacceptable to mention that it was added for a commercial value. It’s not a film which you’d do adjustment. If the songs had been removed and the film had been trimmed by twenty minutes, it would have been even more impactful. Thankfully except for the scene where Sengeni (love the name) and her kid get drenched in rain during climax, there was not much of dramatic scenes.
It was not a flawless film, the narrative was dodgy, there were too many scenes depending on shock value, but the attempt altogether feels like a decent, impactful film. Wish the making would have been on the lines of ‘Pariyerum Perumal’ to have made it a more complete film.
constantscribbles 