‘Sivaji’ Review: Big War On Black Money

Film: Sivaji

Punchline: black to white
Banner: AVM
Cast: Rajni Kanth, Shriya, Vibek, Vadivukkarasi, Mani Vannan, Raghuvaran, Suman etc
Dialogue: Sri Ramakrishna
Art: Tota Tharani
Editing: Antony
Camera: KV Anand
Producers: Saravanan, Guhan
Story-Screenplay-Direction: Shankar
Release Date: 15th June 2007

The most expensive film of India boosted up many expectations among the audiences. Has it reached the expectations? Just give a read.

Story:

The film starts with Sivaji (Rajni) returning to India where his parents (Mani Vannan and Vadivukkarasi) and mama (Vivek) receive him at the Airport. Everything rolls on screen with typical Rajni style. He falls in love with Shriya who looks in traditional get up.

Shivaji’s motive is to spend his Rs 250 Cr for people and charity by setting up educational institutions. But Adiseshan (Suman) the owner of other engineering college group hinders Sivaji’s attempts. His fear is that he may lose his business if Sivaji starts free education for people. But Sivaji goes ahead ignoring Adiseshan and starts building the college and hospital. When the work is amidst and when almost all the amount was spent on that, Adiseshan uses his political influence and demolishes Sivaji’s dream. He brings him on roads. He drops a Re 1 coin in his hand and asks him to live with begging.

But Sivaji stands bold and uses his brain and brawn to get back his lost earning from Adiseshan. When he wins in that plan he uses the same with every rich man in the state. By unearthing black money he will do social service for all. In the process he wins the hearts of everyone. Adiseshan comes to roads with Sivaji’s strategy. Then he conspires to kill him.

What happens next? That has to be watched on screen.

Performances:
Rajni Kanth is at his best and the make up man and costume designer must be given all the credit. And the spark, spirit and driving force in Rajni Kanth are at his superlative degree and nothing waned even a little with his age. His buzz word in the film is ‘Cool’. His unique style in the film is throwing chewing gum into his mouth. He imitated NTR for the song ‘Aku Chaatu Pinde Tadise…’ Wah! What a perfection! Similarly his dance for the song ‘Abba Nee Tiyyani Debba..’ shows how able Rajni is in imitating other stars.

Shriya looted the hearts and senses with her spellbound beauty. Her body and body language are perfectly in tune with the commercial aura of the film. She is beautiful in traditional half saris, saris as well as in songs. Like a romantic madrigal, like an embodiment of feminine beauty, like a bright fair Venus she made her presence felt in this film. She looked perfectly pretty like Sridevi in the bit songs ‘Aku Chaatu Pinde Tadise’ and ‘Abba Nee Tiyyani Debba’. She made it impressive while enacting emotions and pathos as well.

Suman is to be lauded. His image definitely strides up with this film. He is given a typical facial look with projected teeth. His hefty built body and traditional Madrasi costume aptly suited his body language.

Vivek, Mani Vannan, Vadi Vukkarasi and others have justified their roles.

Shankar appears in the song ‘Ballelakka…’ where audiences shout in excitement and delight.

AR Rehman’s music is wonderful with international standards where some songs are pictured with the standards to take place in international chartbusters.

Ballelakka… is quite traditional on screen with dancing troupe starring slim and sexy Nayantara and Rajni Kanth. Oka Bandi Sunlight… is quite contemporary that shows Rajni Kanth with fair skin. In fact it’s a song on Rajni’s complexion. Sahana… is melodious to ears, peaceful to hearts, romantic to senses and elegant to eye balls. The highly splendid set erected for this song cannot be forgotten. Wah! Ji Wah! Ji Raraje Naa Sivaji… is grand and stupendous. The most expensive set used in the song stands on par or beyond Hollywood standards.

Other song… is pictured on par with the standards of Michael Jackson’s song. The graphics used in it are tremendous.

Screenplay - direction: Shankar is always known for mixing entertainment with purposeful message. He also tried the same thing with this film. But he had to add some other aspect called heroism to his recipe. By concentrating more on the love thread between hero and heroine in the first half, he missed his commercial formula. The mechanism in which he makes hero convert black money into white is good. The 'office' treatment is also good. If you observe all Shankar's films, there is always a strong motive for hero get the ultimate urge to help society (hero’s brother death in Gentleman, Hero's daughter death in Bharateeyudu, hero's sister death in Aparichitudu etc). But here we find no reason that prompted hero to develop the strong urge to help society. The following two points are unconvincing, more so because these two points are turning points to the movie -

1. Sivaji accepting that he bribed the officials to get permissions.
2. The CBI arresting Sivaji even without knowing what is there in the Laptops (as the data in laptop is locked by a voice-recognition security system)

Screenplay - direction: Shankar is always known for mixing entertainment with purposeful message. He also tried the same thing with this film. But he had to add some other aspect called heroism to his recipe. By concentrating more on the love thread between hero and heroine in the first half, he missed his commercial formula. The mechanism in which he makes hero convert black money into white is good. The 'office' treatment is also good. If you observe all Shankar's films, there is always a strong motive for hero get the ultimate urge to help society (hero’s brother death in Gentleman, Hero's daughter death in Bharateeyudu, hero's sister death in Aparichitudu etc). But here we find no reason that prompted hero to develop the strong urge to help society. The following two points are unconvincing, more so because these two points are turning points to the movie -

Other departments: The dialogues by Sri Rama Krishna are very good. Cinematography by KV Anand is an asset. Music by AR Rehman is adequate. On the picturization part, the second songs and the last song are extremely good. The main highlight of the film is Rajnikant dancing to Premabhishekam (ANR), Aaku Chatu (NTR) and Abba Nee Tiyyani (Chiranjeevi) with perfect body language. The fights of the film are adequate. The fight in Music Shop did not go well. Art work by Thota Tharani is good. The production values by AVM are lavish.

Dialogues:
1. Rajni: Vachchinadaani kante Nachchina daanni chesukovadamloney santhosham untundhi
2. Rajni: Amma! Nannu Nallaga enduku kannavamma
Vadivukkarasi: Tellaga kante maasipothaav nayana
3. Vivek: Six tarvata seven…Sivaji tarvata evadraa?
4. Vivek: BOSS-Bachelor of Social Service
5. Rajni: Nenu puttakathone karulo puttledu. Chinnavayasulo cheppullekunda tirigaa..’bussullo’ prayanincha.

Analysis:
The film is opened with crazy collections with Rajni factor and runs with the same. The story of the film is apt for the star image of Rajni. To say with critical outlook and common sense, the process to unearth the black money that’s shown in this film is completely impractical. But still Rajni mania and the hype that it created makes the film run marathon.

There are many notable scenes in the film those entertain and here are a few:

1. Chandramukhi scene between Shriya, Rajni and police officer
2. Shankar’s appearance in Ballelakka song
3. Rajni as NTR and Chiranjeevi
4. Shriya as a perfect replica of Sridevi

Illogical scenes:
1. Sivaji hires gundas to batter rich people to unearth black money. He follows same formula everywhere and becomes successful. That sounds illogical. It would have been shown intellectually without using cheap muscle trick (well. It’s for masses. So we have to compromise)
2. Stunts are hard to believe (again, it’s for masses and the hero is Rajni. So again we have to compromise)
3. MMS Episode- Why Sivaji sends that to doctor Raghuvaran? Why doesn’t he send it to media so that he can be protected easily and Adi Seshan will be arrested? (No No! by doing so, the film comes to End 40 minutes earlier).

To sum up, it’s a film with grand extravaganza that appeals for mass film lovers, Rajni fans and the ones who are habituated to watch routine masala flicks. As a thought provoking idea is discussed in the film to excavate black money, it will be a point of discussion among class audiences. Stunts, Rajni style and songs are for young ones. Sivaji’s love for villages and Shriya’s get up off the songs appeal B, C centers. That way the film targeted all the audiences. The result is obvious!

Bottom Line: Watch It!