Amaran Movie Synopsis:
Amaran Movie Review: Amaran is a biographical war drama based on Major Mukund Varadarajan, a member of the 44th Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles, who was killed in action during an encounter operation in Kashmir’s Shopian district. The film, helmed by Rajkumar Periasamy, chronicles multiple phases of Mukund’s life — starting from when he was a student at Madras Christian College with the aim of being in the military to his subsequent training at the Officers Training Academy to him rising the ranks in the Indian army.
Tamil mainstream movies, especially the ones that feature a massive star as the protagonist, almost always show their heroes coming out unscathed at the end, no matter how much odds are stacked against them. In some way, it can be said that the audience has also been accustomed to watching the protagonist fight against all odds and emerge scatheless.
In Amaran’s case, we already know that the officer on whom the movie is based is no more with us, and throughout the film, even during the comforting moments that Mukund shares with his family and colleagues, there is a bittersweet feeling that we carry with us. But, even if Rajkumar Periasamy wasn't able to completely do justice to Mukund as a family man, he has given justice to the brave soldier that Mukund was and continues to be remembered as. This is evident from the final moments of Mukund shown in the film; rather than going for an overdramatic farewell, the makers chose to handle the moment with dignity.
With that said, it takes a while for Amaran to get things going. Mukund’s story is told through the eyes of his wife, Indhu Rebecca Varghese. We first see them meet when they are in college, and as their love blossoms, they get past the initial opposition raised by both their families to be together. But both the leads are not at all convincing in these portions. It's only when Mukund gets into the Officers Training Academy that the film picks up.
Each of the action setpieces in the film is nail-biting and keeps us on the edge of our seats. Those portions truly manage to elevate the film and help the film fully justify its genre. Similarly, the interactions between the officers also make us care for not just Mukund but also for his colleagues. All the actors who feature as military officers, including Bhuvan Arora and Rahul Bose, are wonderful in their part.
Not just them; all the supporting cast in the film are aptly cast, especially a wonderful Geetha Kailasam, who plays Mukund’s mother, Geetha. Coming to the leads, Sivakarthikeyan is seen in a never-before-seen avatar in the film. The funny part is that, in the film, the actor, who came into prominence for his boy-next-door charm and comic timing, looks most out of sync in the lighter portions set in the college. But he is phenomenal as the film progresses, and after he puts on the military uniform, the actor doesn't miss a beat.
It goes without saying that Sai Pallavi is good at emoting what her character’s feeling; she always is. In the film, she plays a Malayali from Trivandrum, and even her good emoting cannot make up for the bad Malayalam she speaks. As an actor, she isn't miscast for the part, but, considering how much Malayalam she speaks in the film, they could have focused more on perfecting her pronunciation. Even during a tearjerker moment, where Sai gives her all as a performer, her Malayalam pronunciation acts as an obvious distraction.
This also goes to show how much Tamil mainstream cinema doesn't care when it comes to casting its female actors. In a large chunk of commercial films, they cast a Malayali or a North Indian as the female lead who is supposed to be from Tamil Nadu, but when it comes to casting a Malayali who speaks a lot of Malayalam, they cast someone who isn't fluent in the language.
Also, a moment between the army officers name-dropping Thuppakki to Fahadh Faasil should have been a candid moment between Mukund and his team. But rather, it comes across as a name-dropping contest to mention as many popular names as possible to get the cheers in the theatres.
All said and done, there is no denying that Amaran is a worthy tribute to the legacy of Major Mukund Varadarajan. Even with all the glitches in between, the film makes us cherish and celebrate Mukund and the courageous officer he was.
0/5