Mahaan Review (2022)

Mahaan, starring Vikram and his reel and real life son Dhruv VIkram , has this moment in the 2nd half where VIkram talks to his wife Nachi, played by Simran, regarding choice and the forcing of ideologies down a man’s throat. That, apart from the climax and Dhruv’s entry is the better part of this, interesting-on-paper-but –poorly- written movie.

Let’s get one thing out of the way. The Acting is Top Notch. Bobby Simha, Vettai Muthu, Sananth all add great dimensions to their characters. Especially Vettai Muthu in the scene where Sananth’s character Rocky gets humiliated. He brings out the scummy opportunist politican Gnanam with great ease. Bobby as Satyavan, though with a bad wig, provides a kickass performance as Gandhi’s childhood friend. Karthik Subbaraj’s film has three things; A) One of the best actors in our country as the lead B) An interesting idea C) Bad writing.

Vikram provides not just life but fire into Gandhi, a henpecked man who is unable to live as he wishes, who is being forced to take the weight of his family’s Gandhian legacy and who wants to not follow his family’s ideals. His wife Nachi also belongs to a family of Gandhians. Thus when he decides to throw his ideals away and live his 40th birthday in his own way when his son Dada and wife are away and gets caught, Nachi takes Dada and goes away. This starts off Gandhi’s life as a liquor baron partnering up with Satyavan and his son Rocky.

While we see Gandhi wanting to indulge in vices, I didn’t feel his desire to actually want these. And this is a major problem with the movie. While the first half is upheld by a terrific Vikram, Bobby and Sananth, there is no emotional connect with these people. Gandhi joins Satyavan and goes up the power ladder in an easy way. Add to that fact that there is no objective or goal for the protagonist means that you’ve got one boring first half in your hand. A saving grace though is one single shot action sequence which is done in a great manner.

As the movie trudges along, an important character comes in the 2nd half adding a much needed spice to the movie. Dhruv does a great job as Dada but certainly goes overboard in some sequences especially with the shouting. And here comes the next problem: Dhruv’s characterisation. His character grows up hating another person which is not really convincing as to why. He just hates that person and also why is he such a hyperviolent psycho? Nachi doesn’t have a problem with violence, revenge, bloodshed- but are strictly against alcohol. I mean Mahatma Gandhi is known for Non Violence. This inconsistency is problematic. Also whats up with Satyavan’s religious epiphany and Gandhi’s film love which go nowhere.

Similar to Jagame Thandiram, Karthik Subbaraj’s writing is confused if it wants to be a mass film or a character film. And similar to Jagame Thandiram, it doesn’t succeed here too, except Jagame Thandiram had a certain focus that seems lost here. The only thing that succeeds here are the acting performances.