Padai Veeran - Engaging thriller about honor killing
Director Dhana an erstwhile associate of Mani Ratnam has made a strong debut with most of his scenes making an impact on the viewer.
Singer Vijay Yesudas made his acting debut as a villain in Dhanush's 'Maari' and in his very next film has donned the role of a hero with multiple shades in 'Padai Veeran which could well turn out to be a breakthrough in his career.
Vijay Yesudas plays a youngster from a small village in Theni district leading a wayward life with other jobless men also indulging in thefts now and then. His uncle an ex-serviceman played by Bharathiraja uses his influence to get him into the police force. He tells his love Amritha that he would marry her after his training. When Vijay is posted to his own village as a cop, he finds himself in the midst of a huge caste war between men who were his own friends and relatives and a huge dilemma arises whether to conduct his duties as an officer or as one among his folks. What action the hero takes to rid his village of the cancer called caste animosity and how he deals with the men behind the hatred leads to a riveting climax.
Vijay Yesudas has put in an earnest performance throughout 'Padai Veeran'. Initially as the wayward youth he ticks every box in the cliched scenes including dancing to a kuthu number. Once things get serious he confidently handles the emotions, especially when he realises that his own uncle is responsible for the blood bath. Bharathiraja looks every bit the ex-serviceman and has delivered yet another intense performance. The powerful dialogues he mouths about the evil of caste hatred evoke the desired emotions in the theater. He also hits a chord when he sheds tears for his niece who becomes the victim of an honour killing. The veteran director's character also serves as the pivotal point for the hero to spur into action against the evil doers in the film. Amrutha as the heroine looks cute as a village girl but does not have enough scenes in the film to register in the mind. Director Manoj Kumar who plays the hero's father, the actress who portrays his sister and Kavithabharathi as the maniacal antagonist are impressive.
Though the caste wars of the South has been handled in many films 'Padai Veeran' has a different screenplay that makes the story look fresh. The sequences of how self serving caste leaders use the blood of their own kith and kin is authentically brought on screen. The film is also engaging in most parts.
On the downside the first half could have been trimmed as the Festival sequences seem long drawn out and a few songs also put a speed breaker to the screenplay. Whether a father would stand aside when his loving daughter is killed by the women of his family is a nagging question in an important scene. The climax does have shock value but whether it would be acceptable to all sections of the audience also remains a question.
Karthick Raja's music comes as a breath of fresh air in 'Padai Veeran' with the Dhanush number "Local sarakka...foreign sarakka' taking the cake. Rajavel Mohan's cinematography and Bhuvan Srinivasan's editing alongwith the art direction are uniformly good. Director Dhana an erstwhile associate of Mani Ratnam has made a strong debut with most of his scenes making an impact on the viewer.
Go for this engaging thriller that deals with honour killing and the burning caste issue.
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