Review of R. Madhavan’s biopic, “G.D.N.”

The making of a biopic is always a tricky one to manoeuvre, having to ensure historical accuracy, objectivity while still retaining entertainment value. Director Krishnakumar Ramkumar, who made his directorial debut in Oho Enthan Baby, is largely successful with his ambitious biopic, G.D.N. – the story about G.D. Naidu, known as the Edison of India.

The story begins with the Income Tax Department arriving at Naidu’s dwelling to attach his assets because of his failure to pay a fine on unpaid taxes. This is a glimpse into how Gopalswamy Doraisamy Naidu was demonised – first by the British authorities prior to India’s independence, and then by his own government.

The film then provides a flashback into Dorai’s younger life, his interest in mechanics and the alert and questioning mind that turned him into one of India’s most remarkable and innovative inventor, adding to his other titles of entrepreneur, industrialist, educator and philanthropist. He was more than a brilliant inventor, his ideas had the potential to transform Indian society and its economy. What inhibited his influence is what should have been the core focus of the film.

As a stand-alone film, GDN provides absorbing entertainment, stirring emotions and outstanding acting and technical; achievements, but the film falls short of providing a comprehensive understanding of the man behind the name.

The film has an outstanding and talented cast who all do full justice to their roles. R. Madhavan, who also co-produced and the film and co-wrote the screenplay, delivers a flawless performance in the title role, often relying solely on his elocution and facial expressions to convey tone and emotions.

Threatening to overshadow Madhavan is a brilliant performance of Sathyaraj in the role of Ramaiah Pillai. He infuses delightful depth into the character, combining many of the elements that brought him fame as a comedic villain with the supporting role of Ramaiah Pillai.

Jayaram, portraying Ambalapara Krishnan, shows his versatility and acting range within this single role and is one of the film’s many lingering characters.

National Award-winning actress, Priyamani does a commendable job as Chellamma, GDN’s first wife, while Dushara Vijayan as his second wife, Ranganayaki, is quite a revelation in the challenging role.

Karunakaran, Ramesh Thilak and Thambi Ramaiah are all incredible actors with great depth and they each bring their respective characters to three-dimensional life.

Vinay Rai and Vijay Yesudas play important roles, both well executed.

Richard Klein as Robert Stanes and John Vijay as actor M.R. Radha are the best of the others.

The screenplay is well-thought out and has some brilliant scene transitions. However, some crucial elements of G.D. Naidu’s life have been either glossed over or completely omitted. The result is a fragmented and incomplete picture that emerges that does not do justice to G.D. Naidu or to history. A more balanced and comprehensive approach would have transformed this film into a work of art.

Aravindh Kamalanathan’s cinematography is one of the film’s major highlights, transforming each scene with spectacular visuals, creative lighting and innovative framing. His varied use of different palettes for different timelines are an added stroke of his creativity.

Govind Vasantha’s music is one of the film’s major drawbacks, failing to match the level of perfection sought in the scripting and acting. None of the songs stand out and the background score does not do the film justice.

G.D.N. is a must-see film despite its minor presentation flaws. Apart from the magnificent acting, the modest taste of Indian history and the glimpse into the amazing life of GDN makes this film a laudable one.

GDN – now streaming on Netflix – score 8 points out of 10.