By the time you watch Vijay Sethupathi's fifty-first film, you will understand why he is such a remarkable actor. His choice of writing is not a flashy star vehicle; rather, it is one that relies on his comic timing and vulnerability in order to be successful. The dark thriller Maharaja, which was directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, features unexpected developments that at times require a leap of faith on the part of the audience. The fast-paced narrative and the performances of the cast, on the other hand, ensure that you are completely captivated by what is taking place on screen.
Maharaja, played by Vijay Sethupathi, is a stoic barber who has a wife and a daughter, despite the fact that his moniker suggests otherwise. When he is involved in an accident, his life is turned upside down, and his demeanor becomes even more gloomy as a result. It is his daughter Jyothi, played by Sachana Namidass, who is the center of his universe. Jyothi is a driven young lady who is preparing to compete in athletics. Both of them pay homage to Lakshmi, which is not the goddess but rather an iron trash can that is rumored to have been responsible for saving Jyothi's life.
The ridiculousness of the situation is not lost on anyone when Maharaja goes to the police station to report that Lakshmi has gone missing. However, Vijay Sethupathi performs the role of Maharaja with complete gravitas. Despite the fact that he is being slapped and abused by the police officers for requesting them to locate a trash can, he continues to tell his narrative to each and every one of them. Is he completely insane, or is there something else to him? Vijay Sethupathi's aptitude for repeated phrases is put to excellent use in these scenes, which are mined for comedy gold by Nithilan Swaminathan, who is also the writer of the film. Do you remember Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom?
The actor Vijay Sethupathi is one of those rare individuals who, regardless of the role he is portraying, manages to win over the audience. There is a shade of likeability that he provides to the character that is difficult to resist. He may be an introverted photographer, a big-bellied gangster with numerous wives, or a disgusting troublemaker who exploits children. Whatever it is, he brings a shade of likeability to the personality of the character. With that being said, despite the fact that Maharaja's complaint is absurd, his desperation appears to be completely genuine. Despite the fact that we are laughing at what is taking place, this causes an underlying sense of discomfort.
I am thankful that there is no spoon-feeding in the screenplay, which is a creative non-linear screenplay. The director has faith that the audience will collaborate with him and build the story based on what they see as they go along. Taking a time to put the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together reveals that the editing is, for the most part, effective, and that a great deal of the information that is packed into the text is in place.
Nevertheless, I wish that some of the storylines had been developed further or more thoroughly. An example of this would be the about-face that Inspector Varadhan (Natty) and his colleagues engaged in. It's unnaturally hurried and a little bit implausible. It is also not apparent what Maharaja was thinking when he reported the missing trash can; what led him to believe that the authorities would take such a matter seriously and investigate it in an honest manner? Additionally, there are a few other loopholes that are not clearly described throughout the text.
The manner in which the movie deals with sexual assault is much more unsettling. Violence committed against a female character is utilized to drive masculine fury and guilt, as is the case with the majority of Indian cinema. The survivor is given a kind of convenient agency that seems absurd to demand from someone who has just been through an enormously terrible experience (the first thing she says at the hospital is that she wants to meet and speak to her attackers – really?). In this particular instance, the survivor is supplied with a comfortable agency.
The Malayalam movie Neru (2023) directed by Jeethu Joseph also featured a courageous survivor who confronted her rapist and sought justice. However, the film did not shy away from placing her at the center of the tragedy and conveying the pain she experienced. Despite the fact that Maharaja has a strong survivor, why isn't the legal path being pursued if the shame isn't one that she needs to bear?
Directors and writers who base their stories on sexual violence have a responsibility to make a genuine attempt to comprehend the reasons and mechanisms behind the occurrence of such violence. It is my hope that they will eventually come to the realization that the solution cannot be more male violence. In addition, do we truly require these lengthy scenes that illustrate the manner in which a sexual assault was brought about?
However, the lecherous words and lascivious expressions in Maharaja cause the viewer to experience the assault from the perspective of the rapist, even if the film does not contain any graphically violent sequences of sexual assault. In the scene, the predominant feelings that are evoked are lust and power, although the appropriate emotion would be empathy for the survivor. When we are transformed into voyeurs, it is impossible for us to accomplish our goal.
Mamta Mohandas portrays a sports instructor who is Muslim. In contrast to the stereotyped portrayals of Muslim women that we have seen in Tamil cinema, this role is relatively minor yet serves as a welcome departure. It would be nice if she had a more significant role in the movie. Even though there are a few instances in which the dubbing is awry, Anurag Kashyap might be considered an effective villain. The screen is filled with his presence, and he is able to relax when it is necessary for him to do so. The remaining members of the supporting ensemble are capable, and the film is kept interesting by the performances of these individuals. It is nevertheless satisfying even if you are able to anticipate the direction in which the climax would proceed.
The Maharaja is not perfectly free of defects. It would have been a better thriller if the writing had been more concise and some of the moments had been written with a greater degree of compassion.
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