Maamannan

Mari Selvaraj is refining his stance on caste politics through his movies. Karnan and Maamannan did not come close to Pariyerum Perumal in regards to the number of days the movie stayed with me after the watch. However, from a scale perspective, the later movies are much bigger and impressive from a grandeur standpoint.

Fahad Fazil is back! Very much a director's actor, Mari has utilized the actor very well for a very convincing portrayal of the upper caste protagonist.

A R Rahman did great work in the movie. Unlike Malaykunju where Rahman's symphonies were not aligning with the rustic backdrop, Rahman has been able to align his work with the movie very well on this one. Some of the songs are very touching. Background music is the king in many scenes.

Great dialogue less aura from Udhayanidhi Stalin, seasoned performance from Vadivelu.

First half script and delivery was top notch. Lot of action (and violence) with matching background scores bring out the stance/spirit/emotion that the movie is taking.

Feels like Mari is deeply bothered by the caste based injustices, and is trying to discover and present his perspectives through his movies.

What worked for Pariyerum Perumaal & Karnan was it was more grounded in reality. It was relatable, I was able to sympathize with the director's view. It felt like some dialogues were intentionally planted for Udhayanidhi's gain. The film felt too dramatic & lost the touch of reality. Casting Fahadh only added more to it. He did deliver what he was paid for, but I just couldn't see him as his given role. At times, the pacing feels slightly uneven, with certain scenes dragging on longer than necessary. Also Keerthy suresh was not justified. Felt like she was there just for the sake of having a female lead.

These days it's becoming easy to guess a Tamil movie's plot and you can easily guess the central theme of this movie. At times the movie gets slow-paced and I fast-forwarded many portions.

Fahad Fazil is cracking all the roles he is getting and he was the main highlight of this movie. He played the antagonist role nicely. Moreover, it's time to recognize the talent of Vadivelu. He has been typecast for a long time and it's time to give him some serious roles, just like Mollywood did for Suraj Venjaramood. Mari Selvaraj proves that he can do movies like Maamannan and I hope we will get more cool movies from him in the future.

This political drama has a gripping first half, where the director effectively conveys his pain through certain scenes. While some scenes successfully deliver the intended message, many others fall short. The movie is a mix of raw and commercial elements, which I found somewhat unsettling. It didn't evoke strong emotions in me, such as making me cry or burst into laughter, or fueling a sense of vengeance against the villain. It is common to compare older movies with current ones, and in the case of "Karnan," there were moments that evoked rage, especially the police station scene. However, in this movie, I felt a lack of connection. It was meant to be a potential cult classic, but with a few issues, it might lose its place in that esteemed position. It's not the worst movie, but it falls short of achieving cult classic status from my perspective as a movie viewer. The director had already set a high benchmark, which this movie failed to meet.

On the other hand, the movie has received numerous positive aspects, ranging from the performances of Vadivelu, Fafa, and Keerthi, who all deliver their career-best performances. The landscape shots are beautifully showcased, capturing scenic locations like Yercaud, hilltops, and night shots. The camera work is impressive, and as expected, the music by ARR (A. R. Rahman) demonstrates his exceptional quality. The layered editing is also a significant plus point. With a more gripping and grounded second half, this movie could have reached greater heights. The interval and climax sequences have their own peak moments, showcasing the director's bold attempt. It's a remarkable film to conclude Udhay's career.

The movie seems to be okay.. Vadivelu and Fahadh Fasil sealed it with awesome amazing performances. Vadivelu surprised me as well other audience, with his stellar perfromance. Didnt know he had this much in him. Fahad did good justice to the role that was given to him, and never disappointed anyone.

I wish to ask a question.. Can't Udayanidhi Stalin pause his acting stint, until he learns to do os ?? Completely blank expressions, be it in sad scenes or the happier ones. The plot was was very weak; first half was good, but the overall plot wasnt good enough, and the movie would have tanked in the absence of stellar roles from FaFa & Vadivelu Sir.