Dhanush’s second directorial, which is also his 50th film, is a multi-layered film disguised as an action entertainer. The film has an ensemble cast that includes Dhanush, Selvaraaghavan, Prakash Raj, SJ Surya, Kalidas Jayaram, Sandeep Kishan, Dushara Vijayan, Aparna Balamurali, Illavarasu, Saravanan, Devadharshini, Dileepan and a special guest appearance by Varalaxmi Sarathkumar.
On the surface, Raayan appears to be an ordinary action entertainer very much in the lines of recent gangster movies, but Dhanush’s creativity and evident control of his medium sees this elevated to much more than just an action flick.
The story is simple enough. Dhanush plays Kaathavaraayan, who is forced by circumstances to take care of his younger brothers and a younger sister on whom he dotes. A chance meeting with Durai (Saravanan) sees the family become unwittingly involved in an ongoing rivalry between Durai and Sethu (SJ Surya). Prakash Raj plays Police Commissioner R Sargunam whose ongoing investigations into the troubled Northern Chennai district sees him gain a keen understanding of the undercurrents in the area. As tensions mount, the unthinkable happens, bringing out the best and the worst of Raayan, as he finds himself quite literally fighting for his life.
The characterisation in Raayan has been carefully etched out and the relationships come across as bitingly realistic. Care has been taken in the script that remains fresh and free of clichés throughout the film, with irregular injection of witty humour. However, the pace of the first half dampens the film. The intensity of the second half, however, adequately makes up for this shortcoming.
Despite the added responsibility of writing and directing, Dhanush’s acting performance is once again an electrifying one, boosted by a new look and expressive body language. SJ Surya makes a noticeable deviation from his other roles, shining brilliantly in every scene. Prakash Raj has an intriguing role which he delivers with calm and grace. Selvaraagahvan is in one of his best acting roles to date, while Kalidas Jayaram is also impressive. Towering over most of the cast is a magnificent portrayal by Dushara Vijayan, playing Raayan’s younger sister, Durga.
Technically, Raayan is a sheer delight. Cinematographer Om Prakash delivers a stunning visual display with breath-taking use of light and creative angles. This is one of the finest performances by a cinematographer this year.
AR Rahman makes no positive contribution to the film and his background score in particular struggles to match Dhanush’s artistic craft.
As a director, Dhanush has certainly stepped up a few rungs from his directorial debut in Pa. Paandi. Apart from extracting the best from his cast, he has ensured that the screenplay leaves the audience engrossed long after the film ends.
Raayan scores 8 points out of 10.
