Adirindi Movie Review
By the time Adirindi hit theaters in Telugu it is already a mammoth blockbuster in Tamil. Mersal is Vijay’s highest grosser and is all set to become the second biggest ever hit in Tamil cinema history. So the buzz around Telugu version is obviously high and it reflects in its openings.
Story :
Bhargav (Vijay) is a noble doctor who wants to give free medical aid to the poor. He also performs magical tricks like a wizard and kills a person in a live act. He is caught by the police and he reveals the entire secrets one after the other to the police official (Satyaraj). We come to know that the magician is not Bhargav but Vijay, his brother (also, Vijay). There is a reason why Vijay is after a particular group of doctors. We get to know about their father Vijay Bhargav (Vijay again) and his mother (Nitya Menen) who were ruthlessly killed by Daniel Arogyaraj (SJ Surya)
Performances:
The story is tailor made for Tamil superstar Vijay. There is nothing challenging about the three characters that really tests Vijay’s acting skills. He looks different from usual in the getup of a villager. Kajal and Samantha are restricted to miniscule roles. Nitya Menon gets a meaty role among the female leads and she does well. SJ Surya as the villain impresses. Satya Raj is over the top at times. Kovai Sarala and Vadivelu are okay in supporting roles.
Technicalities:
Atlee has penned a commercial story keeping the actor’s mass image in mind. He totally plays it to the galleries by relying upon Vijay’s image. There are certain moments that he shines as a director. Hospital episode in the first half is highly emotional and very impressive. He does well in packaging the movie with masala elements.
Music by AR Rahman is a mixed bag. He impresses with his background score but the songs are very ordinary. Not even one song bears his stamp nor makes an impression. Cinematography is good. There is so much lag in the second half that needs to be taken care of. Production values are superb.
Thumbs Up:
- Engaging first half
- Vijay’s performance
Thumbs Down:
- Boring flashback episode
- Runtime
- Routine script
Analysis:
Director Atlee has written a regular revenge plot where the sons avenge their parents death. He makes the revenge plot relatable by adding the medical scam theme, which works in parts. Atlee tries to make a routine script seem different with screenplay tactics. The school girl’s accident scene followed by hospital episode and the pre intermission episode are particularly impressive and ends the first half on a high note.
Atlee holds the audience interest with engaging screenplay in the first half coupled with some whistle-worthy mass moments. However, the film totally derails in the second half where the story shifts to 1970s. Thalapathy episode is painstakingly boring with little entertainment. The episode makes an impact with the killing of Thalapathy and his wife.
The story straightaway enters climax after the conclusion of flashback scenes. Climax is a regular one with two brothers taking on the villain. The anti-GST speech of Vijay in the climax has been muted in the Telugu version. Adirindi is a passable entertainer for the masses, but offers nothing for the audience that look for freshness.
Director Atlee does his best to keep the adrenaline flowing with some nicely written episodes that comes at the right intervals. The film will impress Vijay fans for sure, but offers very little for others. The pre release buzz around the film has ensured very good opening and it could be a successful venture if it holds for a few days.
Verdict: Mass Masala.
