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‘Vikram’ Review: A Tamil Action Legend Returns to Take Down a Drug Dealer in Thrilling Kollywood Hit

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj one-ups the excesses of American studio blockbusters in this twist-filled Indian blockbuster with considerable crossover appeal.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

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Taking a page from James Cameron’s “True Lies,” with its go-big-or-go-home approach to set-pieces, Kanagaraj has pulled off a memorably over-the-top blockbuster and the year’s top-grossing Tamil-language hit (at $53.7 million and counting). There’s at least one other trick the helmer has learned from Hollywood — although the entire project can feel like an epic parody of studio hyperbole at times — and that’s the strategy of connecting the film to past and future projects (so far, just 2019’s “Kaithi”) through overlapping plotlines and characters: Call it the Lokesh Cinematic Universe.

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It will take the movie the next hour and a half to reveal what everyone in the audience assumes going in: that Haasan’s character — a consistently inebriated, bordello-frequenting buffoon who calls himself Karnan — wasn’t actually murdered. Nor was he the deadbeat his family and servants had been led to believe. He is, in fact … Vikram, leader of the Black Squad spy team, elite government agents betrayed and left for dead by their double-crossing superiors. The real mystery, which the movie enjoys teasing, is whether this seemingly contradictory fellow is a hero or a villain — a question eventually answered by a long anti-drug speech and the sight of Haasan blasting everyone away with a vintage Browning machine gun.

Kanagaraj likes his characters complicated, which makes the otherwise cartoonish film considerably more interesting. Also welcome is the way “Vikram” isn’t fazed by American body ideals: The film’s Pablo Escobar-like druglord Sandhanam (Vijay Sethupathi) is a massive ox of a man. And apart from the ankle-cutting little person (Jaffer Sadiq) who leads his crew, Faasil is frequently the shortest person on screen. Like a Jack Russell terrier, however, Amar compensates for his stature with sheer ferocity, intimidating everyone he crosses. (Haasan is no bodybuilder either, but fights hard, throwing his paunch into every punch.)

A two-ton shipment of an experimental raw substance (one gram of which makes a kilo of cocaine) has gone missing, and Sandhanam wants it back. Could he be the masked terrorist? Doubtful, since he operates so far above the law, he doesn’t need a disguise to kill with impunity. Sandhanam is slow and lumbering by nature, but keeps a blue, crystal-like substance that gives him Popeye-like powers: One bite and he goes into berserker mode. Even Sandhanam answers to somebody, taking calls from someone named Rolex, finally revealed (as Tamil star Suriya) in the very last scene.

The movie bulges at the seams with subplots and characters, though Kanagaraj makes it easy and entertaining to follow the twists, and some of the action scenes are better conceived and choreographed than what Hollywood is producing these days. A wedding banquet-turned-bloodbath is a high point of the first half, while Amar’s own ceremony (which he misses while on duty) feels like a missed opportunity. Just when you think the movie has no use for its female characters, along comes Agent Tina (Vasanthi) in the second half to steal the show, upstaging even Vikram.

Reviewed at Busan Film Festival, Oct. 7, 2022. Running time: 173 MIN.

• Production: (India) A Prime Media (in U.S.), Red Giant Movies (in India) release of a Kamal Haasan, Udhayanidhi Stalin presentation of a Raaj Kamal Films Int'l production. (World sales: AP International: Kilpauk, India.) Producer: Kamal Haasan.
• Crew: Director, writer: Lokesh Kanagaraj. Camera: Girish Gagadharan. Editor: Philomin Raj. Music: Anirudh Ravichander.
• With: Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Sethupathi, Narain, Chemban Vinod Jose, Gayathrie, Aruldoss, Jaffer Sadiq, Vasanthi, Elango Kumaravel, Snthana Bharathi, Hareesh Peradi, Suriya. (Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, English dialogue)

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‘Vikram’ movie review: Kamal Haasan steps back to watch Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi have fun in Lokesh Cinematic Universe

The new ‘vikram’ disappoints the fans of the 1986 original and could have been a standalone film with fahadh faasil carrying on the legacy of the agent like in the james bond films.

Updated - June 03, 2022 12:28 pm IST

Published - June 03, 2022 12:14 pm IST

A still from ‘Vikram’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A new era has dawned in Tamil cinema. Lokesh Kanagaraj, the four-film-old filmmaker, has opened the gates to a new Cinematic Universe that hints at wondrous possibilities with Vikram as the first big step. There has never been a filmmaker before Lokesh to steer the conversation around delivering a true cinematic experience in the right direction. Before Lokesh, cinematic experience meant grand ideas and needless adornments to massage a star’s male crowd. But this filmmaker is committed to giving you an experience of a certain standard. 

There’s a certain taste, visual flavour and a certain style to the way he writes and directs. He accomplished this cinema experience with ease in the terrific Kaithi , a pure-genre film that had the flavour of a wholesome Hollywood thriller. Like Speed on drugs. He gave us a tease of this new Cinematic Universe in Master . About the Vijay-starrer, I had written in the review , “This mouthwatering possibility, to tie two different films of two different eras, is fascinating — in theory. And if Master is what Lokesh could do to a Vijay film, one smiles at the thought of what one could expect from him for his vaathi , in Vikram .” This mouthwatering possibility, unfortunately, still remains a theory. For, what felt organic and thrilling in Kaithi , feels weak and forced in Vikram . 

Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas is a cinema experience, as is Marvel’s Avengers , as some would argue. Lokesh, a fan of Scorsese, would earlier take the route his masters took. But with Vikram , he plays it safe and goes by the demands of the market. For, the world of Vikram is an extension of Kaithi and picks up three months after the events of the latter film. Trying to create a franchise isn’t the problem. The question has more to do with the whys.

Cast: Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Kalidas Jayaram, Gayathrie and Suriya

Director: lokesh kanagaraj, storyline: amar and his team of black squads take up the case of high-profile murders that lead them to two people: santhanam, a drug kingpin and the ghost..

Do not get me wrong. Everything about Vikram is good — except for Kamal Haasan. Why do you even need the man for this film? Why make a film with Kamal when you don’t even get to register and feel his presence? Why Vikram (1986) ? It could have been any other film. Of course, we get the logical reasoning behind using the brand Vikram . But does Kamal’s original film have any relevance to the new one? Absolutely not. You could have shown Kamal as an Agent and the film still would have worked big time. The new Vikram could have still been a standalone film where Amar (Fahadh Faasil who is absolutely terrific) carries on the legacy of Vikram, like in the James Bond movies. The open-ended climax hints at that possibility. As fans of the original film and Kamal Haasan, you feel let down. The disappointment comes from the fact that Lokesh has failed to realise the true potential of his idol — both as an actor and action star.  Nevertheless, there is a lot to chew on.

For an action-thriller to click, it has to be a well-oiled machine. Vikram is that machine. Right from the start, it is a thrill-a-minute ride with a battalion of characters. As you might know, the screenplay for the film was born out of Kamal’s idea — of a protagonist. Throughout the leisurely-paced first half, which is densely-packed with lots of layers, it is for the search of a protagonist. As a writer-director, Lokesh does a neat job in the world-building exercise and sustains the intrigue. The film does leave you confused after a point and you try to wrap your head around the proceedings, given what happens in that shocking yet brave opening sequence. 

Vikram has an unusual opening. Definitely unusual for a Kamal Haasan film. It begins right with ‘Pathala Pathala’ song, which feels like an afterthought that was inserted just for the sake of it. Except for this oddly-placed song, the film gets going and there is not a single wasted moment in the long-drawn first half. Lokesh must be as much a fan of Christopher Nolan as he is of Scorsese. A lot of scenes remind you of Nolan’s film. We, in fact, get a Tenet -like sequence and a Bane-like voiceover in this one. There are lots of references to masks and unmasking of identities. The man in-charge of this unmasking is Amar, who heads an uncounted team of Black Squads. They are assigned by the Police Department to investigate a series of high-profile murders in the department that leads to one man Santhanam (Vijay Sethupathi, who is, of course, terrific). Santhanam runs a drug empire. He faces the heat from a recent drug bust, which is a hark back to Kaithi . Anything more would spoil the fun.

Movies about RAW agents and their sacrifices have rightly become a sub-genre. We have seen it a thousand times. Yet, something about it continues to allure us. In this case, it has Kamal reprising his quasi-Bond character, Vikram. The tone and mood of Vikram is quite tense like Kaithi . And like the latter, there are plenty of whistle-worthy moments featuring small characters who take you by a delightful surprise and score. There is a particular scene in the second half that none of us saw coming. Of course, there are throwbacks to old Tamil songs. My favourite involves the ‘Kalviya Selvama Veerama’ song from Saraswati Sabatham and has Vijay Sethupathi raising his hand rather mockingly.

Vikram truly comes alive post the adrenaline-filled interval scene. Action is Lokesh’s forte and the second-half has impressive stunts (stunt directors are Anbariv masters) and a superior camera work by Girish Gangadharan of Jallikattu fame. Yet, there is something missing. And that something leads us back to Kamal. You could quite see Lokesh’s struggle not knowing what to do with Kamal’s character as Vikram. There is not enough beef to feed the lion — in this case, there are three brilliant actors. The screenplay issue must have been this: Amar has to find the Ghost, through which he finds Santhanam. But for Vikram to go all guns blazing, it needed a stronger reason and not just the personal loss. Even in the old film, Vikram was not a sentimental character. And Lokesh yet again suffers in the sentimental scenes. 

That brings us to this: no other actor in Indian cinema can cry like Kamal Haasan. Period. You cannot contest that. What’s slender in the writing, Kamal deadlifts with his acting prowess. Just watch the man where he is looking at a baby misty-eyed, you cannot help but feel a lump in your throat. That is the kind of actor we are talking about. Somewhere, you wish it was a 60% Lokesh and 40% Kamal film.

Vijay Sethupathi, on the other hand, is remarkable as Santhanam. Perhaps after a long time, we see the effort he has put in to play a character and not be weighed down by the Sethupathi-ness. But unlike his Bhavani in Master , Santhanam remains wooden for the most part. His character is defined by his actions, but that doesn’t mean he is powerful.

There are two heroes in Vikram : Fahadh Faasil and Anirudh. When there are no guns or deafening explosions, Anirudh’s background score does the talking. The entire film belongs to Fahadh. He is magnetic as Amar and a scene-stealer. In the film’s ending portion, there is a hint at extending the universe with Suriya and Fahadh. Thinking about what that film might be is exciting.   

Pointing out the basics: Kamal has done it all. Vikram , for him, is like chewing betel leaf and spitting the stem out. But there is a big takeaway in Kamal’s decision to step back and shed his superstar image at this stage in his career. It feels like Kamal has finally made up his mind about the future and where he is headed. He wants to do what Sivaji Ganesan did in the later stage of his career: pave the way for youngsters and watch them grow. But it is also a reminder that the chair Sivaji sat on and later Kamal, continues to be empty.

Vikram is currently running in theatres

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Tamil cinema / reviews

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Vikram review: Kamal Haasan’s glorious comeback lays the groundwork for Tamil cinema’s most ambitious franchise

Vikram review: kamal haasan’s film marks the beginning of tamil cinema’s biggest franchise. fahadh faasil and vijay sethupathi make their presence felt with strong performances..

Lokesh Kanagaraj , with films like Kaithi and Master, is evolving into a filmmaker Tamil cinema needs to take seriously and celebrate. What he’s attempted and achieved with his latest film Vikram , which marks the glorious comeback of Kamal Haasan after a lull, is something that not many filmmakers can even envision, let alone execute. Read more: Kamal Haasan says he is glad audience is awaiting his comeback

A self-confessed Kamal Haasan fan, Lokesh not only paid a heartfelt tribute to his ‘guru’, with Vikram – a sequel of sorts to Kamal’s 1986 film of the same name – he teased the beginning of a franchise; one that could keep Kamal active for years to come. Vikram allows Kamal to have fun, and he’s helped by Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi , who make their presence felt with strong performances

Vikram begins where Lokesh’s Kaithi left off. Months after the biggest drug bust Tamil Nadu police ever pulled, two containers full of drugs went missing in Chennai, and local gangs have to retrieve it at any cost before the crime lord and the leader of the drug mafia Rolex – played by Suriya – makes everybody pay. Meanwhile, a group of masked men are on a killing spree, taking the lives of some high-ranking officers, which includes a young official in the narcotics control bureau, played by Kalidas.

Kamal plays Karnan in the film. When his son becomes a victim of the gang, he sets out on a mission to take revenge. What feels like just another tale of revenge soon turns into a mission orchestrated by Karnan, who is introduced much later as agent Vikram – the original character essayed by Kamal in the 1986 film.

You’ve got to hand it to Lokesh Kanagaraj for bringing back Kamal’s highly-underrated agent Vikram character, three decades later; and using it so effectively in a story that couldn’t have been told better.

However, the film does falter at places and isn’t consistently engaging, but it manages to merge key characters from Lokesh’s earlier film Kaithi and sets the stage for what could be Tamil cinema’s biggest franchise in the making. What Lokesh manages to achieve with Vikram, which feels slightly long with nearly a three-hour running time, is to give a new generation of audiences a glimpse of Kamal Haasan’s versatility. It was rewarding to see the veteran shine after a long time.

If you can look at Vikram beyond some of its rough edges, this is easily the most satisfying love letter to Kamal Haasan from Lokesh Kanagaraj, who is his big fan. It is amazing to see Kamal warm up to a young filmmaker’s sensibilities and be willing to not hog all the limelight in the movie. For most of the first half, Kamal is nowhere to be seen, but he makes a solid impact in the scenes he’s present.

Fahadh Faasil gets the second most meaty part among the ensemble cast; and he’s terrific. Vijay Sethupathi continues to shine in peculiar roles that are best suited for his personality, and it’s refreshing to see Lokesh use him efficiently after Master.

Anirudh Ravichander’s music, especially the background score, plays a pivotal role in amplifying the overall experience of watching Vikram on the big screen, apart from the terrific action sequences. Suriya’s brief but powerful cameo is just the high one needs as you step out of Vikram.

Film: Vikram

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Cast: Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Sethupathi, Narain, Suriya and Kalidas Jayaram

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Vikram Movie Review: Fulfilling action saves this ambitious multi-starrer

Rating: ( 3 / 5).

Clearly, Lokesh Kanagaraj isn’t one to make a film and forget about it. It’s well-known by now—especially after Lokesh himself published a statement on the eve of Vikram ’s release—that the Kamal Haasan-film shares its universe with the filmmaker’s second, Kaithi . In that film, we saw Dilli (Karthi) join hands with Bejoy (Narain) to stop a battalion of gangsters from reclaiming their drug stash. In Vikram , set after the events of Kaithi , you see Bejoy making an extended appearance, even as some other faces from Kaithi step in and out as well. You learn that their boss is Sandhanam (Vijay Sethupathi, playing a drug-addled, quirky boss). I liked that Sethupathi experiments with his look and dialogue delivery in this film. As for the Lokesh filmography links, there’s quite a bit from Kaithi, including the protagonist being called the Ghost. I also found it hard not to think of Master given that you see Karnan (Kamal) getting hammered for much of the first half, even though Vikram doesn’t belong in the same universe. Lokesh also tips his hat off to the original Vikram (1986) by using some photos and information for a backstory. None of these is crucial connections necessarily; it’s just Lokesh having a bit of fun. It’s a bit like his tendency to use old songs as background score. In this film, you get ‘ Chakku Chakku Vathikuchi ’ ( Asuran ) and later, ‘ Kalviya Selvama Veerama ’ ( Saraswathi Sabatham ), but here, the filmmaker doesn’t do it with too much conviction, and so, you too are not as entertained by the use of old songs as you were, say, in previous films of his.

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Cast: Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Sethupathi, Gayathri

Vikram ’s first half is a fascinating exercise, marked by surprisingly swift appearances from Kamal Haasan, playing Karnan (and later, Vikram). Lokesh may have called a lot of attention to his admiration for Kamal Haasan (he called this film a ‘ fanboy sambavam ’), but well into an hour of the film, I was pleasantly surprised that there was no real urgency in utilising Kamal’s physical presence. I say ‘physical’ because his spiritual presence—or specifically, his character’s—is smattered all over the film until the interval reveal. It’s a bit like how the characters of Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged go, “Who is John Galt?” for the longest time. Here, the big question in the first half—especially from Fahadh Faasil’s Amar—is, “Who is Karnan?” Lokesh betrays no restlessness in answering this question. He takes his time to introduce you to the world, to the motivations and fears of Sandhanam, to the ruthlessness and romance of Amar. It’s fair, I think, to say that his vision here isn’t as diluted as in Master . In fact, so much does Lokesh revel in these multi-starrers that for much of this film, it feels almost like Amar were the protagonist, even as he digs into the case of the police murders. Fahadh Faasil gets ample screen-time to express himself, and I enjoyed that even his relationship with Gayathrie, as hurried as it is, feels fresh.

Kamal, of course, comes in with flourish, charisma, and quirk. Most importantly, he seems to be having a lot of fun in this film. You can see this in small arches of his eyebrows, in energetic steps to ‘ Pathala Pathala ’, in even some self-admonishing dialogue… In particular, his return to action territory is enjoyable and it is much credit to his energy reserves that I bought every set-piece he’s a part of. When not involved in close combat, he’s shown to use much fancy weaponry, including a cannon. I enjoyed the attempts to create unique set-pieces in this film. One stunt sequence happens in silence, for instance. In another, there's the beautiful idea of a man forced to kill many men in order to be able to feed a baby. The actor's American-ised English still seems to come in the way of organic dialogue delivery, and his Chennai Thamizh, which seemed par for the course in the pre-Ranjith era, feels a tad exaggerated now—especially when you see Vikram switching to the dialect almost in a condescending fashion. I also didn’t care for what seemed to be a passing dig at a dwarf.

In this film with as many impressive action blocks involving Kamal Haasan, my most favourite is one that doesn’t involve him--and this again is credit to the star's willingness to let Lokesh do his thing. It features a woman, who gets a Tarantinoesque announcement of her identity. The violence is all tastefully shot and inventively choreographed, but after a while, it began ringing a bit hollow. There’s some justification offered for all the vigilantism when Vikram speaks of how the label ‘terrorism’ is conveniently applied and how one man’s revolution is another man’s terrorism, and while there may be some truth to these attractive one-liners, there isn’t too much exploration of such ideas in this film. For lack of it, even though Vikram stands against the idea that this could be a revenge story (and perhaps this is Lokesh speaking about it as well), it’s hard to see it as anything but that. The line about drugs affecting society rings fairly cursory too (whilst reminding you of a similar idea in Master). Some other ideas too don’t affect as they should—like a toilet flush resulting in a bomb blast, like the resuscitation of a baby…

It's perhaps the influence of The Dark Knight on a generation of filmmakers and filmgoers that it’s impossible not to think of the film when you see echoes elsewhere. In Vikram , for instance, vigilantes are out and about. They are climbing into buildings; they are hanging from ropes. Vikram says something about masks being needed to do good. Characters wear a bit too much makeup to disguise themselves. And there’s even a dutiful government officer who loses his spouse and steps into the dark side. But where the English film, despite being about all the action, was a thorough dissection of humanity, of the sacrifice it takes to do good, of the interdependency of good and evil, Vikram is largely content to capture the carnage. It looks good, but I’m not sure it feels as good as a Kaithi did.

And yet, Vikram ’s merits lie in how Lokesh refuses to have succumbed to the temptation of making a film that sings paeans for the superstar. Who knows, the filmmaker might well go on to realise his vision of creating a series of films connected to each other and occurring in the same universe—films that may bring into the fold more stars like Suriya and provide a platform in which they can play characters they couldn't otherwise. The future seems full of possibilities and that’s my most heartening takeaway from Vikram. If, however, you went all binary on me, and posed a variation of the question that was asked so famously to Velu Naicker—and in this film, to Vikram: “ Vikram nalla padama ketta padama?” I’d have to take a page from their book and respond with a rather vague answer. Much like the morality of both characters, I’ll have to say it lies somewhere in between, and much like those two men, the film does tilt towards the good.

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Vikram Reviews

Yeah, yeah, he gets a swashbuckling entry in the now-terrific interval block. But the disappointment was there. Since then, Vikram has been watched five times now. That should explain how we were sucked into the Lokesh Cinematic Universe.

Full Review | Nov 2, 2023

Is Vikram worth a watch? Yes, definitely. Even if it’s half enjoyable and half trashy, ultimately, that’s Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, and Fahadh Faasil on the big screen. You have to see it to believe it.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 20, 2023

This Indian action thriller, directed and co-written by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is gory, dark, and extremely violent. Vikram, with its almost three-hour duration, painfully drags a non-mysterious mystery that blares out random spurts of relentless violence.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Jul 19, 2023

As far as over-the-top action movies go, one would have to search very hard to find a movie better than “Vikram”, in one of the best movies of the year.

Full Review | Original Score: 7 | Jan 22, 2023

The camera crafts a lurid atmosphere as it follows each man down dark corridors and murky moral paths in one of the most ludicrously enjoyable movies of 2022.

Full Review | Dec 20, 2022

If Hollywood can justify making sequels to “Rambo” and “Top Gun” more than three decades on, why can’t Kollywood do the same?

Full Review | Oct 10, 2022

Despite its more attractive pieces, “Vikram” never quite comes together as a whole.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 7, 2022

At nearly three hours long, Vikram overstays its welcome, as it becomes more of a convoluted mess of plot holes and increasingly far-fetched action scenes. The movie’s biggest 'mystery reveal' has no real surprises.

Full Review | Jul 4, 2022

Vikram needs the crutch of a hundred films from before, and at least a couple from the future, to distract you from the hollowness of the moment that’s actually playing on screen.

Full Review | Jun 10, 2022

Lokesh Kanagaraj's screenplay is overloaded with dozens of characters in multiple situations and the rapid editing pace by Philomin Raj does not allow us to even find out whose point of view this film is.

Kamal Haasan’s film marks the beginning of Tamil cinema’s biggest franchise. Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi make their presence felt with strong performances.

Kamal Haasan’s comeback is an adrenaline rush...

Once the easy-to-guess mystery around Karnan is cleared, the narrative becomes rather straight-faced...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 10, 2022

Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan has returned to big-screen entertainment after a gap of four years. While he was active publicly as a TV host and the leader of a political party, he couldn't have asked for a better comeback than Vikram.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 10, 2022

Kamal Haasan is fabulous. Vijay Sethupathi fleshes out an edgy criminal whose frazzled heart and addled mind push him in startling directions.

A whole lot of really big guns turn Vikram into a crowd-pleaser for Tamil film fans and not a bad entry point for international action lovers.

Full Review | Jun 9, 2022

VIKRAM has its moments and the star appeal can be clearly felt. But what I miss here is a compelling story, narrative and directorial polish and fresh idea to be anything more than just a mediocre one-time-watch action flick.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Jun 4, 2022

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Vikram Movie Review: Big Guns, Little Glory In A Derivative Action Film That’s Obsessed With References

Cast:  Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Suriya

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Lokesh Kanagaraj's Vikram is the God-child of two cinematic universes. You can't really call it a love-child because some love is missing in the way these universes coalesce into one combined vision. "God-child" is perhaps a better word because it's the references to Kamal Haasan's older films along with Lokesh's own universe that rescues the film, time and again, whenever it forgets what it's trying to say. Like how you start talking, only to realise mid-sentence that you no longer remember the point you were making, Vikram  needs the crutch of a hundred films from before, and at least a couple from the future, to distract you from the hollowness of the moment that's actually playing on the screen.

It's disappointing to see one of our most gifted directors go the Marvel way to construct its mass moments around intertextuality. Like a game of connect the dots, it's not going to be easy for someone to really get Vikram  without having watched a specific list of films, the most important one being  Kaithi . It borrows  Kaithi's atmosphere, a family of characters, the central MacGuffin, and a truckload of guns and then multiplies everything by 10 to assume lots and lots of a good thing that results in one giant blob of greatness. So we get much bigger guns, much bigger stars, much darker nights, and enough cocaine money to buy two Rocky Bhais.

But in this trade-off, Lokesh forgets the simplicity of the screenplay that made his second film near perfect. At any given point, we knew how far along we were, where we needed to reach, and what it was all about at the end of the…night. Little things like bad network played a big part in building up to a mass moment, just like how the most inane choice of songs added laughs without compromising the tension. But in an ocean of plenty, Lokesh's clarity is what I missed the most.

I still have no clue how and why the action shifts to a particular place for the big climax. I'm still trying to figure out the relevance of a bugging device that got a lot of importance early on and I'm not really sure why a mother would forget to take her son into a panic room during a crisis. Even if one assumes a second viewing will give you these answers, there's always the feeling that you've already moved on to the next big action set piece, even before you've truly understood the point of the previous one.

A lot seems to have been also lost in translation. What, for instance, are we supposed to feel about Vijay Sethupathi's character Sandhanam? I could barely understand a word of what he was saying. I was equally unsure if I should be laughing at this family man-turned drug-lord or be scared shitless of his meth-powered mega punches even Bhavani would be proud of.

All this doesn't mean that the film is devoid of high points, even if it is in the form of a reference. For me, the moments that really worked were all tributes to Kamal Haasan's older films. A little boy with a heart problem was an ingenious subversion of a very funny scene from Panchatanthiram . Updated dialogues from  Kuruthipunal and Nayakan lifted seemingly dry scenes to another level. The way the film brings back references to the old Vikram too was done with a certain level of finesse. Yet personally, I think the film's best action scene was a play on the general idea of the last film you'd expect to get a nod here. Which one?  Avvai Shanmugi !

The fact that a major trope from  Baasha too gets a hat-tip also adds to the excitement of the fanboy the film's designed for. Yet one doesn't understand why the film spent so much time building up to an interval point we could all see coming. It still goes on to give you the big moment you were expecting, even though the secret is already out. But by then, the film has already delved so deep into multi-perspectivity to piece together the life of a "ghost" that you feel exhausted at how little it finally reveals.

Which is why there's a lot of relief when the film sheds the complex narration of the first half to simply move into action mode. The whys are no longer important as long as the film focuses on how (and how often) the good guys are going to kick some ass. It's one big medley of action sequences from there on with the only difference being the size of the gun. The boy's heart problem is meant to be used as a ticking time bomb but this hardly adds any tension to the proceedings. Even the emotional angle adds nothing to give you the feeling that someone we love is in danger. But in terms of a pure adrenaline rush, the punches keep landing and the rain of bullets feels soothing after an excuse for real drama.

Anirudh Ravichander's music holds it all together here and he makes sure we never overlook the audacity of a man taking on an army. These thrills aren't exactly earned like it was in  Kaithi  but it's certainly a lot of fun. This is also why you have to give it to Lokesh for coming up with the film's second climax. Without the much-celebrated cameo, you'd be forced to sit up and take notice of the weak screenplay that doesn't have much to say. It would have felt like an endpoint for a situation we didn't fully understand featuring a set of people we didn't care for. By masking this with the promise of even bigger things to come,  Vikram  owns its incompleteness and leaves you waiting for the whole picture. What more can you write about a film that's so happy to live in the reflected glory of other films (and its massive star) that it forgets that  Vikram  is a film too?

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A special investigator discovers a case of serial killings is not what it seems to be, and leading down this path is only going to end in a war between everyone involved. A special investigator discovers a case of serial killings is not what it seems to be, and leading down this path is only going to end in a war between everyone involved. A special investigator discovers a case of serial killings is not what it seems to be, and leading down this path is only going to end in a war between everyone involved.

• Lokesh Kanagaraj
• Rathna Kumar
• Kamal Haasan
• Vijay Sethupathi
• Fahadh Faasil
• 697 User reviews
• 22 Critic reviews
• 6 wins & 11 nominations

Top cast 38

• Agent Vikram …

• ACP Prabhanjan

• Agent Uppiliappan …

• Agent Tina …

• Gayathri (Amar's wife)
• Prabanjan's wife

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• Trivia Most of the guns and tankers which used in vikram is owned by Kamal Hassan with proper licence.
• Goofs The characters from Kanagaraj's earlier film, Kaithi featuring Dilli, Bejoy , Adaikalan & Anbu were given different names in it's Hindi dubbed version (Dilli became Shiva; Bejoy became Arjun; Adaikalan became Ranga & Anbu became Billa.) However in Vikram's hindi dubbed version, the original names were retained.
• Alternate versions There is an uncensored version of the film that was released overseas.
• Connections Followed by Leo (2023)
• Soundtracks Pathala Pathala (Tamil) Music by Anirudh Ravichander Lyrics by Kamal Haasan Vocals by Kamal Haasan

User reviews 697

• akeducation-91270
• Jun 2, 2022
• How long is Vikram? Powered by Alexa
• June 3, 2022 (India)
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• Official Raajkamal Films International (India)
• Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
• Raajkamal Films International
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• ₹1,500,000,000 (estimated)
• Jun 5, 2022
• $29,837,637

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 55 minutes

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Lokesh Kanagaraj's Kamal Haasan-starrer 'Vikram' is explosively charming | Movie Review

What happens in a face-off between a bunch of bad guys and the not-so-bad guys? You got it right if you thought "guns, action, and more action" was the probable answer.

But that's just glossing through the periphery of 'Vikram', starring Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathy. 'Vikram' is driven strongly by emotion and bonds between individuals but elevated greatly by the use of guns and action that can only be pulled off so magnificently by an uncompromising filmmaker like Lokesh Kanagaraj.

The theme is cocaine and the underworld running its cartel. A dangerous gang is on the loose after a bunch of consignments carrying their substance is seized. So is a masked man whose identity remains a mystery till the interval.

Kamal Haasan thanks fans as 'Vikram' completes 100-day run in theatres

Multiple-record breaking film 'Vikram' to begin streaming on OTT on this date

The director had mentioned in several interviews that he is a fan of Kamal Haasan's works and this movie is a perfect tribute to the superstar, who is back on screen after a hiatus. Kamal has once again proved there is nothing he cannot do. He looks dapper than ever, handling guns (like a cowboy air rifle or a Hellboy M4) and does action with the ease of a man who has never shied away from experimenting on looks, stories and style throughout his career.

It's very evident that Lokesh's confidence in attempting some path-breaking techniques in the movie, has been derived from the presence of the actor, who has been credited for introducing global-style elements in his movies.

Fahadh Faasil is a delight to watch as he essays the role of a black squad agent, who is on an important mission. He owns the first half of the movie, making a huge impact throughout the movie as he shifts between playing the tough, reckless guy and a lover, who does not reveal his profession to the person that means the world to him.

It wouldn't be wrong to say he is the driving force of the film.

You don't see Vijay Sethupathi doing many villain roles these days, but when he does, he means business. Of course, his character is poles apart from the lover he played in the recently released movie 'Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal' and Vijay looks very comfortable in his role. Malayalee actor Chemban Vinod does not disappoint either in his role as a tainted cop.

Many movies are made as sequels, but Lokesh has never claimed that 'Vikram' would be a sequel to 'Kaithi' starring Karthik and Narain, which released in 2019. But, what else can one expect it to be when several references made in the movie, remind you of the scenes from the previous blockbuster. Narain's arrival on screen and the mention of a ghost, uttered by Fahadh Faasil in 'Vikram', confirms there is a lot of connection between the two movies. Whatever universe Lokesh has made us enter, it's overwhelming, but enticing, to say the least and you can expect either a sequel to Kaithi or Vikram in Lokesh's next.

The music by Anirudh, who is an established name in Tamil cinema, and cinematography by Girish Gangadharan are simply brilliant, blending so well with the movie and taking it to an altogether different realm. The stunts are also exceptional. For those who fancy watching guns do all the talking in action movies, 'Vikram' will blow your mind. It's not everyday that you see a canon or other olden-age ammunition part of a modern-day action movie.

Kamal's movies are incomplete, if there is no mention of politics or an ideology and in 'Vikram', ideology takes centre stage.

Overall, the makers have to be applauded for introducing a global-style of storytelling. The story ends, not with a bang, but with a promise that there is more to come.

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• Tamil Cinema
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‘Vikram’ review: Kamal Haasan’s comeback is an adrenaline rush

Lokesh kanagaraj’s crime thriller also stars fahadh faasil and vijay sethupathi..

This is just the beginning, Vikram (Kamal Haasan) says at the point at which the interval card flashes on the screen.

Right he is. Vikram, a former undercover agent who leads a vigilante group that targets drug traffickers, is used to issuing commands and having them obeyed. The 173-minute Tamil film named after him obeys, being almost entirely prologue for its pre-interval section. Well over an hour is devoted to the mystery of just who Vikram is.

Hot on his trail are government investigator Amar (Fahadh Faasil) and druglord Sandhanam (Vijay Sethupathi), who is missing a vital consignment and is being harassed by his boss Rolex.

Writer-director Lokesh Kanagaraj brings to a routine crime thriller both the flourish he displayed in his 2019 Tamil hit Kaithi and his skill with moulding movie stars to his vision (apart from the three A-listers, there’s an electric cameo by a fourth). Kanagaraj’s Vikram , which has also been dubbed in Hindi, is part of a “Kaithi universe”. Some plot points and characters are derived from that film, while the climax suggests more spin-offs.

Vikram is spilling over with gruesome violence, elaborately choreographed action scenes, dark humour, plot twists, and at least one cute child. Amar has a girlfriend too, but it’s another female character who is likely to draw the cheers.

Fittingly for a film involving drugs, there’s a narcotic quality to many moments. From the substance that gives Sandhanam the ability to channel his inner kung fu master to Anirudh Ravichander’s pulsating Tamil-English soundtrack, Vikram is always big on the adrenaline rush.

The delirium increases in the post-interval section, which is essentially a massive stand-off between Sandhanam, Vikram and Amar. The weaponry get more elaborate, the blood flows, and the action is dialled up as Kanagaraj aims for a literal blast-off.

Not all of the 173 minutes is earned, especially since the plot can be dashed off on a paper napkin. (For all his intelligence, Amar conveniently misses a vital clue into Vikram’s past.) Kanagaraj is sometimes a bit too busy mounting his Kaithiverse to make Vikram a satisfying standalone film in itself.

Although designed as a comeback vehicle for Kamal Haasan, who is also the producer, Vikram keeps its fandom in check. Haasan plays the veteran vigilante with panache and authority. He also gets to deliver soliloquies (some of them in English, of course), and the film does come to a halt when he is declaiming, but it also moves on to the other stars in the blood-splattered sky.

Fahadh Faasil brings to Amar an alert, chameleon-like quality and a ruthless edge. Vijay Sethupathi’s Sandhanam has two gold teeth, a generous midriff and a colourful wardrobe. But Sethupathi’s proven ability to deliver dashed-odd lines and convey deeply felt malice make his character an object of fear rather than parody.

The notable actors in the extended cast include Chemban Vinod Jose as Amar’s boss. The master of ceremonies in the ensemble piece is undeniably the director himself. In a film about the levels of deception, the biggest con job involves Kanagaraj’s ability to retain attention during an overlong and often brutal film.

• Vikram movie review
• Lokesh Kanagaraj
• Kamal Haasan

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Last Updated : 04 Jun, 2022 09:00 AM

Published : 04 Jun 2022 09:00 AM Last Updated : 04 Jun 2022 09:00 AM

திரை விமர்சனம்: விக்ரம்

தேசிய போதைப் பொருள் தடுப்புபிரிவைச் சேர்ந்த சில காவல் அதிகாரிகள், முகமூடி அணிந்தஒரு குழுவால் அடுத்தடுத்து கொல்லப்படுகின்றனர். பொதுவெளிக்கு தெரியாமல், அக்கொலைகளின் பின்னிருப்பவர்களை புலனாய்வு செய்து கண்டுபிடிக்கும் பொறுப்பை ஏஜென்ட் அமர்(பகத் பாசில்) தலைமையிலான குழுவிடம் ஒப்படைக்கிறார் காவல் துறை தலைவரான ஜோஸ் (செம்பொன் வினோத்). கொலைகளுக்கான காரணம், பின்னணி என்ன? கொலைகளைசெய்தவர்களின் மூளையாக செயல்பட்டது யார் என்பதையெல்லாம் புலனாய்வில் அமர் குழுவினர் கண்டுபிடித்தனரா, இல்லையா என்பது கதை.

கொலையானவர்களின் குடும்பத்தினரையும், அவர்களுடன் தொடர்பில் இருந்தவர்களையும் அமர் குழுவினர் தேடிச் சென்று விசாரிக்கும் காட்சிகள்முதல் பாதி படத்தை நிறைத்துவிடுகின்றன. விசாரணையின் முடிவில், முக்கிய மூளையாக இருக்கப்போவது யார் என்பதும் தெரிந்த விடையாக இருப்பதால் ஏற்படும் அயர்ச்சியைத் தவிர்க்க முடியவில்லை. ஆனால், விசாரணைக்கு நடுநடுவே அமரின் காதலும், அவரது திருமணமும் உருவாக்கும் உணர்வுப்பூர்வ அழுத்தம், முன்னாள் ‘ரா’ அதிகாரி விக்ரமின் (கமல்) அறிமுக சண்டைக் காட்சி ஆகியவை, ரசிகர்களை இரண்டாம் பாதிக்கான எதிர்பார்ப்பில் நிமிர்ந்து உட்கார வைக்கின்றன. அந்த எதிர்பார்ப்பை முழுமையாக பூர்த்தியும் செய்கிறது எஞ்சிய படம்.

விஜய்சேதுபதி, பகத் பாசில் போன்ற முன்னணி கலைஞர்களுக்கு, கமல் இப்படத்தில் கொடுத்திருக்கும் ‘திரை வெளி’ என்பது, கண் துடைப்பாக இல்லாமல் முழுமை கொண்டதாக இருக்கிறது. முதல் பாதி படத்தைபகத் பாசில் ஏந்திக்கொள்வதும், விஜய்சேதுபதி கதாபாத்திரத்துக்கான ‘அறிமுகம்’ தொடங்கி, அதன் தனித்துவம் ‘மாஸ் அப்பீலுடன்’ துலங்குவது வரை இப்படத்தில் சாத்தியமாவது கமலின் பரந்த பார்வையால்தான்.

‘கிளைக் கதை’ உத்தியை எடுத்தாண்டு, ஏற்கெனவே பிரபலமான ஒருகதாபாத்திரத்தின் நீட்சியாக, கமலின்வயதுக்கும் அவருடைய முதிர்ச்சியான தோற்றத்துக்கும் ஏற்ப ‘விக்ரம்’கதாபாத்திரத்தை புதிய களத்தில் வெற்றிகரமாக ‘மீள்’ வார்ப்பு செய்திருக்கிறார் இயக்குநர் லோகேஷ் கனகராஜ்.அதேபோல, இப்படத்தின் தொடர்ச்சிக்கான முன்மொழிதலையும் அழுத்தமாகப் பதிந்திருக்கிறார்.

சொந்த இழப்பை கடந்து, போதைப்பொருள் பரவலைத் துடைத்தெறிய ‘அசுர’ மனநிலையில் நின்று வேட்டையாடும் முன்னாள் ‘ரா’ அதிகாரியாக,தனது வயதுக்குரிய முதிர்ச்சியை ஊதித் தள்ளிவிட்டு நடிப்பில் புகுந்து விளையாடுகிறார் கமல்.

பகத் பாசில் பார்வைகள் வழியாகவே மிரட்டினால், சந்தானம் என்கிற போதைப் பொருள் பயன்படுத்தும் கொழுத்த மாபியா ஒருவனின் விறைப்பான உடல்மொழியைக் கொண்டுவந்து, தனது ‘அண்டர் பிளே’ நடிப்பின் முன்மாதிரியை மீண்டும் பதிந்துவிட்டுப்போகிறார் விஜய்சேதுபதி. சில காட்சிகளே வந்தாலும் காயத்ரி சங்கரும், ஏஜென்ட் டீனாவாக வரும்பெண்மணியும் மனதில் தங்குகின்றனர்.

போதைப் பொருள் மாஃபியாவை பின்னணியாகக் கொண்ட கதைக் களத்தில், அதன் பரவலால் விளையக்கூடிய சமூகச் சீர்கேடு குறித்து, கமல் ஒருகாட்சியில் பேசுகிறார். அந்த பேச்சு தாக்கம் ஏற்படுத்துவதாக இல்லை. அதேபோல, போதைப் பொருள் ஒன்றைவாயில் போட்டுக் கடித்ததும் அரக்கத்தனமான வலிமை வந்துவிடுவதாக விஜய் சேதுபதி ஏற்றுள்ள கதாபாத்திரம் எழுதப்பட்டிருப்பது போதைப் பொருளுக்கான விளம்பரம்போல உள்ளது.

காளிதாஸ் ஜெயராமின் மரணம் உருவாக்கியிருக்க வேண்டிய அழுத்தம், அதை தவறவிடுவதும், கமலுக்கும்அவரது மகனுக்குமான உறவில் ஊடாடிய ரகசியம் பார்வையாளர்களைத் தொடாமல் போய்விடுவதும் திரைக் கதையின் பலவீனம்.

சண்டை, சேஸிங், ப்ளாஸ்டிங் உள்ளிட்ட ஆக்‌ஷன் காட்சிகளின் பிரம்மாண்டம், வரிசை கட்டும் கொலை கள், இறுதியில் ‘ரோலக்ஸ்’ கதாபாத்திரத்தின் அறிமுகம், முன்பின் னான கதை சொல்லலுக்கு குழப்பம் ஏற்படுத்தாத படத்தொகுப்பு ஆகியவை படத்தில் மலிந்திருக்கும் ‘தர்க்க’ப் பிழைகளை கடந்து அடுத்தடுத்த காட்சியில் கண்களை பதிக்கச் செய்யும் ஆக்‌ஷன் த்ரில்லராக விரிகிறது படம். அதற்கு சண்டை இயக்குநர்கள் அன்பறிவ், ஒளிப்பதிவாளர் கிரிஷ் கங்காதரன், பிலோமின் ராஜின் எடிட்டிங், பின்னணி இசை தந்திருக்கும் அனிருத் ரவிச்சந்தர் ஆகியோரின் கூட்டுழைப்பு மிரட்டலாக கைகொடுக்கிறது.

பாடல்களின் தேவையே இல்லாத இப்படத்தில், இடைச்செருகலான 2 பாடல்களைத் தாண்டி, இந்நாள் படைப்பாளிகளுடன் இணைந்து கமல் தந்திருக்கும் அதிரடி ஆக்‌ஷன் பிளாக்குகளுக்காக ‘விக்ர’முக்கு வெல்கம் சொல்லலாம்!

அன்பு வாசகர்களே....

இந்த ஊரடங்கு காலத்தில் வீட்டை விட்டு வெளியே வராமல் நமக்கு நாமே சமூக விலகல் ( Social Distancing) செய்து கொள்வோம். செய்தி ஊடகங்களின் வழியே உலகுடன் தொடர்பில் இருப்போம். பொதுவெளியில் இருந்து தனிமைப்படுத்திக் கொண்டு கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுப்பதில் நம் பங்கை முழுமையாக இந்த சமூகத்துக்கு அளிப்போம்.

CoVid-19 கரோனா தடுப்பு / விழிப்புணர்வு கையேடு - இலவசமாக டவுன்லோடு செய்து பயன்பெறுங்கள்!

- வாசகர்கள் நலனில் அக்கறையுடன் இந்து தமிழ் திசை

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Vikram Movie Review: Kamal Haasan-Lokesh Kanagaraj Strike Gold With This Incredible Action Film!

Vikram , the highly anticipated film that marks the comeback of Kamal Haasan to the film industry, has finally hit the theatres. The movie, which is written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is touted to be a complete action thriller. Along with Kamal Haasan, Vikram features an extensive star cast including Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, and others.

Did Kamal Haasan and Lokesh Kanagaraj's film live up to the hype? Read the Vikram movie review here to know...

*NO SPOILERS*

What's Yay:

The three pillars - Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil & Vijay Sethupathi

Writing, making, and the brilliant blend of two worlds

Perfect supporting cast

Music & technical aspects (especially action choreography)

Predictability of certain characters

Amar (Fahadh Faasil) and his team of agents are hired by the State police to track the killers of police officer Prapanjan (Kalidas Jayaram), his adoptive father Karnan (Kamal Haasan), and others. The investigation leads Amar and his team to the ruthless gangster Sandhanam (Vijay Sethupathi). Slowly, Amar discovers the actual identity of Karnan, whose real name is Vikram.

Script & Direction

Lokesh Kanagaraj, who is just 4-films old, tells you how to make a star-studded film with Vikram.

The movie marked Lokesh's first collaboration with his idol Kamal Haasan. But the brilliance of Vikram is that it is never restricted to a fanboy film. Instead, what we get is a well-written, well-made, incredible action film which is the crazy blend of two cinematic worlds.

Vikram is not entirely a Kamal Haasan show - it is indeed a film that celebrates the legend as both an actor and star. But at the same time, the two other main pillars - Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi - too get author-backed roles that have well-defined character arcs.

Yes, there are some incredible movie references and mass moments that celebrate the Ulaganayagan. However, they are not just thrown into the narrative for the sake of it, but are placed intelligently. If the little predictability factor and confusion induced by the long list of characters are ignored, Vikram is an extremely well-made, solid action film. This Lokesh Kanagaraj directorial deserves to be watched on the big screen.

Performances

Kamal Haasan is purely brilliant as the titular character Vikram . The veteran actor is in his best form and reminds us why he is considered one of the finest actors of all time. But, Kamal Haasan graciously takes a back seat in the film whenever it is needed - especially in the first half.

Fahadh Faasil has to be one of those very rare actors who managed to sideline the rest of the cast - including the legend Kamal Haasan - in a film. He shows his amazing range as an actor in Vikram and shines like no other in the action scenes.

Vijay Sethupathi once again proves his versatility as Sandhanam, the ruthless antagonist who is also a complete family man. His combination scenes with Kamal Haasan are a delight to watch.

Suriya is an absolute revelation in his cameo appearance. The rest of the star cast including Chemban Vinod Jose, Narain, Kalidas Jayaram, Gayathrie Shankar, Arjun Das, Harish Uthaman, and others have played their parts to near perfection.

Anirudh Ravichander's extraordinary music has bought the crazy universe of Vikram to life. The musician has set the theatres on fire with his thumping background score that is going to stay with the viewers even after leaving the theatres. The songs too, are decent.

Technical Aspects

Anbarivu deserves a huge round of applause for the fantastically choreographed action sequences, that are an absolute treat to watch.

Girish Gangadharan has done a marvellous job by creating the crazy world of this Lokesh Kanagaraj directorial with his stunning visualisation. Philomin Raj's smooth editing makes Vikram an edge-of-the-seat watch, despite its long runtime. The art department has also done a splendid job.

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has crafted a brilliant comeback vehicle for legend Kamal Haasan, with this incredible action film. The exceptional making, performances, and technical aspects make Vikram a must-watch theatrical experience!

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Vikram movie review: Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Sethupathi serve up an entertaining action-thriller

One glimpse of Kamal Haasan in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Vikram and you just know he is the G.O.A.T

Language: Tamil

In one of his pre-release interviews, director Lokesh Kanagaraj used a parable to describe the mood of Vikram – a story of a lion who was captured by circus people. In his absence, the other animals of the forest have taken over. His captors release the lion back into the wild, after using his prime years in the circus. The lion is now subdued, more hungry for applause than the hunt. The other animals try to use this opportunity to attack the lion. But the lion shows that he had stayed away by choice, not inability. He was, is, and will be the king of the jungle.

This story definitely sets the mood for Agent Vikram, but in a way can be used for Kamal Haasan as well. Vikram is the veteran actor’s first theatrical release in four long years. He has been absent in the feeding frenzy of box office collections. Several people had written him off. But all you need is one glimpse of the man to know why he is the king. (or should we say GOAT). In Vikram, Kamal Haasan is all swag. It’s not a role that demands a lot from the actor. But it is still a delight to see him in this all-guns-blazing (quite literally) action avatar.

Vikram is a multi-starrer in the truest sense of the word. Multiple narratives and ensemble casts have been a part of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s films. Kamal Haasan is no stranger to this space as well. The actor has a long line of ensemble films where he has been happy to make room for his fellow actors – whether it’s an intense drama like Virumandi or a comedy like Panchathanthiram. He does it again in Vikram. And this time it’s Fahadh Faasil sharing the glory. Both Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi share the narrative and dramatic load. VJS is in his comfort zone with eccentricity but the stilted delivery, however, doesn’t hit the right note all the time. The film uses all its actors well, giving them all memorable moments.

The writing exploits Vikram and Kaithi ’s shared universe. The film has enough callback moments to Kaithi – not by plot, but by treatment. We have a similar moment to the ‘Jumbalakka’ one in Kaithi. The ‘lifetime’ settlement dialogue makes an appearance as well. Then, there are the meta moments. Vikram (Kamal Haasan) hands over his grandson to Amar (Fahadh), almost like handing over the mantle to carry the legacy forward. (In an earlier interview, Kamal had said that Fahadh was one of his favourite actors from the current generations.) The film’s emotional core struggles to breathe under the weight of building a franchise. But the surprises keep the curiosity alive. And thankfully, for once, we have female characters who are of actual relevance and significance to the story.

Vikram is not without flaws. There are loopholes and logical discrepancies – some more glaring than the others. But cinema is all about how a film creates a suspension of disbelief and sustains it. It is pacy – there’s a lovely rhythm in the shots and cuts. The camera dances around its characters so fluidly. (Cinematography by Girish Gangadharan and edited by Philomin Raj) This pace dips a bit in the second half, but Anirudh’s ridiculously electric score fills in to hold the fort.

Vikram is best experienced when seen with fresh eyes. But, unfortunately, it is a film that has been plagued with spoilers.

Vikram’s climax sets the stage for a sequel – which would be another casting coup for Lokesh if the film happens. It hints at one of Tamil cinema’s most exciting actor face-offs. Vikram’s charm lies in such novelties – both minor and major. Tamil cinema has not had great luck with franchises, but here is to hoping that we see Agent Vikram back in action soon.

Vikram is playing in cinemas

Rating: * * * 1/2

Ashameera Aiyappan is a film journalist who writes about Indian cinema with a focus on South Indian films.

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Vikram Movie Review: Kamal Haasan starrer is a visual delight with monster action blocks & BMG

Vikram Movie Review: Kamal Haasan is a visual delight in this action thriller.

Name: vikram

Director: lokesh kanagaraj, cast: karthi,kamal haasan,suriya,vijay sethupathi,fahadh faasil,kalidas jayaram, writer: lokesh kanagaraj, rating: 3.5, where to watch: disney+ hotstar.

Vikram has been one of the most-awaited films from the Tamil film industry and this film, finally hit the screens today winning the hearts of fans across the world. Starring Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi and Fahadh Faasil in lead roles and Suriya Sivakumar in a pivotal role, this film is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. What Lokesh made is just ‘wow’. A Kamal Haasan’s film is back to the theatres after three and a half years and thanks to Lokesh for bringing him back in the most spectacular way. Here is our review:

Vikram actually begins where Karthi’s Kaithi ended. After many months of drug racket busts by the police of Tamil Nadu, two huge containers of drugs go missing in Chennai. Much before the police get caught of it, it is important for the local gangs in Chennai to retrieve it. To make sure it reaches him, Rolex, the mafia king, played by Suriya, pays his gang. In between of all this, a group of masked men are on a killing spree where they are killing a few high ranking officers in the city. Prapanchan, an official (Kalidas Jayaram) from the narcotics bureau control was also killed. 

Karnan (Kamal Haasan) is out on a mission to take revenge when he comes to know that his son is one of the victims of the gang. This starts as an act of revenge and ends up becoming a mission that is led by Karnan who is a lot later introduced as Vikram. This character is the same one essayed by Kamal in a film called Vikram that was released in 1986. Police Chief Jose (Chemban Vinod) brings a team of officers in black ops and this team is headed by Amar (Fahadh Faasil) and he starts digging into the life of Karnan. Also, the chief suspect behind all this crime is Sandhanam (Vijay Sethupathi) who is a fearsome drug lord and is in search of that shipment which can make him a king of the mafia. To our surprise, a lot is happening in the city and the cops are set to solve it. 

The first half of the film is at its best. Kamal Haasan is a visual delight in this action thriller. Watching him on the screen after a long time is such an exciting aspect to the audience and his fans as well. Vijay Sethupathi seems to be taking off from where he left the things in Master. He actually plays a ruthless villain and he nailed the character. He was fearsome in almost every scene. Fahadh Faasil and his acting skills need no introduction. All these three actors just nailed their performances offering their fans a terrific action film. 

Lokesh Kanagaraj is transforming Tamil cinema in the best way possible and he deserves the credit for this amazing adrenaline rush he has given to the fans. There are three monster fight blocks in the film and they are the action sequences fans have been waiting to watch in the theatres. Anirudh has set a benchmark yet again with his music. The background score composed by him elevates every scene in Vikram. On the whole, this film is worth your time and money! 

Watch Vikram movie trailer below: 

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Thangalaan Movie Review: Pa. Ranjith-Chiyaan Vikram’s rousing epic deserves to be lauded for audacity and ambition

Table of Contents

About the film.

Masala! Verdict

Masala! Review

When he was promoting Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino on several platforms made the point that American cinema had dealt with the holocaust adequately, but what it had not explored enough was another holocaust, the spectre of slavery. He made a second point when he often spoke about his desire to give African Americans a hero. A character who they could look up to, cherish and draw from.

Has Indian cinema dealt with the caste system? Posing that question to the film industry is for the most part, utterly ridiculous as Indian society has not only not dealt with it, but the stratification of Indians per varnas is still as much a part of India as chai or a good thali. Pa. Ranjith takes caste head-on and does three things; i) He deals with caste with such fierce authenticity that you cannot but feel nauseated at the practice. ii) He delivers a tribal hero worthy of a place among the Avengers but with more layers than all of them put together. iii) He doesn’t stop at brutal realities. He weaves fantasy, historical fiction, superstition and magic into the film. His Naga hero is a man who is both a link to ancestral suffering and a legend for future generations.

Courage is one of those words flung around in film discussions without warrant, but when it comes to Thangalaan, courage peeks out of every frame. From Pa. Ranjith’s directorial lens to an electric performance by Chiyaan Vikram, Thangalaan is a relentless account of not just caste and tribal identity in colonial India, but also lust. Lust for wealth (in this case, gold) and not for the flesh. What is a conquest for the coloniser is an escape route for the oppressed.

Story and Screenplay

Thangalaan is at its heart, a film about land ownership, a universal trope that will never stop being relevant. It portrays in painful detail, what happens to tribals and people belonging to lower castes when what is rightfully theirs is taken from them. We have all heard these stories. But, rarely has it hit this hard. Not only is one dispossessed of their ancestral right, they are then commanded to till that land for the same power structure that stripped them off their land. I mentioned earlier ‘tribals and people belonging to lower castes.’ Ostensibly, the SCs and the STs. The film also shows us why these are not necessarily two separate categories.

The struggle for land is not merely a physical one but a symbolic one; it is a fight for identity, dignity, and survival in the face of oppression. Where the film places emphasis on land as such an integral part of these communities, it gives another degree of meaning to their conflict and makes it not only about resources but also about the very soul of a people.

The audaciousness in the filmmaking is evident in several memorable parts. One of the most striking sequences of the film that is handled with a light touch is a janayu ceremony tribal men decide to perform for themselves, a ceremony that is traditionally denied to them. Then there is the ‘Django’ moment when Thangalaan gallops back to his people on a horse wearing shiny white-man attire. Even as you soak in the grandeur of the moment, you know that he will have to end up paying for it.

Ranjith also balances mythology with historical realism. Make no mistake, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what went down at Kolar Gold Fields back in the day. A lot of what might seem fictional is indeed historical realism! But, there are also allusions to epic stories. Dreams. Folk tales. Superstitions. Sorceresses. And more.

What’s also commendable about the screenplay is despite being focused on caste-based discrimination, colonial exploitation is never forgotten. At one point, the Britisher looks like light at the end of a tunnel for Thangalaan and his people. But Ranjith walks this tightrope brilliantly. Even before we know what’s what, the writing is quick to add a supplementary character and layers to Lord Clement

Performances

Vikram, who has made a career out of slipping in and out of whatever skin a script demands of him, brings a raw, physical intensity to Thangalaan, a man with a complex past and a wounded soul. Often, we recognise good acting mostly by what the actor’s face is doing. But, what Vikram does with his body is pure genius. In a scene when his daughter dies, he curls up into a ball as if he were 3 foot tall. When he feels the weight of expectations placed on him, he droops and wilts. In a scene where he exacts a bit of revenge, it a joy to see him puff his chest, while also showing that he fears the impending wrath. Remember, he is showing us all this with just his body. Yes, he plays five roles! But, the beauty is in how he does that, not the fact that he does.

While Thangalaan is Vikram’s film, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Malavika Mohanan are both remarkable too. Watch Parvathy in the scene where she is experiencing an upper-caste blouse for the first time. Mohanan’s quasi-warrior role are often written as mere caricatures. sans depth. Here, the seemingly one-dimensional Aarathi also has enough layers. I dare you to look away from her eyes during the climactic sequence.

Direction and Craft

The film does boast a few breathtaking visual parts. The occasional shortcomings are also because the visuals you see often don’t match up to Ranjith’s vision. If only we could all see what he imagined and not what he executed! One of the most mesmeric moments in Thangalaan is an underwater sequence when the tribal group tries to cross the river with the British officer lusting for gold. Impeccably shot, the mythic and the immediate dance together in the scene.

I suspect a common grouse about the treatment of the film will be how Ranjith deals with the many transitions in the film and the visual effects he uses to portray the different timelines and different realities. They are both repetitive and not befitting a film that dares to dream this big!

Watch the trailer of Thangalaan (Hindi) here.

Also read: ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’ Movie Review: Taapsee Pannu and Vikrant Massey don’t disappoint as much as the film does

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Mohan Sridhara

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Mohan Sridhara has worked in entertainment and content for 10+ years. He was an Associate Writer and Assistant Director in a film nobody has heard of. Literally nobody. His claim to fame is having shot... More by Mohan Sridhara

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