'Gang', starring Suriya, Ramya Krishna, Karthik and others, hits the screens today.  Here is our review.

Story:

Suriya plays a youngster who wants to cleanse the system by joining the CBI.  But his lower-class background and wanton discrimination by a higher-up don't let him realize his dreams.

He forms a gang of Robinhoods who plan a heist in broad daylight by posing as CBI sleuths in order to steal from the rich and give it back to the poor.  Ramya Krishna and others form a part of this gang.

A couple of such 'raids' later, everything seems to go topsy-turvy when Uttam Das (Suresh Chandra Menon) and Sivasankar (yesteryear hero Karthik) suspect foul play and zero in on one of the gang members in no time.

But the hero is someone with a never-say-die spirit.  He springs a surprise by challenging the cops to catch him and his team if they can.

Analysis:

Director Vignesh Shivan tweaks the storyline (its' a remake of the Hindi-language film 'Special 26') to some extent by adding South Indian masala flavors to yet again give a clean commercial entertainer for this festive season.

It's not until you see 1987 cards on the screen that you realize the film is set in the 80s; somehow Suriya’s costumes don’t look retro but everything else has been visualized to keep a check on the period (by and large).  With an unusual team of five like-minded friends, Suriya the acting IT officer continues to raid the rich, corrupt and powerful right under the nose of "real" CBI officers.

The way the gang members raise the bar with their underdog sentiment is sure to tick.  With an interesting plot, the director shuttles between little family sentiments, too. Suriya's relationship with his father (played by Thambi Ramaiah) is sensitive yet satisfying; the short yet provoking friendship with Kalaiyarasan is also kept on an emotional note.

Ramya Krishnan, Nandha and Suresh Chandra Menon make a definitive mark. While it's a delight to watch Ramya, the rest of the cast - Sathyan, Nanda, Senthil, too, make their mark. Karthik is cast as a ruthless senior police officer.  He does seem to go overboard in places but overall, he is convincing.

The love track involving the hero and Keerthy Suresh passes muster with a brief comedy scene here and there.  Don't expect much from these portions.

RJ Balaji’s extended cameo gets a boost, thanks to Priyadarshi's dubbing.  The interview scene at the hotel is hilarious and so also some interludes like those involving Brahmanandam and Anandraj (as a Gandhi-worshipping politician by the day and a looter by the night).

The big plus of TSK certainly is the never go serious attitude, just when you think the scene is about to get teary-eyed, the director springs in a light-hearted joke, reminding us that cinema is all about entertainment.

Suriya is earnest in the role of a scheming guy whose intentions are clear.  His comic timing and ease are there for everyone to see.  His dubbing is shaky in places but it's understandable.  Ramya Krishna is convincing and there is a lot of promise in her when it comes to emotional scenes.  The cop who is nick-named Mudda Pappu does a fine act.  Keerthy Suresh and the others fit the bill.

Anirudh's tight BGM during the raids and Dinesh’s work behind the lens cater the color quotient good enough.  While the songs hinder the pace of the film, they have been made vibrantly enjoyable.

Verdict:

'Gang' is fairly engaging with a few atypical ideas.  A period drama, it's easy to see its hero as a common man with extraordinary abilities and a drive to take the system for a ride.  A lot many creative liberties have been taken for sure.  The second half could have avoided cliches.