Cast: Dhanush, Taapsee Pannu
Music: G. V. Prakash Kumar
Directed: Vetrimaran
Produced: Kathiresan
Written: Vetrimaran
Editing: Te. Kishore
Language: Tamil
Distributed: Sun Pictures
Release date: January 14, 2011
Verdict: Aadukalam – A Different Ground indeed
Rating
If there could be a film that makes us clearly understand that the entire team has worked hard, it cannot get better than ‘Aadukalam’. Vetrimaaran might have taken a long time and indeed took the blame for delaying the project so much. But it’s worth the time for the film stands out on all aspects as the best one. The film ‘Aadukalam’ carries certain new features like there are no specified heroes and villains, but he clearly makes it a point on mentioning that situations change the persons leading to unexpected things.

The film opens on an introductory note about a voiceover that gives a clear picture on ‘Rooster Fights’ that has been happening all over the world right behind the centuries. How it spread to India, particularly to the region of Tamil Nadu and the present scenarios involving it.

The opening shot has group of men breaking the doors of a room and see Karuppu (Dhanush) with bloodshed and blood stains over the floors. The very next shot we see Irene (Taapsee) slitting her wrist and is rushed to hospital. The film shifts to flashback revealing the causes that left Karuppu into such drastic situations with his involvement in Cockfights.

First and foremost the film belongs to director Vetrimaaran as the filmmaker has done such a tremendous job in each and every department. The screenplay is the most important factor that makes it more interesting as you cannot predict what’s going on even during the cockfight sequences.

How to imagine a hero standing just by the side of line and see his Rooster doing the heroism acts. A filmmaker should have such guts to do such things. The whistles and applause for the ‘Rooster Fights’ are incredulously tremendous. Although the raciness is lost during the second half, it gets a different treatment as emotional quotients play vital significance. Dialogues are so stunning as they aren’t so complicated, but reaches the audiences to core. Watch Dhanush saying, “Father is someone who doesn’t help in reproduction, but shows the world to his children by holding their hands.’ He shows this frustration to his mother and on the next shot expresses his grieve over her demise saying that she was right.

Dhanush goes incredulously bester than before as he tries something different on the Madurai character. Don’t expect him to be the usual Madurai with the town slang and acting like others. His performance during climax is superb while Taapsee appears so naturalistic with her role. You wouldn’t be able to judge whether Kishore a good or bad guy while writer Jaya Balan makes a stunning performance in grey-shaded character.

G.V. Prakash’s songs are special treats for the audiences as they will celebrate the numbers ‘Yaathe Yaathe’, ‘Otha Sollala’ and ‘Porkalam Rap’. Cinematography and editing are again at the best.

Vetrimaaran deserves special appreciations for taking brave attempts on choosing an unusual script.