Veeran review: Director ARK Saravan’s superhero film makes some pertinent points

Director ARK Saravan comes up with a simple but smart plot in his fantasy film Veeran, which by the way, is being claimed as Tamil cinema’s first superhero film.

The film’s story might be simple, but it actually looks to make some meaningful points. Just for attempting to do so, the film and the director deserve a pat on the back.

Before we get into a detailed analysis of the film and its pros and cons, here’s the story in a nutshell.

Synopsis

Kumaran (Hiphop Tamizha Aadhi) of Veeranur gets struck by a thunderbolt while returning from school one day. He is taken to Chennai for treatment and later shifted to Singapore for further medical care.

Years pass and he returns as a young man to Veeranur, only to find that a corporate company is in the process of laying cables through his village and the neighbouring regions for generating power through lasers.

The company is headed by a ruthless scientist/businessman named Sharath (Vinay Rai) who is well aware of the fact that the project is extremely hazardous.

But he keeps the villagers in the dark about the risks associated with the power project for his selfish gains.

Kumaran as Veeran

Kumaran acquires the ability to control the minds of those around him for brief periods. He also can discharge electric arcs because of the thunder/lightning strike he suffered as a boy.

So, Kumaran decides to use his powers to stop the corporate from implementing the dangerous project.

He disguises himself as the long-forgotten guardian deity of the village — Veeran — and looks to create awareness among the people about the hazards of the project.

Does Kumaran succeed in stopping the corporate from implementing the hazardous project? How does the corporate headed by Sharath look to get Veeran out of the way? The film gives answers to all these questions and more.

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What works?

Veeran looks to narrate a simple story that can be easily understood with minimal effort.

Despite dealing with a fantasy subject, the film has been made in such a fashion that one is easily able to accept what is shown on screen.

Nothing about the superhero’s skills or powers comes across as being awkward or out of place on the screen. That by itself is a big achievement as it helps the character gain acceptance.

Apart from narrating an entertaining story, the film subtly tries to make some pertinent points. For instance, it tries to put across the message that hard work and discipline are sure to deliver results, even if one’s prayers don’t work at times.

The friendship between Kumaran, Selvi (Athira Raj) and Sakkarai (Sassi) is heartening. There is a genuine warmth between the three friends, which makes the story more relatable.

Also Read: ‘Pareshan’ is a madcap village story with the right dose of humour

What doesn’t work?

These are quite a few in number. The film has several gaping holes concerning logic.

In a sequence, Sharath finds a way to stop Kumaran/Veeran from generating the power arcs. However, he doesn’t employ the strategy when he needs to employ it the most and lets Kumaran get the better of him.

Further, Veeran has two talented comedians — Kaali Venkat and Munishkanth — to provide humour. Unfortunately, their acts don’t evoke laughter. At the most, they manage to get you to smile on some occasions.

However, what Kaali Venkat and Munishkanth fail to do, certain situations in the film succeed in doing. Yes, some situational comedy sequences involving small-time actors work big time in the film.

A case in point would be the sequence where a granny at a wedding function makes a big impact with her seemingly simplistic questions.

Further, Veeran has a simple but significant plot that needed to be told in a sharp, crisp manner. The editor seems to have failed on this count.

What should have ideally been a 135-minute film finally ends up being a 155-minute film because of some really long sequences and this could have well been trimmed.

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Technical aspects

The film’s music is a plus and its hero Hiphop Tamizha Aadhi, who has also scored the music for the film, does a much better job as a music director than he does as an actor.

The movie has some stunning fight sequences and the stunt choreographers seem to have done a mighty fine job.

Final Take

Despite its flaws, Veeran comes across as a reasonably good film that is worth a watch.

(Views expressed are personal.)