It is not easy to remake movies that are very rooted. But, if you sidestep the comparisons, the Udhayanidhi Stalin-starrer, directed by Priyadarshan, does have its moments. If one compares Nimir to the National Award-winning Maheshinte Prathikaaram, which it is a remake of, then right from the first song till the end, the Tamil film falls flat in just about every avenue. A limited release thanks to not getting sufficient number of screens prevented this film from being celebrated like the other critically-acclaimed caste commentary of the year- Pariyerum Perumal The film takes up the issue of equal burial rights, and by extension the caste-politics in our country, to lament on the death of humanity. Manusangada is a terrific film told in a documentary style by National Award-winning director Amshan Kumar, who effectively uses a handheld camera to hold a mirror to our society. The film talks about how despite all the talk of death being the greatest leveller, there is no such level-playing field in caste-ridden Tamil Nadu (and by extension, India). Manusangada is the story about a man, who simply by virtue of having been born into a lower caste, cannot be buried in the same place as upper caste people.
Though the glorification of caste pride and misogynistic attempts at humour stick out as sore thumbs in this otherwise good-natured comedy, it is definitely worth a watch for audiences who liked Vemal's Kalavani brand of humour. Boasting a solid supporting cast, including names like Prabhu, Saranya Ponvannan, and a horde of comedians, lead by Robo Shankar, the Vemal-starrer mostly works. The filmography of Sasikumar could have been a reason for the lukewarm reception to this thriller in terms of box office numbers, but this is undoubtedly a film so well made (it features in almost every year end best of list) that it deserved a much wider audience.īefore Kadaikutty Singam became this year's hit family-friendly rural entertainer, we had Mannar Vagaiyara ticking most of the same boxes, including being similarly problematic. Coupled with Govind Vasantha's electrifying score, this Maruthupandian-directorial had a lot going for it: an unusually-restrained Sasikumar, a solid antagonist in the form of Vasumithran, a well-written revenge plot, and that ingenious final payoff.
Considering Asuravadham released in a year alongside films starring Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Suriya, Vijay, Vikram, and Dhanush, it is no mean achievement that this Sasikumar-starrer had some of the year's most 'massy' moments on screen.
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