Characters with no possible link with one another get interconnected as the story progresses. How the action of one inadvertently affects the life of another, being at the wrong place at the wrong time, mistaken identities and cross-talk confusion, etc all form part of the script.
The detailing in the smartly written screenplay, the smooth flow of scenes, the seamless integration of the various characters and incidents into a coherent whole, and the deft treatment belies the fact that it is the work of a debutant director.
Non-linear in its narrative, the plot travels on multiple tracks. Each character is well fleshed out and given its space. And except for the main villain — the dreaded gangster PKP (Madhusudhan), we don’t get to know the names of the rest of the characters.
So, one is identified by the colour of his shirt, ‘the guy with the red checked shirt’ another as a ‘boy in the school’ etc. A smart move, what with mistaken identities being the norm here than the exception!
The characters are from various strata of society. They include a youngster, who is new to the city and on the verge of getting a job, an unemployed man often landing himself in trouble with the cops, a woman executive of a firm, a cab driver in dire need of a job, an unscrupulous cop, PKP the ruthless thug, a gang of small time extortionists and a simpleton who inadvertently becomes part of a kidnapping deal gone awry.
Colourful characters that pep up the proceedings, the sparkling lines lending an added flip. The actors are suitably cast and perform well. Like Sundeep’s nonchalance, Shri’s intensity, Regina’s matter-of-fact portrayal and Charlie’s emotional take on his role. The scene stealer is Ramdoss who after Mundasupatti (2014) gets a role right up his sleeve. Reveling as the bungling kidnapper, the actor is hilarious.
The dark humour has worked out well in this Guy Ritchie kind of scenario. There are a couple of messages conveyed. That a common man when pushed beyond endurance can show a tougher side and that a ruthless cold blooded killer can also have a softer side to him. Maanagaram is a proof of solid screenplay, deft treatment and the right selection of cast to make it an interesting and an eminently watchable fare.