Movie: Iru Mugan
Direction: Anand Shankar
Cast: Vikram, Nayantara, Nithya Menen
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Cinematographer: R D Rajasekhar
Editor: Bhuvan Srinivasan
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rating: ∗∗
What is it about: This film is about a mad scientist who develops a drug, which is infused in to an asthma inhaler. This drug acts as an adrenaline booster giving the in taker a superpower. When this drug becomes a threat to Indian people, Raw Agent Akhilan (Vikram) is appointed to track down Love (Vikram) and stop this from becoming a mass disaster. What happens next forms the crux of the story directed by Anand Shankar.
Why it’s disappointing: Another classic example of a high budget film, which takes the audience for granted in the name of commercial cinema. Mostly logic takes a back seat when it comes to a commercial pot boiler. But in Iru Mugan’s case even a lay man who doesn’t know anything about cinema can point out the illogical loop holes which were so obvious that, you start to lose your patience.
The film begins with a neat promise backed with spectacular aerial Malaysian shots and rich production value. And slowly the film borrows the references from Hollywood flicks one by one, scene after the other. And you feel like watching a collage of them.
Originality becomes an understatement with director Anand Shankar, who deliberately picked scenes from here and there and re-created with Kollywood actors. Don’t know what to say, but was wondering is he the same director who gave a racy thriller like “Arima Nambi”.
Let’s get to the cast now. The entire hard work of Chiyaan Vikram went to garbage due to extremely poor approach to screenplay. The character “LOVE” lacked the depth & darkness, if at all given thought this character would have become a legendary among villains.
Nayanthara, mostly used for her good looks. Acting opportunity was hardly present for her in “Iru Mugan”. She sizzles in “Halena” and later disappears in poor characterization.
Nithya Menen, a potential actress had hardly anything to play. Another absolute waste of talent.
Thambi Ramaiah, a forced character in the film used to bring in laughs. But it only annoys you with worst of comedy one can expect. And the way his character playing the Malaysian police is quite degrading.
Nasser, Karunkaran and Riythvika appear for brief moments and play their role with no importance to story at all.
There were one too many flaws that becomes very tiring. The first half ends with a too obvious twist, which the film reveals half way through the first half. Then the second half drags like an old man where Anand Shankar tries hard to create an intense drama between the protagonist and the antagonist. But the effort fails terribly with poorly written dialogues and multiple flash cuts. I still can’t believe someone can make a film which has this many flaws in script and still manage to cast Vikram in the lead. It’s either Vikram has lost the taste to choose potential scripts or the director was convincing while narrating to him.
The music was Average by Harris Jayaraj. “Halena” is topping the charts and I would say the credit goes to the original artist “Fetty Wap” from whom the track was lifted. Apart from that track, all others seemed too average and misplaced slowing the film which was already struggling to move forward.
Was expecting a great cinematography from RD Rajasekhar, but there are many scenes the quality seemed damp with very obvious drop in quality and on big screen it becomes very obvious. Last week his movie “Akira” was spectacular but “Iru Mugan” was not up to the mark.
Editing was sloppy by Bhuvan Srinivasan, and the film runs for a tiring 154 minutes.
What to watch out for: I’m really wondering, what to write in this section, because I couldn’t find anything worthy enough. But have to give a big applause to Chiyaan Vikram, who gives his best regardless of how the story is and did the same with “Iru Mugan” too. He played the dual role with great diligence and a body language only he can pull it off. But poorly written dialogues and lazy screenplay makes his hard effort go in vain.
Verdict: Anand Shankar couldn’t pull of the heavy star cast which seemed like it became a tad much for him to handle. There was deliberate ignorance in characterization and screenplay. They call it a Sci-Fi, but needs a hard look at the genre and re-think before calling it one. Definitely not worth a watch, I could say at least for Chiyaan, in the end choice is yours.
