Set in 1940’s during the closing years of India’s independence, Madharasapattinam depicts the roller-coaster love affair between a rustic youth and the governor’s daughter, a British lass on her first visit to Madharasapattinam . He is a courageous dhobi who resists the British as they try to evict his community from their land.
Parithi is not just a handsome hunk easy on the eyes, Arya has essayed the role with sensitivity and understanding.
Subtle in his expressions, he brings out both the gentleness and the toughness of the character admirably. Amy Jackson plays a perfect foil, the pretty debutante garners appreciation and sympathy.
Parithi is the best wrestler around the place, and a thorn in the eyes of the British. The latter wants to build a golf course at the dhobighat but Parithi resists their attempt.
He earns the wrath of the boorish British officer Robert too, for the latter’s fiancée falls for Parithi and vice versa. It’s the eve of India’s independence, and the lovers find themselves running for their lives with a ‘shoot at sight’ order issued against them by Robert. Shuttling between the past and the present, the happenings unfold through the eyes of 84-year-old Amy, who is on a visit to Chennai in search of her lost love.
With lavish sets ( an AGS Entertainment production), the technical crew’s effort is laudable as it transforms the director’s vision on to the screen. Selvakumar’s authentically replicated sets, with cinematographer Nirav Shah’s desaturated tone enhances the impact, captures the charm and feel of a bygone era. We get to see the old Mount Road, the boat on a clean Cooum, a tram plying, and the Central Station with a huge clock tower where the climax is played out.
GV Prakash’s background score is impressive and Vaama Doraiyamma ….is catchy. The supporting cast, like the late Hanifa as the bungling translator, livens the scene with his perfect comic timing. Fiery Omar as Parithi’s friend Kabir, and Sampathram as the policeman with a change of heart, leave their marks. The pattern of the script is a Titanic meets Lagaan and Kisna . There is a duel between Parithi and Robert, after the latter throws a challenge. The film’s pace is a tad slow at times, the narration could have been trimmed to a crispier length. Director Vijay’s earlier two ventures were remakes of successful films. This time the director has banked on his own script, choosing a tough genre. For, replicating a period ambience with fair accuracy, and setting a British-Indian love story against it without losing sight of the realistic feel is not an easy task. But Vijay has done it with fair competence, giving the audience a totally different viewing experience.