Much awaited.. Rajni & Shankar are back with a Bang here.... with Sivaji...
The story rolls around Sivaji (Rajini) who happens to be a Software Techie from back from USA on a mission to establish Educational Institutions (an University), Hospitals, Industries etc., to help the poor and needy population of the society. He aims at providing free education for medical studies and other higher studies for the deserving yet poor students.
Meets Adiseshan (Suman) who is already owning many educational institutions to get his guidance. Suman takes it as professional rivalry and doesn't want Rajini to be his competition for the reason Rajini aims at providing free education where Suman is selling courses for lakhs of Rupees.
Got the knot ?
Suman suggests Rajini to go in for some Real estate business where he can help Rajini in obtaining necessary permissions from Govt. Rajini Refuses and proceeds with his own plans.Now
Suman creates lots of hurdles to Rajini and makes sure that Rajini loses all his possessions including his house and other properties in the bargain. Rajini is left on the roads without a penny.
Suman throws a Re. 1 coin at Rajini and suggests him that he can take up begging profession.
I N T E R M I S S I O N
Now you would have guessed what happens.... Yes... Rajini with just that 1 Rupee spoils the whole empire of Suman and succeeds in his ambition.
Rajini also in the bargain, rakes away crores of rupees from many VIPs in the country which were unaccounted black money. He cleverly converts each rupee to white through his international sources and easily comes out through loop holes. But who is that Muslim man who takes the money in Rupees and arranges money in dollars to Rajini from USA ? Not explained.
As a story its just another Shankar's way of expressing social consciousness and larger than life Hero breaking all barriers in helping the society.
But.... what a making by Shankar. Thats where Shankar stands apart from the rest. The way story is told and the way the grandeur is maintained.... mind blowing. Shankar has walked on a tight rope balancing the Hero image of Rajini, giving enough room for Rajini's performance to satisfy Rajini fans at the same time making sure the story travels in his own style.
Especially one wonders why there is a scene where a boy who becomes victim to an electric shock and is treated by Raghuvaran. It finally becomes justification of bringing Rajini back and alive. But it does look obvious and predictable. (Sujatha Sir, I quote your words here... "Unbeleive the obvious")
Interesting to see how the hero makes 100 crore with just one phone call. The Shankar's way.Rajini has honestly been the director's actor throughout the movie. The whole style has been changed in the dialogues too... Thanks to Sujata who has penned. Very casual dialogues rather than usual dramatic ones of earlier Rajini movies, makes the scenes more interesting.
(e-g) "100 kodi peeraju vei" and "Rajini : I like it ; Suman ; what ? Rajini : hmmm... ootha pallu...." very normal yet powerful....
And usual Rajini style dialogues runs throughout.... whenever Rajini says "Cool" there's a huge dialogue raised by audience "COOL"..good one... and the new addition is American slang tagged to Rajini..."Gimme a break" and "You nuts" pronounced the "thalaivar" way.
Shreya has attempted some good performance and gets through. Good job.
Vivek and his comedy runs throughout the movie. Patti manram Raja and Solomon Pappiah may become a new duo comedians.... what a neighbours? Watch out directors...
KV Anand and Thotta Dharani deserve lots of praises and applause. What a marvellous photography...and those grand sets...
KV Anand scores well in all the song sequences and those US scenes... and climax too... with MGR.
The scene happening opposite Aayakar Bavan (Income tax office) with Rajini ordering for Bajji and Tea.... Is that a set or was it shot on Nungambakkam High Road... ???? Only Thotta knows.... Great work throughout.
Looks like Shankar has gathered his old colleagues like Balaji Sakthivel and Gandhi Krishna.... to add up to this mission. It definitely requires such a team for such an himalayan task.
All the above combined with technical brilliance and marketing capabilities of Shankar makes this master piece...and a milestone movie for both Rajini, Shankar & AVM.
Few things which needs mention :
1. Why did Shankar thought that the logic can take a back seat during Rajini' s Stunts ? There was a proper logic for Prabhudeva (kaadhalan) that he is a Karate student. And there was "Varma" art for "Indian" Thaatha who managed to tackle enemies with just fingers at his age.
2. How come an actor of calibre like Raghuvaran be wasted with just 2-3 scenes that too with just a line or two of dialogues? (Remember Mudhalvan from same Shankar?? "That was a good interview"). The usuals like LIC Narasimman or alike could have fit in to that role.
3. Same wastage done with Vadivukkarasi... what an actress... and she just appears without much strength to the role. Someone else could have done it at ease for which Vadivukkarasi is not required.
4. Is it the same AR Rahman who tuned Gentleman, Kaadhalan or Mudhalvan for Shankar?.... Must have been busy at UK on other assignments. Its more of sound than music.... except Sahana... Even Harris did a good job in Anniyan.
We won't expect few such things from many other directors. But when its Shankar we tend to raise expectations in all areas of the movie, which is not fulfilled.
Except such few things Sivaji makes the real Boss and a great entertainer. Even the length of the movie didnt matter. Good job, overall.
