'Markandeyan' (Tamil)
Director: Fefsi S Vijayan
Cast: Shabarish, Pinky, Nivedita, Srihari, Santhanam, Balasingh, Pragathi
After decades of experience in stunt choreography in various language films, and having directed films in Telugu and Kannada, ace stunt choreographer-actor Fefsi Vijayan makes his directorial debut in Tamil with ‘Markandeyan’.
Apart from scripting, directing and arranging the stunts, Vijayan has also produced the film, introducing son Shabarish as the hero. Well trained in arts of dance and combat, Shabarish for a debutant performs with fair competence — his role structured to give him maximum scope to display his talents on screen.
The director opens his film depicting the childhood of the protagonist Markandeyan, aka Mark.
Mark was an orphan whom thug Varda had taken under his wings. Varda was a father figure to the dozen and more orphans, the latter going to any length to display their devotion and loyalty to their mentor. Varda would later place them on both sides of the law to protect himself and enhance his illegal businesses.
After these initial scenes which remind you of earlier gangster-henchmen sagas, the narration leaps to the present. And it’s these scenes that keep you engaged for the first half with its different ambiance, its picturesque locations, and an element of suspense weaved in as well.
At one point there is a small settlement set in a cool lush setting, a large expanse of water and the activities of the people there. Poverty-stricken, their only means of livelihood is the cutting and illegally selling bamboo shoots from the forest nearby. The director has etched these scenes meticulously, with attention for the finer details.
The suspense revolves around a youth whom they rescue from water in an unconscious state, and who appeared to suffer from amnesia. Some of the characters in this stage of the film stay do tend to stick to one’s memory. Take for instance, Esaki (Balasingh) the chief and elder of the group, who dreams of getting his daughter married some day. And Ilavanchi (Niveditha), the feisty damsel, who works shoulder to shoulder with the men, and develops a soft corner for the unknown youth.
Sticking out like a sore thumb as a part of this group is Santhanam, totally disconnected with the gang. The people and their activities here keep you engaged. After which the script takes a nosedive, with a loosely etched script and too many sub-plots. The director loses his grip and focus.
There is the attempt by Varda’s men to betray him, the issue of his debauched son Bhupathi, which brings Varda and his protégé Mark to a clashing point; Divya, the NRI girl (Pinky) stranded in the city, and who Mark gives refuge to; and her conniving father and their separate track. The unraveling of the hero’s past and his final showdown with Varda lack excitement.
Vijayan has taken particular care to arrange the stunts and fights through the story. Definitely one of the important ones is where the hero is assaulted and chased by a group of armed men in the city. The director has painstakingly worked on the script in the earlier half and given it a fresh feel. However, he could have taken more effort in the second half and made it just as engaging.