Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru - Attempted Rashomon-effect

When did I critique a newly released Tamil film? It was in August 2015 on the film Bahubali. If you are following my blog, you can seldom see my posts on new releases. I write only when I wholly liked or disliked the movie. And, these writings are not reviews, just my thoughts on the film.

**Possible Spoilers Ahead**

Now, this film, hope many had seen it as it is on its third week run in the theaters and after new Pongal releases, it may be taken off the screens. Having not seen much Tamil film last year, I feel this kind story-telling is a new entry in Tamil Cinema. 105 minutes, no (romantic) songs, no song buildups, no comedy, no fights, no major stars. It is all pure story telling. Yes, the climax will be little let down or cliché.

There is a saying, cinema is suspension of disbelief. This theory is applicable to all kinds of cinema- when bullets are dodged, trains are stopped at the tip of finger, love-at-fist-sight, etc., and the list is endless. 

Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru (D16), plants a belief in the viewer in the initial scenes. We are made to believe that there is a serial killer. Almost the entire film we are kept in hooks about the serial killer. The fag end we have a turn to enter into climax. Even the characters talk about serial-killer and the belief is planted hard inside us!

"My friend said this is a rehash of a Hollywood movie 11:14. I haven’t seen it. So if you’ve seen, let me know the similarities.

The film starts like a cop movie. The characterization of Deepak (Rahaman) is built by showing him as a straight-talk police inspector. Every instance he corrects his fellow policemen on their misgivings. As the investigation continues on the initial crimes, the flow moves into Rashomon-effect, but not entirely into Rashomon-effect.

Now with the characters interpreting the crime in different views, the viewer might be confused, so here after just almost half-way of the film, every scene is rewinded for us. Deepak asks Gautham (Constable assisting him in solving the crime) to rewind the entire events (literally the film) chronologically.

More to write, but I need to catch my dinner, so see you at my next film post.