Rarely does a remake stand up to the original film. They bear the high risks of omission and commission that leave many dissatisfied, even disillusioned. Mostly, only the replication of the physicality and incidents of the original happen. The rest of it — all alterations — drain out the essence and feel. Unnaipol Oruvan doesn’t belong to that category. The Kamal Haasan-UTV venture stands up to its original A Wednesday, and manages to make it as taut and engrossing as its Hindi prototype.
Neeraj Pandey, who wrote and directed A Wednesday, intelligently crafted the script, and was clear and focused. It had a relevant and topical message: on terrorism. How it affects the common man’s psyche, and what it can make him do. In 'Unnaipol Oruvan', credit goes to its debutant director Chakri Toleti (he had played Kamal’s US colleague in 'Dasavathaaram'); he has recaptured the spirit of the original while adapting it to Tamil. He has, of course, made changes — but they are slight and in no way hamper its pace and feel. Toleti clearly has the support of his actors and technical crew in making this an engrossing entertainer.
The film opens on a former police commissioner Raghavan Maraar (Mohanlal) as he walks his dog on the beach and reminisces about events that happened on a particular day. Events that never made it to the police records. It all begins when Maraar (“Kerala is my home, but Tamil Nadu is my home too,” says the super-cop; Lal’s obvious Malayalam accent explained), gets a call from a man who claims to have planted bombs in various crucial places in the city. The anonymous caller demands the release of four hardcore militants, threatening to blow up the city if his demands were not met. As the city is held to ransom by him, Maraar uses his wits, recruits two of his best men Arif Khan and Sethuraman to hand over the terrorist, and hires a hacker to trace the call.
Events don’t go as planned and as Maraar puzzles over the motive, he realises that it was an impossible situation he had to deal with. The ending is a fitting finale. Essaying the cool and composed Maraar is Mohanlal (Anupam Kher in A Wednesday). His whole body language and demeanour varies as he interacts with different levels of people: the anonymous caller, his junior cops, the hacker, the news-hungry TV reporter (Anuja fitting in well) and the bureaucracy represented by the CM’s chief secretary (Lakshmi). Lal reestablishes his credentials as an actor par excellence. The scenes of his light verbal sparring with Lakshmi, as Maraar firmly but sarcastically puts a stop to red-tapism, is a delight to watch. The actor towers above the rest like a colossus, over-shadowing them many a time. A few more scenes have been added for him here, and it’s to Kamal’s credit, that he let it be. Incidentally, the film, a double version, has hero Venkatesh essaying this role in Telugu.
Kamal enacts the ‘common man’. One who reflects the frustration, helplessness and anger of a simple middle-class man. A man who can pick up a tomato that dropped from his grocery basket, and talk mundane matters with his wife even as he hits back aggressively when anger and a sense of frustration and helplessness hits him hard. Comparisons are odious no doubt, but at times inevitable. And one can’t help but compare Kamal to Naseeruddin Shah of the earlier version. Shah had played the frail, but gritty ‘common man’ to perfection, even getting an edge over Kher’s commissioner. Kamal here makes an effort to be natural, and the strain shows. The affected English accent of this ‘common man’ further alienates one from him. A powerhouse of talent, Kamal was surely capable of a better performance.
Playing the two handpicked cops, Arif and Sethu are two volatile actors Ganesh Venkataram and Bharat Reddy (from the Telugu scene). Ganesh’s debut role (as a sardar in Abhiyum Naanum) was a stepping stone. Here he has evolved as an actor. His good looks and the style with which he projects the no-nonsense cop makes Ganesh an actor to watch out for. Holding his own against the stalwarts of South cinema, the former Gladrags’ winner will find this film a career booster.
Terrorism is a burning, topical issue. And this film showcases its effects from the perspective of the common man. One who often had to watch mutely, as he sees the peaceful fabric of society shattered, and he a victim for no fault of his. The dialogues are crisp and meaningful. Like, “Instant terrorism warrants instant justice”. The script here is updated too, with mention of more recent events like the recent Mumbai blasts. The local flavour is added, in the mention of the Kovai blasts, and in the raspy voice of our CM, as he talks over phone to his secretary and Maraar.
A remake that probably couldn’t have been adapted in any better way than this, Unnaipol… maintains a crisp two-hour duration. It’s definitely a film worth a watch.
malinimannath@yahoo.com