Hero is not your average superhero film with the villain and hero fighting it out in the skies. It’s much more than that. There are three heroes in this film: the idea, the director and Sivakarthikeyan.

This movie encourages you to find the hero/shero you are. Most of us have been in situations where we have been told that we are not good enough. But have people bothered to look at what we are good at in the first place? Talent goes beyond mere numbers on a mark-sheet or the seal on a university certificate. And if your teachers, parents or you yourself can’t see that, you live a mundane life without value.

The idea in this film needs much appreciation because it encourages parents to let children choose the track in which they want to run. Victory and failure will be there in life anyway, but the choice of the race should be that of the runner, not anyone else. That way, no one will be in a race they didn’t sign up for. Often, in the fear to secure a future for children, we kill their dreams, hopes and happiness. After this, why even talk about future?

Additionally, the movie highlights how education is not about learning anymore but about numbers. Most parents ask “How much did you score?” But what about “What did you learn?” In several scenes the director has subtly brought out such ideas, for instance by showing how school now makes children scared, depressed and even suicidal. He explains how schools don’t have space for innovation, creativity and growth, they are just uniform systems creating products. But when the raw material is different, then why are we forcefully molding it into the same product. PS Mithran doesn’t stop here. With hard hitting dialogues, he explains how escaping is not a solution and the power to change is in our hands. We just need to make the choice.

This is where the Hero steps in. The hero does not represent a saviour like in traditional films; he represents ideas that need to come to light. Probably this is what sets the film apart. Instead of opting for crazy stunts and macho dialogues, this movie gives us logic, reason and creativity backed by an able hero. Sivakarthikeyan has made his fans proud again by giving life to an idea that needs expression.

This film has a lot to offer for those who are open to a new and better reality. The children in the film remind us of what it is like to follow one’s passion. They show us that our country doesn’t lack ability, it lacks the vision necessary to find and encourage the talented. In a society where we underestimate and put down talent, Hero breathes in hope and provides a fresh outlook. Instead of telling others that this is all they can do, why not encourage them and give them space to grow. Sivakarthikeyan himself has been a target of such dismissive people and this makes it more apt for him to play this role. His growth in spite of such barriers shows his talent, determination, hard work and the support of the fans he has won over.

All said and done, the true success of this film lies in two things. First, that its ideas will live on after its term in the theatre. And second, that you find the hero within you.

Hero Review