'Venmani' (Tamil)
Director: Kathaga Thirumavalavan
Cast: Karthik Jai, Kathaga Thirumvalavan, OAK Sunder, Feros khan,Vasu Vikram, Rajagopal,Vijikanna
Chronicling the various struggles for freedom and equality, ‘Venmani’ in docu-style begins the narrative by briefly tracing the crucial events and people who made a difference to the socio-political scenario around the world. Anna Hazare and his fight against graft get a mention here.
And, actors Vijay and Aamir Khan have their photographs flashed too.
The mass burning of 44 Dalit agricultural workers by an upper caste landlord in ‘Venmani’, forms the backdrop for the movement of the plot to the present day. The massacre has already had its celluloid version in ‘Nellu’ earlier. ‘Venmani’ seems a sequel to this. Depicting the aftermath of the horrific murders, it traces the emergence of a militant group, and the backlash on some present day capitalists, who treated labourers like vassals.
Karthik Jai (producer, ‘Mirugam’, ‘Nellu’), who has played supportive roles in his films, essays protagonist Kripakaran . Co-producing the film is writer-director Thirumavalavan (his debut release), who essays VP, a militant leader. A cross between (LTTE) Prabhakaran and Che Guevara, Kripakaran is depicted as the leader of a militant group in Nexus with international terrorist outfits, and wanted by Interpol. One of the two survivors of the Venmani massacre, he had joined a revolutionary group led by VP, taking up the cause of the workers.
Karthik Jai brings conviction and intensity to his role of the self confessed Marxist. Cool and assured is Thirumavalavan as VP. The frequent long discourses between the two are informative and interesting to a point. After which it seems a tad boring, like a history lesson retold.
Drawing parallels as it shuttles between past and present, the entire flashback sequences of the Venmani killings are a straight lift from ‘Nellu’. It would have been appropriate if a caption was put here, to give credit to the director of ‘Nellu’.
As the years go by,VP passes the mantle to his protégé. The latter, in turn, turns mentor to Mani, who had approached seeking vendetta against his father’s killer Senthil,a scrap iron dealer-turned- minister. The scene where Senthil (Feros Khan fits in suitably) cold-bloodedly kills Mani’s father is gory. The script is taut in the earlier part and meticulously etched. It is appreciable that the director focused on his concept, has avoided inane comedy, forced romances and dream songs.
But the closing few scenes seem confused, ambiguous and hasty.
Kripa’s sudden volte face, as he talks of Ahimsa, surrender, peaceful transformation and legal solutions, lacked conviction. After the gruesome hard hitting earlier part, it was like the director had taken a compromise mode, trying to appease detractors (and the censor board).
Ambitious in content, ‘Venmani’ is a sincere effort to offer the audience a serious and a more meaningful kind of cinema.