‘Rajapattai’ (Tamil)
Director: Suseenthiran
Cast: Vikram, Deeksha Seth, K Viswanath, Mithra Kurian, Pradeep Rawat
After their respected trysts with off-beat flicks, Vikram and Suseenthiran team up for the first time in 'Rajapattai'. One naturally expected that the talented duo would come up with something exciting and engrossing, even if it was in the typical commercial format. But it’s a disappointing fare we are served, with the film neither novel in its scripting nor in its presentation.
It’s a lazy screenplay coupled with an insipid narration. The character etching is weak and one dimensional. The situations and happenings have been seen in so many earlier films decades back itself. And there is not the slightest effort here to infuse any novelty in plot or style, to excite a viewer.
The film has a competent technical crew. But sans a strong script, they can do little to salvage the situation. So the narration rambles on as it tracks the life of Anal Murugan, a junior artiste in films. Playing henchman to the villain, Murugan aspires to essay the main villain one day, moonlighting as a bouncer for some extra money.
Vikram essays Murugan with nonchalant ease, there being nothing challenging for the actor here. Debutant Deeksha Seth is at the most a pretty prop, romancing the hero and joining him in the dance numbers.
The earlier scenes where Murugan is shown in some fight scenes as he shoots for films, brings some hope that the film may have a different ambience and take. But then comes a real fight (one almost thought it was another film shoot), where Murugan bashes up some goons who were assaulting an aged man Dakshina Murthy. K.Viswanath as Dakshina surprises you with his flair for comedy. From here the script goes the entire predictable way.
The ruthless politician and land-grabber Akka (debutant Sana fits in suitably); her partner in crime Vapa (Rawat); and Dakshina’s ambitious son (Avinash) who plotted to trade his dad’s property for an MLA seat, are all characters we are familiar with. There are a couple of good moments if you search hard enough.
Like Sams’ film shoot (he plays a top hero here) and his funny take-off; the Vikram-Rawat fight; and the different get-ups of Vikram, as he fakes a questioning session by the CBI, after kidnapping Rawat. Rajapattai was meant to be this breezy light-hearted entertainer.
But it’s neither breezy nor entertaining, but a flat, bland affair.