Director Thamizh continues to make a good impact with his stories, which resonate strongly.
A poster of the film 'Election'. (X)
At a crucial juncture in Thamizh’s Election, we get an action sequence inside a roadside dhaba. When you pay close attention to the details, it is the same place where one of the best action scenes of Vijay Kumar’s directorial debut, Uriyadi (2016), was shot.
In a lot of ways, Election felt like both a spiritual sequel and a prequel to Uriyadi. And the best part about this reference is that it never felt forced.
The connection to Uriyadi aside, Election is a compelling thriller that explores the dynamics of generational and grassroots politics.
If there’s one thing that Election successfully manages to capture and narrate effectively, it is the murky side of politics and how the power-hungry can feed on common people.
Thamizh’s directorial ‘Election’. (X)
Vijay plays Nadarasan, a happy-go-lucky guy with no interest in politics.
His father George Maryan has been actively involved in politics for over four decades. However, when he finally aspires to grow in the party with the hope of contesting in the panchayat elections, he becomes a laughingstock of his party.
Nadarasan decides to contest the panchayat elections to honour his father’s pride, only to eventually face violence, rivalry, and betrayal.
One of the best things about Election is that even when it’s generic, it never gets boring.
A lot of what you see in the film and the way it deals with politics has been shown before.
Nevertheless, Thamizh manages to keep the proceedings engaging with his tight screenplay and some good twists.
The story predominantly focuses on three families and how they’re affected by politics.
The film does miss out on a strong emotional core and even the relationship between Vijay and his father, which could’ve been an interesting thread, isn’t fleshed out effectively.
In the political thriller space, Election fares above most films in recent years.
#ELECTIONfromMay17@reelgood_adi #Thamizh #GovindVasantha @reel_good_films @preethiasrani_ @Aperiyavan @ECspremkumar @renganaath_R @EzhuArtdirector @kabilanchelliah @Pavelnavagethan @ActorDileepan @SakthiFilmFctry @sakthivelan_b @solamediadinesh @divomusicindia @proyuvraaj pic.twitter.com/ctRnN74PCr
— Vijay Kumar (@Vijay_B_Kumar) May 15, 2024
A still from the film ‘Election’. (Supplied)
Vijay Kumar’s performance is mostly single note but this is a far better work than his last two releases.
George Maryan, as usual, shines in the limited space he gets with another earnest performance.
Among the supporting actors, Pavel Navageethan steals the show with a stand-out performance. After her notable work in Ayothi (2023), Preethi Asrani barely gets any space to leave a mark.
Election needs better lead performance to make us root for Vijay, who is mostly clueless in the film’s most emotional moments. If not for the strong writing, this would have been a damp squib.
Thamizh continues to make a good impact with his stories, especially after the strong directorial debut with Seththumaan (2022; streaming on Sony LIV).
As a filmmaker, he understands politics from a personal standpoint and he presents a story that resonates strongly.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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