Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu is a 2022 Tamil language film written by B. Jeyamohan and directed by Gautam Vasudev Menon. A.R. Rehman composes the song, while STR performs the lead character.
It is more of a character study. The plot centres around Muthu’s ascent from a hamlet to a mob lord in Mumbai. The film is handled quite differently from other gangster movies. The approach of Gautam Vasudev Menon is really raw and humanist. This allows the movie to breathe more freely. The character and his motivation are introduced gradually in the movie. As a result, patience is needed. This unhurried approach is rather unusual in an era of quick filmmaking.
A R Rehman delivers one of his best albums in a long time. The journey song Marakuma Nenjam represents the film’s spirit. The Mallipo song adds another aspect to the lives of gangsters, making them more human. GVM beautifully and sparingly edited the tracks. Before the intermission, there are some insane fighting sequences. That single shot action scene is incredibly well done, and it helps the movie stay real and authentic rather than stylised or heroic.
The film’s love story premise falls flat; it’s odd to say this about a GVM film, but the love story is the weakest element of the whole thing. Marakuma Nenjam song occasionally comes across as being overused in the movie. The music occasionally begins abruptly and feels a little strange. The time shift in the climax to establish the second half is out of place and ruins the first part’s well-thought-out climax.
As Muthu, STR is incredibly convincing. His nonverbal cues contribute to the film’s eerie worldbuilding. He perfectly captures the unease. His metamorphosis and inspiration are not particularly heroic, which benefits the movie. There is a spiritual undercurrent to the movie. The story of how a gun may turn a man evil is told in Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu. When Muthu first used a gun to kill a man, that scene was the movie’s high point.
Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu is a good effort all around. Even if not everything goes as planned, you will get invested in Muthu’s life. GVM deserves praise for not taking the easiest path.
