What is Dharma?. Review on Aranya kandam Movie

What is Dharma?
Whatever needed is Dharma.

This is the first & last dialogue of the movie'Aranyakandam' and eventually that's the whole backdrop.

A dark gangster genre on a day's event. Almost 2 years back, I saw the first trailer of the movie and year later, saw the second one. My instincts backed me that this movie will please me. Yes, it did. Almost floored me. I am a slothful blogger and there are only few movies that compel me to share my opinions. This movie did and I am writing one.

Plot: Drug feud between two gangster groups with cynical characters interwovened and plattered in stylish, dark wit and sanguineous way.

Cast:

Mostly, all the characters are interpreted in a noirish mode. They are bad, tough, violent, wicked. In a word, survival of the fittest. Each have their objective and its inline with the first dialogue. Whatever they need is'Dharma'.

Jackie Shroff, one the main principle character is pertinent. When he is bare and asks Ravi krishna to massage him.ugh. I have never such characterization of Don in any of the movies. Eerie and Red.

Sampath acting is workmanlike and he is contention for next Prakashraj's place. He does bring lotsa minuscule detailing in his expressions and body language. When he narrates a story of foeman to his aides, they don't believe and later when the lady serves tea who might be part of story, the aides left to shock. He sips the tea. Touche.

Guru Soma Sundaram, veteran theater artist, is at highest quality. He is a battered landlord comes to town for a rooster fight. In a scene, When he looses a phone number and gets it back, he shifts between flaunt and frustration. Super. This is his movie debut!. Where were you?.

Ravikrishna as a knee-jerking sap is apt and his tone rightly fits for the character.

Yasmine is beautiful, blue, blonde. At climax, when we see true colors, it dazes us.

The young boy'Kodukapullui' will go places.

Some interesting characters, Other gangster Gajendaran, his son, sub inspector, gangster seduces'aunties' and etc. Handpicked. Good.

Music:

Yuvan's BGM experimentation adds right flavor to the scenes. Solo instruments comes good at many places. Poetic and heartening. I loved the way when Mottai's(Mr.Ilaiyaraja) songs run on background.

Tech. Crew:

Cinematography by Vinod. TC is producing class on this department. Angles, Shades at many scenes(esp. chase scenes) are super. Superior. Editing by Praveen and Srikanth is world class.

SPB Charan defintely is one of the few producers who risks his finances for the sake of new league movies. He is intented to lift the standards of Tamil cinema.

Direction:

Direction is far superior for a debutant. No wonder they won accolades and awards in film festivals. Dialogues are perfect, onliners, razor with subtle humour.

'Unnakku appa pidikkuma?'.'Illa. Aana avar enn appa.'

'Ungalukku rajini pidikuma kamal pidikuma. Illa vijayakanth'.

'Prabhu, kushbu'

When I read online reviews, most of them stamped Thiagarajan Kumararaja as tarntino / guy ritchie style of making. I don't see it that way. I see he has a own way of making. Unique. Auteur. I foresee him to join elite league of directors who works hard to lift the tamil cinema. Wish him all the best.

I am skeptical on the box office success, because I am not sure on people's sense of taste will be on par with movie.

A must watch, If you are an adult.

7.5/10.