knowledge has no horizons

Can you imagine a Tamil movie without a heroine, duet songs with her in foreign countries changing the dresses and locations? Unnaippol Oruvan hit the screens against audience’s imagination on 18, September. A remake of Hindi film The Wednesday, the movie is yet another hit for Kamal Haasan after Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu and Dasavatharam, but this time with a message – terrorism is the only means of getting rid of terrorism.

Impossible is written in the dictionary of fools. Probably Kamal Haasan might believe in that. He enables to shoot the full film in an open-space construction-stopped building and in a confined commissioner office, not allowing many more outdoor shootings from the beginning to the end. A not-more-than-two hour film, it starts as a flashback of Mohan Lal, standing in the beach. Kamal Haasan claims to have set bombs in the important parts of the city and threatens to blast them, if his demand of releasing the four terrorists involved in coimbatore blasting and others is given a deaf ear. It is the concern of the concerned. Mohan Lal is the concerned and asks for assistance from the home secretary – Lakshmi – who is given full power to decide on the situation by the CM, who in turn to the commissioner Mohan Lal. Mohan Lal found no other go rather than yielding to Kamal Haasan’s demands, while trying to trace the location of the place where Kamal Haasan executes his plans over the phone. Four were released and three boarded in a jeep. To the surprise of Mohan Lal came the explosion of the jeep, and then the fourth to be shot dead. The question ‘Why’ is the rest of the story.

Mohan Lal’s interaction, and sometimes altercations, with Lakshmi pictures the top-level tensions in a perspicuous manner over such issues. Ganesh Venkat Ram and Bharat Reddy ask for applause. Voice of the Tamil Nadu CM dubbed and showing Lakshmi getting in the car from the house of the CM add originality to the film. The cigarette smoking lady reporter and IIT drop out deserve praise here.

Kamal Haasan puts forth a concept of terrorism as a means to root out the terrorism. He points his finger at all the existing criteria in the nation for punishing criminals and terrorists. He seeks to clarify a number of logical questions in the films and makes the audience eventually expect his questions not to be evaded.

Sreeman’s visit to the commissioner office seeking z security from Mohan Lal and certain other scenes – though have no connection with the main story – enable to get a clear glimpse of the character of Mohan Lal in the very beginning. Hats off to the dialogue writer – Ra. Murugan – for his writing such dialogues that flow naturally between the scenes. He made sure to add satirical elements that obviously fulfill the intentions, while, at the same time, ensuring the audience laugh at them.

Shruti Haasan made her debut as music director; as this is her maiden attempt, any shortfalls in the film related to music can simply be excused for this reason. Manoj Soni’s camera thrills the viewers with movements. Rameshwar Bhagawat’s editing makes the feel of enjoying a complete film.

Kamal Haasan again seems to suffer the fate of the hero belonging to A-centre people. Of course, it is pathetic to note that the common man – Kamal Haasan used to refer himself – fails to reach the common men. It is undoubtedly a good film, but reaching the ‘A’ centre as usual of most of his films. Kamal Haasan might have concentrated on the minimum usage of English conversation between characters, but not with the cost of reality.

In short, nothing to be mentioned on the negative side. A good film worth watching it. DON’T MISS IT.