The story is told from the viewpoint of Kumaresan (Soori), a moral police officer who joins the squad searching for Perumal alias Vaathiyar – The Godfather (Vijay Sethupathi), the head of the neighborhood separatist group Makkal Padai (People’s Army). Kumaresan joins the police force with high hopes, but he has no idea that he will spending most of his time performing mundane tasks, such as carrying food to all of the check points through the forest and performing nighttime tower duty.
His moral convictions are called into doubt when Kumaresan accidently crosses paths with Vaathiyar and subsequently plays a crucial role in his capture. Are Perumal and his men detained by the police? How does police officer Kuamresan fit into the overall search for Vaathiar? So who is Paapa?
Soori, who was previously exclusively known as a comic, exhibits an entirely different side in this movie. Soori seemed like the ideal candidate for a role like Kumaresan in the subtlest performance of his whole career. Kumaresan is not a hero, and his actions are motivated by compassion.
Although though Vijay Sethupathi appears in the movie for a relatively little time, he steals the show and has some truly memorable “mass” moments. In fact, the story leaves you with the impression that he is there.
The new police officer Sunil Menon, who is sent to the area to apprehend the rebels, is portrayed by director Gautham Vasudev Menon. He gives a strong performance that raises the bar for the movie’s intensity. Chetan did a fantastic job of portraying the superior casteist. In her role as a Tamilarasi, Bhavani Sre just kills it. For the part, she goes through a total makeover.
Vetrimaaran focuses his camera on the devastating aftermath of a railway bomb attack in the very first scene, documenting the suffering of the victims and the chaotic environment from every perspective. With the use of sound effects and the eerie score by Ilaiyaraaja, this particular moment jars the audience and virtually takes them to the bomb detonation site.
This story is presented with a great deal of heart and emotion, just like in practically every other Vetrimaaran movie. The viewers gain a clear idea of the psyche of police officers because to its insightfulness. The story is presented by the director as a straightforward tale of good men versus bad men, yet there are a lot of layers that emerge as the movie goes on, including relationships between politicians and corporations, how party leaders shape social narratives, the brutality of police officers, caste politics, and an unsustainable romance.
These layers are what give the movie its beauty, and there are some situations that flow so easily that you only realize their significance much afterward, just like the actor in the scene.
Viduthalai Part 1 isn’t necessarily Vetri Maaran’s most provocative film compared to her past works. Technically, the gorgeous hilly landscape has been caught by cinematographer Velraj’s lenses and gives such majesty to the movie. When it’s necessary, the background music by seasoned composer Ilaiyaraaja creates an epic atmosphere, and the opening scene and climax let you know that he’s still the King.
Vetrimaaran explores caste inequality, police violence, and power abuse with skill in Viduthalai because he is entirely in his element. A must-see movie, Viduthalai presents a fresh cinematic perspective of Vetrimaaran, and Soori’s superb performance takes the movie to a new level. Go for it!