Vettaiyan review – Clash of the titans just not epic

Superstar Rajinikanth and superstar Amitabh Bachchan face off in a Tamil film that’s got all the trappings of being a whistle podu entertainer. It’s the stuff that movie buffs dream of, and director TJ Gnanavel’s Vettaiyan’s most obvious USP is the coming together of these two cinematic giants. But the actual story of Vettaiyan is far more complex than the just the Rajni vs Bachchan appeal. This police procedural of a film, is in reality, a social drama, masquerading as a Rajni vehicle. It’s got all the Thalaiva packaging, replete with the flashy opening sequence, the slo-mo fight sequences, the Rajni ‘wow’ moments with the flick of the sunglasses et al. But, at its heart, Vettaiyan is a social comment on two very important aspects of modern society – educational scams and human rights. The Rajni vs Bachchan face off is a mere, marketing gimmick. But the pay off, once you’re in the chair inside the theatre, is not bad at all.

Rajinikanth’s Athiyan is a super cop and an encounter specialist. His brand of policing is very popular and even his superiors, the media and the government enjoy his process of swift, bullet-driven justice. Amitabh Bachchan’s Sathyadev on the other hand is a conservative lawman, a retired judge and a human rights advocate, who is openly critical of Athiyan’s reckless ways. The two men are on the same side of the law, but they’re at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to personal morals. Athiyan is flamboyant while Sathya is conservative. There’s a boiling tension between them and it makes for a wonderful setup for the two superstars to square off on screen. But sadly, Vettaiyan doesn’t serve too many scenes of Rajni vs Bachchan. Instead, Sathya starts off as a strong opposition to Athiyan, but after 2 to 3 altercations, both men join forces to get justice in a rape/murder case involving Athiyan’s acquaintance Saranya (Dushara Vijayan). 

If only TJ Gnanavel had devoted more screen time and scenes for the Rajni-Bachchan clash. It would have been a far more rewarding experience for the fans. Instead, Gnanavel’s and B Kiruthika’s screenplay focuses more on a police procedural, where good cops, bad cops, bad guys and dirty businessmen unravel a case involving rape, murder and corruption. It makes for some compelling entertainment, no doubt. But it’s just not as fulfilling as the lost prospect of seeing Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan square off in a Shakti or Vikram Vedha style drama. That just does not happen in Vettaiyan. What happens instead is that a third, younger actor walks away with the spotlight.

And that is testament to the acting talent of Fahadh Faasil, that in a film featuring greats like Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan, he walks away with the hosannas. Fahadh’s role as the street smart, hustler named Patrick is pure cinema gold. Fahadh’s performance is flawless and fresh. His chemistry with Ritika Singh and his sidekick-style camaraderie with Rajinikanth is absolute gold. Where Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan excel in dramatic and action sequences, Fahadh walks away with the spotlight in comedy. 

Vettaiyan has its fair share of problems. The Rajni-isms – the insistence of delivering slo-mo sequences and paisa fek dialogue delivery entertains, but it also lessens the impact of a very relevant story. Killing a human being based on bias and prejudice is not right. The masses’ approval of vigilante justice is not right. Creating pressure on children to study hard and secure good marks and a fancy career is not right either. These are the broad strokes of Vettaiyan’s theme and these messages really hit hard during the film. But the plethora of fight sequences and stand-and-deliver dialogue don’t always gel with the ‘core emotion’ of the film. 

Despite its flaws, Vettaiyan is a solid entertainer. It’s got killer music from Anirudh Ravichander and an equally cool background score. The cinematography and editing aren’t on point, but then Rajni’s bravado and Amitabh Bachchan’s intense court-room monologue save the day. The audience gets its share of Rajni magic and Bachchan intensity and that’s well worth the price of an admission ticket. It’s old-school entertainment at its best.