'Asuran' Film Review: Riveting revenge drama with a socially relevant theme

Though the film is inspired from Poomani’s popular novel Vekkai, Vetri Maaran has put in all efforts to pen a screenplay that’s refreshingly new and allows the audience to connect with every characters in the film.

In the very first scene, Vetri Maaran introduces Sivasamy (Dhanush) and his 14-year-old son Chidambaram (Ken) and also reveals that the two are on the run after committing a murder. The story goes back in time where we get to see Sivasamy, a farmer who belongs to the oppressed community, living peacefully with his two sons and wife Pachaiyamma (Manju Warrier). Narasimman(Aadukalam Naren), a rich landlord, wants to occupy Sivasamy’s land to expand his cement factory. The issue between the two escalates when Narasimman brutally murders Sivasamy’s elder son Murugan for humiliating him.

When Sivasamy takes all necessary steps to put an end to this issue, his second son Chidambaram murders Narasimhan in public. The second half is all about how he saves his son and helps him to lead a normal life.

Though the story is not new, Vetri Maaran’s layered writing, intense dialogues and confident filmmaking take it to another level. He also paints a powerful picture of the inequality that exists in our society in the name of caste and how it impacts the life of the oppressed. The father-son relationship is portrayed beautifully on screen and it create an impact with the audience. Despite all the violence and bloody sequences, the climax is written with optimism and hope. The only drawback is the flashback sequences, which lack punch.

Actor Karunas’ son, Ken, has delivered an exceptional performance and is a perfect fit for the role. His combination scenes with Dhanush work big time and are something to watch out for. Asuran also marks the debut of Malayalam actress Manju Warrier. Though she appears for only a brief time, her character turns out to be the film’s heart beat. The art direction, costume and hair and makeup departments work in tandem to take us to the various time frames. And it is finally Dhanush, who shoulders the entire film. It’s definitely not easy to pull off the role of a 50-year-old without even opting for prosthetics and make-up. His acting is outstanding, especially in the scene where he reveals his dark past to his son. There are also some whistle-worthy masala moments in the first half that will satisfy his fan base. Overall, Asuran is an outstanding revenge drama that will be remembered for years to come.