‘Thalaivi’ movie review: Aravind Swamy kills it as MGR in Jayalalithaa biopic, in which she plays a cameo

it has a flirtatious and equally raunchy moment Thalaivi Where Jaya (Kangana Ranaut. Why) holds a press conference singing about Sivaji Ganesan to get back at MG Ramachandran, whose mentors have now banned pairing with the star for obvious political reasons. Jaya, who would later be known for anything other than being diplomatic, gives a measured response to who was a better actor: Sivaji Ganesan or MGR, a very simple question. if you Even then Surprise, it is Shivaji. At least that seems to be a common belief.

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But director Vijay’s Jaya does what can only quintessentially be described as Jayalalithaa. She tells, rather claims, her manager that it is He Who is there NS No better actor and his male counterpart. The scene lends itself to Jayalalithaa’s personal life, if you go by the definition of ‘acting’ purely, wondering whether her legacy was the best character ever, regardless of her personal and political life. Wear a ‘mask’ in life. you’ll never really know who Jayalalithaa or rather What. Simply put, she was an enigma.

Now political observers, who are not necessarily attuned to his politics or personality, can agree to this. She was, perhaps, ‘acting’ as a puppet in the hands of a puppeteer, to borrow a line from Vasanthi’s biography Amma: Jayalalithaa’s journey from movie star to political queen. The above view can also be seen as an extension of Jayalalithaa’s political career in the largely male-dominated political landscape of Tamil Nadu, as she seemed to have prospered and succeeded in bettering men. Jayalalithaa’s Unbridled Patience and Perseverance: From the Radiant Ammu to the Fearless Amma,Spice-fied’ to crush an already theatrical life. but about Spice Later.

MGR was a personality cult. Jayalalitha was like that. Like MK Karunanidhi. Notice how Jayalalithaa is placed among men. She moved out of the male-dominated political arena to become a larger-than-life figure, that is a different matter. She was among men, that’s a big deal. Which is why it should come as no surprise that almost 3/4 of the biopic claimed to be about Jayalalithaa has the shadow of a domineering MGR and party men who dwarf her personality from getting a standalone film. .

Sure, it can be said that Jayalalithaa’s life should be judged from the political developments in the state. but he is Even then One way to look at it, no? For example, in Mother…, if my memory serves correctly, Vasanthi recounts how excited and forthcoming Jayalalithaa was for the book until a question about MGR touched a raw nerve, which ultimately resulted in the shadow ban. Thalaivi Neither gray is true nor white, making us wonder if Jaya is Vijay and Vijayendra Prasad (writer) is a figment of imagination; version they thought she was.

thalavi It begins with the infamous assembly incident in 1989 that took away the dignity of Jayalalithaa; Which Karunanidhi termed as a “black day” in Tamil politics. He took the oath of not returning to the assembly if not as chief minister. Panchali Shabbatham All this is part of history and is in our distant memory. The film ends with Jayalalithaa coming to power in 1991 and it is not surprising why Vijay chose to commercialise. This The special timeline is filled with heavy dramatic beats to present to the audience. Therefore it is fair to say that Thalaivi Half biopic.

problem with Thalaivi not at all’Spice-fiction of a publicly theatrical life’. It is juggling facts through fictional stories about a relationship between two people that was never clearly defined publicly, although everyone knew what it was. Combining MGR and Jayalalithaa’s relationship into a heated “love” story, the makers left us with the daunting task of guessing. Which is why, when MGR (who is, oddly, called MJR in some places) calls Jaya to fix things after a rift in the party, we wonder if this could has happened or needed passed. You would think the scene is a set-up and like a typical melodrama, it ends with Jaya waiting for MGR to arrive, only to be informed of his death. There comes a moment when Jaya describes her equation with MJR as Krishna and Radha. This, probably, someone was planning to sue. except for a few cursory references Adimai Penny, naam nadu And Ragasia Police 115The film did not bother to capture Tamil cinema from that era onwards.

these are not to say Thalaivi Totally not viewable. You feel so invested in it, Arvind Swamy kills it as MGR, which is easily the only positive result of this biopic. If you think about it, what Arvind Swamy has done is really astonishing. He draws a dangerous but fine line between mimicking and not portraying MGR as a caricature on screen. He does so by not caring for the theatrics, physicality or voice that the star has become synonymous with. Just notice how Arvind Swami smiles, exposing those white teeth. notice how he does Vanakkam In a hurry, as if to say: “Yes, yes”. Notice how he uses the handkerchief and his controlled hand gestures. Another character that stands out is Karuna, played by Nasir with his left eyebrow.

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Kangana Ranaut as Jaya is outrageously wrong. pay attention to how the camera is Never The dialogue in Tamil lingers on Kangana for more than a few seconds. The editor either cuts to focus on Kangana’s expressions or skips her completely. It is also telling that the actor who can’t get a complete sentence right in Tamil has been roped in to play the role of a powerful personality. At least Vivek Oberoi doesn’t feel alone.

There is very little originality and freshness in a story that Tamils ​​now know by heart. Who What is driving this story about perhaps the most important chapter in the history of Tamil politics, which needs to be seen. Thalaivi Produced by a Bollywood production company and has equally foreign actors. It is written by a Telugu writer and produced by a Tamil filmmaker, who seems satisfied with a ‘safe’ film, perhaps after conducting a test screening with all the parties involved, to ensure that everyone go home happy

Political observers will tell you why you need to look no further than Tamil Nadu for drama, which was once the musical chair of power. Thalaivi This only proves that one cannot script a drama out of Tamil politics. Because the politics here writes itself.

Thalaivi is currently running in theaters