SORGAVAASAL Film review

RJ Balaji has climbed a few steep rungs up the acting ladder in his latest film, Sorgavaasal, directed by newcomer Siddharth Vishwanath and co-scripted by Sidharth Vishwanath, Ashwin Ravichandrann and Thamizh Prabha. The supporting cast includes Selvaraghavan, Karunas, Natty Subramaniam, Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson, Sania Iyappan, Balaji Sakthivel, Jayamani and a special appearance by Sandhanabharathi.

The non-linear narrative deals with the high level inquiry into a fictitious series of events that uses as the backdrop the prison riots which occurred in 1999 at the Madras Central Prison. Parthiban or Parthi – (RJ Balaji) is sent to jail on a trumped up charge. Repulsed by the power bases in the prison and the harshness of the environment, Parthi is determined to use his bail hearing to escape from the hideous hell, but a dramatic series of events sees his plan thwarted and the course of his life changed forever.

The non-linear narrative and the presentation of numerous versions of the same event is not a novel concept in world cinema, but debutante director Sidharth Vishwanath uses this technique to build up towards a very cryptic ending that elevates the film to much more than a prison action drama. The lines between truth and lies becomes increasing blurred as the film progresses and the mystery only intensifies with the film’s climax. This is what sets the film apart from others in its genre.

RJ Balaji has delivered a stunning and realistic portrayal of Parthiban, conveying the multiple emotions required of the role with credibility and intensity. The layered personality portrayed is difficult to sustain within such a screenplay, but he does so with the apparent ease of a seasoned veteran.

Selvaghavan has already proven himself to be a powerful actor with an imposing screen presence, and is role in Sorgavaasal serves to underscore his acting depth.

Natty Subramaniam does a commendable job of the role of Justice Ismail, relying more on facial expressions and body language than words to portray the character. Karunaas has for a long time been an under-utilised actor in Kodambakkam and his portrayal of Kattabomman is a sharp reminder of how versatile and how powerful an actor he is. Samuel Abiola Robinson plays an endearing but electrifying role, with solid support from Balaji Sakthivel, Sharaf U Dheen and Ravi Raghavendra.

Prince Anderson’s cinematography is an interesting blend of unusual shots and creative light usage. The panning shots and the mobile camera in the riot sequences show the calibre of cinematographer he is.

Music composer Christo Xavier does an outstanding job in his debt film with the background score, with the only song in the film being a very memorable one.

Sidharth Vishwanath’s creative screenplay, the systematic unveiling of cryptic events and a brilliantly appropriate title for the movie are all indications of a young director who has a lot more in store. Sorgavaasal is an outstanding film that deserves a wider audience.

Sorgavaasal scores 9 points out of 10.