'Vikram' is currently playing in cinemas. The Telugu version has been produced by Sreshth Movies.
Story
A team of masked vigilantes eliminates two high-ranking cops and a supposed commoner who is a father to one of the murdered cops. The Chief of the Chennai City Police Department enlists an unaccountable, daredevil investigator to find the culprits.
In the process, the investigator discovers a shocking fact about the vigilantes and their chief. Both the chief vigilante and the investigator lock horns with a drug lord after they discover that their purpose is one and the same.
Performances
Kamal Haasan (as the chief vigilante Karnan aka Vikram), Fahadh Faasil (as investigator Amar), and Vijay Sethupathi (as the drug lord Santhanam) shoulder the film, albeit not in equal measure. Kamal and Fahadh do the heavy-lifiting, while Vijay is somewhat underwhelming as far as his characterization goes.
Chemban Vinod Jose as Police Chief, Narain as Inspector Bejoy, Kalidas Jayaram as Prabhal, Gayathrie Shankar as Amar's girlfriend, and others are good.
Suriya has a cameo appearance in the climax as a lead to the next part. As Rolex, he sports a menacing avatar with a mid-sized beard.
Technical aspects
'Vikram' is everything about Anirudh's BGM for a good part. Whole scenes are saved by him. Even the much-hyped, hyper-stylized interval block wouldn't have worked but for him. Girish Gangadharan's cinematography is able.
Analysis
'Vikram' marks the return to form of Lokesh Kanagaraj, who sets up its story as a natural progression from Karthi's 2018 film 'Khaidi' and an elaborate, larger-than-life action drama prologue to its next part.
If you take out the three acclaimed actors and Anirudh's BGM, 'Vikram' becomes an unbearable watch. It wouldn't be able to hold your attention even for ten minutes without them even with the style of screenplay that Lokesh adopts.
At one level, 'Vikram' is like your 'KGF' universe, where director Prashanth Neel told even ordinary scenes in such a way that the editing adds mystique to the story. 'Vikram' is much like that pan-India flick, going back and forth to create intrigue. The pattern is far from similar. The gimmickry is what unites them.
At 172 minutes, this action thriller is over-long. With its zigzag screenplay, the film is bloated.
Closing Remarks
'Vikram' might work for those who like convoluted narration. It is an ordinary storyline amped up by a stylish background music and neat performances.
