THANGALAAN Review

Pa. Ranjith’s first time collaboration with Vikram, Thangalaan, is an experimental film that attempts to combine fantasy adventure with historical drama. Set largely in the 19^th century when India was under British rule, the film takes a brave look film and complex issues boasts an impressive cast headed by Vikram, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Malavika Mohanan, Pasupathy, Hari Krishnan and Anbudurai, Sampath Ram and British actor Daniel Caltagirone, whose screen credits include The Beach, Tomb Raider and the Oscar award winning film The Pianist.

The film traces the adventures of Thangalaan (Vikram), who finds himself in debt after an attack of arson on his farm. Thangalaan used to entertain his wife and two children with stories of yesteryear and how their ancestors had fought various elements in their quest to find gold. Thangalaan finds himself in a similar predicament as he proceeds under the watch of Lord Clement, a British officer played by Daniel Caltigirone. In a curious blend of past and future, the audience is transported into the magical world of Thangalaan and his ancestors in their search for the elusive precious metal called gold.

The non-linear narrative, parallel narratives and the fantasy elements are not new to Tamil cinema, but Pa. Ranjith creates a curious mixture that is deliberately oblique, giving clarity to the viewer only in the closing minutes of the film. It would have been more effective with a shorter running time and a tighter screenplay.

In terms of acting, this must surely rank as Vikram’s best acting performance to date, assaying his different characters with consummate ease and delivering each time a performance so captivating that it is easy to forget the actor behind the role, as Vikram’s performance draws the audience into the world of the character so convincingly that it obliterates everything else. There is excellent support from Parvathy Thiruvothu as Thangalaan’s wife amd Malavika Mohanam as Aarathi. Pasupathy maintains his own high standards in his portrayal of Gengupattar while British actor Daniel Caltigirone handles his role well.

GV Prakash does well in two of the songs but shines brighter in his background score, particularly in the second half of the film.

A Kishor Kumar’s cinematography is a major plus in the film, capturing the enchanting locations and a very interesting palette with a degree of splendour that is best appreciated on the big screen.

Despite the extended length of the film and the less-than-perfect screenplay, Thangalaan is an interesting deviation from stock commercial fare.

Thangalaan scores 6 points out of 10.