Film: 8 Thotakkal
Cast: Vetri, Aparna Balamurali, MS Bhaskar, Nasser, Mime Gopi, Charles Vinod
Director: Sri Ganesh
A rookie cop has his gun stolen on a crowded bus by a pickpocket. Embarrassed by the incident, he tries to track down the weapon. He get distressed to learn that the gun gets used in a crime. The events are all inspired by Kurosawa’s Stray Dog, and tweaked for local sensibilities. And yes, the director says as much in the title card.
The film, however, goes well beyond being an average crime-investigation thriller. Both moral and philosophical in its take, it explores the emotional psyche of two men, Sathya, a cop, and Murthy, a criminal, who despite being opposite sides of the law, are surprisingly similar people. A middle-class man, battered with the vicissitudes of life and at the end of his tether, Murthy is forced to take desperate measures.
Casting against the grain works to great advantage here. MS Bhaskar, who we have seen in comic roles earlier, is a revelation as Murthy. He plays the character with instinctive understanding; this is easily his best performance to date. Sathya, meanwhile, is depicted as an upright and timid cop. The role suits newbie Vetri like a glove, his composed face hiding many an unexpressed feeling. As the narration progresses, Sathya begins to understand and sympathise with the man he had set out to hunt down. The final face-off between the duo is memorable end to the story. The romantic angle comes in the form of Meera (promising find Aparna), a TV reporter, who is supportive factor in Sathya’s life.
One can find shades of The Bicycle Thief in the story too, as Sathya digs into the criminal underbelly of the city. The characters are colourful,their leanings revealed the moment we are introduced to them. It’s the play of emotions that makes the film so fascinating to watch. The director’s leisurely pace fits the film well. However, a song placed towards the end could perhaps have been dispensed with. But at merely 130 minutes, the film makes for a refreshing experience for lovers of film-noir.