Viswasam, his fourth collaboration with director Siva. Unlike the global nature of the mission in Vivegam, Kumar’s character has a seemingly modest task in Viswasam: to safeguard his wife and daughter. Director-actor duo Siva and 'Thala' Ajith do not fail to bring the 'mass' factor on to the big screen this Pongal. That, however, is bound to disappoint the audience who expect more from Viswasam. The film, while focusing on the action, seems to have strayed away from what really matters.
With a typical background score set for a village, long shots and fear-inflicting dialogues, Thooku Durai (Ajith) is introduced. The first scene tells us that the story is about a 'Pera kettale chumma adhiruthille' [Doesn't everything quake at the mere mention of my name] kind of person. It also seems like actors Thambi Ramayya and Robo Shankar have been roped into the movie to just talk about how powerful and invincible Thooku Durai is. The director has ensured that Thooku Durai is given a befitting background score every time he starts a stunt. Ajith's performance in the fight scenes, coupled with good cinematography, makes for a visual treat. These, in fact make up for a poor screenplay.
Viswasam fluctuates between action scenes and sentimental ones and we often see Thala shifting from an angry mood to a compassionate one and vice versa. Through the film, we are presented with flashbacks and there is nothing new in the transition from past to present. Ten years back and forth, the only notable difference we can spot is Durai's salt and pepper hair. Niranjana played by Nayanthara, too, does not seem to age. What started as hatred, ended up in love for Niranjana and Durai is impressed with her fearlessness. Practicality seems to die when Niranjana, who is a doctor, and her medical team set up a medical camp inside Durai's rice mill. We are never shown any treatments or consultations other than their romantic stares and Durai's fear for injection. Logic again takes a hit when the highly ambitious doctor gives up on her career and settles down with Durai in the village.
Expectation is a funny thing. No matter how much you try to skirt them, they seep into the thought stream and hugely affect the way one perceives something. And when you are pleasantly surprised, even if intermittently, it manages to the tip the scales in favour of the film. And Viswasam was a surprise, one that thankfully didn’t make my worst nightmares come true. The over-the-topness extends to Dorai’s sidekicks, played by Robo Shankar, Yogi Babu, Thambi Ramayya, Vivek and Kovai Sarala. As Dorai, Ajith is flamboyant too, but his high-voltage charm somewhat keeps the rambling saga on course.
