Garudan movie review: A brilliant suri tells the story of friendship, loyalty and betrayal

A scene from ‘Garudan’ | Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement

After turning from a comedian to a lead actor in Vetri Maaran’s filmViduthalai: Part 1Soori’s second appearance as a lead heroine, Garudaanproves that his transformation is not momentary. With a well-woven script that has enough strength to overcome its minor shortcomings, director RS Durai Senthilkumar makes a glorious comeback with this raw and intense rural drama.

In GarudaanSoori plays an orphan named Sokkan who finds solace in the solidarity of Karunakaran (Unni Mukundan), which makes him the living embodiment of the word ‘loyalty’. Meanwhile, Aditya (Sasikumar) is Karuna’s best friend and the two work together professionally. Like a marksman’s deafening bullet shatters the peace of a tranquil forest where its inhabitants keep their animal instincts in check, trouble arises in many forms. The film catalogues the cracks in these relationships right down to the proverb ‘Mann, Ponne, Penn’ (greed for land, money and women). When these events shake up his ideal world, Sokkan has to take it upon himself to restore the balance.

A police officer wants to resign, a minister wants to grab a large piece of temple land, a character from a rich family is barely able to make ends meet, a couple is distraught because they are unable to conceive, a relationship leads to an unplanned pregnancy, a cordial relationship between two people turns into love…. Garudaan The film reveals all its cards very quickly and introduces us to a plethora of characters. Though it takes a little while to settle into this world, the screenplay goes against its title and puts us right in the middle of the action rather than giving us a bird’s eye view of events.

Soori is arguably at the pinnacle of his career. At a stage where a little ‘mass’ can do wonders amid a lot of ‘class’ (three of his films are doing well at film festivals), the actor couldn’t have asked for anything more special and vibrant. Garudaan.The film not only showcases his strength but also delivers the ‘rise of an underdog’ plot that we enjoyed. ViduthalaiBut it also gives them enough room to showcase their talents in aspects like action, romance and even a little dancing.

A scene from ‘Garudan’ | Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement

But Garudaan It doesn’t break boundaries with its plot; it offers the usual motifs of brotherhood, deception and vengeance that we have seen so often, and the visuals remind us of its own actors and director’s films such as Kidari, Subramanyapuram And Kodi.In fact, if Mamannan This can be interpreted as the perspective of Vadivelu’s character Isakki Thevar Magan, Garudaan This amounts to Isaki taking it upon himself to end the feud with those he considers his boss. However, even while hovering over familiar territory, Garudaan Through its treatment and acting it has succeeded in giving us something new.

Director Durai has carved out the three main characters brilliantly and it starts with their names; Aadhi is the giver and the ray of hope from above, Karuna takes a stranger under his wing and values ​​brotherhood more than anything, and Sokkan – true to the film’s title – is the bird that lives between these two things. Soori is perfect as Sokkan; the character is often called a dog because he is loyal and trustworthy, but at the same time man’s best friend can go crazy when pushed into a corner.

A character elaborates on his dream with horses, elephants and armed men; it is a scene from the Kurukshetra war. But in this game of chess, what is often overlooked is how a simple pawn, when it reaches the other end, can transform into something powerful and Soori executes that transformation brilliantly. His typical monologue of truth bombs delivered to Karuna, the comical side that often comes out during his adventures with his girlfriend Vinnarasi (Revathi Sarma), his display of loyalty to Karuna and Aadhi’s families, and the impressive action sequences he performs make for some of the best scenes in the film. Sasikumar also fits perfectly in the role of Aadhi, a dignified character that is an extension of many lead roles he has played before. A pleasant surprise is that Sivada has played his limited but lead character with restraint. But what seems mismatched is the dialect of Unni Mukundan, whose dialect does not help his hurried character arc.

The film has many issues, ranging from painfully convenient twists to unnecessarily bloody and violent action sequences. Yet, they turn out to be mere speed breakers in an otherwise fun ride. Add to this the brilliant form of Yuvan Shankar Raja, whose music enhances the mood of the film, and Arthur A. Wilson’s brilliantly crafted frames, the technical prowess that successfully carries the film across the finish line cannot be overstated. Garudaan This is director Durai’s best work, and you will want to see more of this transformation from Parotta Suri to the lead character Suri!

Garudaan is currently running in cinemas