If one were to search for the country that constantly produces over the top movies of epic scale one would have to look no further than India. Ranjith Pandurangan‘s Tamil title “Thangalaan” is definitely within the category, although instead of complete mythology/fantasy (as in the case of “Baahubali” for example) his effort has its base in history. Screenwriters Azhagiyae Periyavan, Tamil Praba and Tamizh Prabha based their story in the Kolar Gold Fields during the British Rule in the late 1800s, coming up with a movie that can also be described as a historical drama.
Thangalaan is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The story begins with British officer Clement, whose insatiable hunger for gold leads him to the ancient mines of Tipu Sultan in Kolar, Karnataka. He believes the only way to extract it is by enlisting the Veppur tribals, traditionally skilled miners, promising them a share of the wealth in return for their labor. His colleagues caution him about the mentality of the locals, who are not exactly easy to cooperate with, but Clement believes that his offer will convince them anyway.
Thangalaan, his wife Gangamma and their son Ashokan are members of the tribe, who toil on their land, but their profits go to the local mirazdar. They are poor but in general happy, even though a madness seems to lurk in their ranks, while Thangalaan seems to be stuck in a myth where his ancestor fought the witch Aarthi in the past, killing her and taking up her gold. Somewhere between this mentality and his will for his family and the tribe to finally have a better life, he is eventually convinced by Clement’s offer, which also includes him facing a number of enemies in their path in the fields, and eventually Aarthi herself. Even after the battles however, something sinister seems to lurk within the ranks of both locals and the British, although its source differs significantly.
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The first focus of the movie, as always in this type of epics, is impression. And impress it does, as the quality of the set pieces here is top notch, with the battles and the fighting being rather frequent throughout the movie, as they are brutal, over the top, frantic in their movements, and intricate in their choreography by action director Stunner Sam. The SFX could have been a bit better and the fast forward movement a bit toned down, but as a whole the action aspect definitely works resulting in a series of outstanding sequences, additionally because the filmmaker took full advantage of the desert setting the majority of the film takes place in.
At the same time, Pandurangan does not omit to add drama to his narrative, with the circumstances of the Veppur throughout the years being highlighted eloquently, particularly the blights they faced from the rich and the British who exploited them repeatedly. Furthermore, the filmmaker also makes a rather pointed comment on how greed can transform people to something much worse, in a comment that actually extends to both opposing sides here.
Especially the scenes where both locals and British seem to be in some sort of hateful trance are truly impressive to watch, with the movie taking a delirious turn that results in some of the highlights of the work of both DP Kishor Kumar and editor Selva Rk. Regarding the latter, the pace is as frantic as expected, although there are enough moments where the 163-minute “Thangalaan” slows down, with their placement, as much as of the few flashbacks, being ideal.
Although one of the main sources of the over-the-topness that permeates the movie, the acting is actually on a high level. Vikram delivers a powerhouse performance, effortlessly embodying the raw intensity and emotional depth of Thangalaan, with his madness and forcefulness especially being particularly well portrayed. Parvathy Thiruvothu as Gangamma is quite convincing in the role of one who both needs and is needed by Thangalaan, while some of her cheeky moments, particularly in the beginning, are quite appealing to watch. Malavika Mohanan as Aarathi steals the show repeatedly portraying a woman that is both demonic and sensual. The actors who play the British are nothing special, but they get the job done.
In essence, “Thangalaan” is more than just an action epic, it is also a historical drama that explores power, resistance and oppression, brought to life by a stellar cast and a director with a keen eye for storytelling. Tamil’s cinema prowess in blending spectacle with substance finds one of its zeniths here, in a film that is as thought-provoking as it is visually stunning and entertaining throughout its duration.
