MAARI versus MGR
Cast - Dhanush - Maari, Kajal Aggarwal - Sridevi, Vijay Yesudas - Arjun Kumar, Robo Shankar - Kaali Venkat & others.
& Crew - S/SP/Dir - Balaji Mohan
Producers - Radhika Sarath Kumar, Sarath Kumar & Listin Stephen
The first thing that came to my mind after watching this film - Will the director and hero ever allow a real character like 'Maari' to walk in and propose to their own daughter, sister or from that matter any of their kith and kin! This film is a real eye opener as all the values that dictated the success of MGR 'Puratchi Talaivar' has been totally demolished and reversed in 'MAARI'!
Let me state a few examples-
MAARI is a rowdy beats, humiliates men, women and even children but is portrayed as the real hero of the masses.
MGR on the other hand believed in honesty, goodness, noble deeds, truth and always portrayed himself as a law abiding , model citizen.
MAARI has all the vices like smoking and drinking and treats women like some kind of a lower being.
MGR never used vices to glorify his character; and never ever humiliated anyone especially women.
MAARI never believes even in 1 day of hard work; simply lazes around, drinks and smokes all the time and unleashes unabated violence, beats up all and sundry at will; even resorts to murder! whereas MGR never believed in violence, blood and gore and used violence only to vanquish evil.
MGR Father and mother were held in high esteem whereas Maari treats his mother rather shabbily!
MGR's leading ladies fell in love with him for his virtues whereas in MAARI his leading lady Kajal Agarwal falls for him because he is a contemptuous and repulsive rowdy!
MGR never flaunted his wealth by wearing gold chains etc whereas MAARI has more jewellery around his neck than a woman.
MGR never resorted to extortion of money whereas MAARI collects protection money from even the poor and needy!
MGR delivered dialogues like:
Manohar - ‘Naan Bayangaramanavan'
MGR - ‘ Naan Bayapadathavan’
MGR to Sarojadevi -‘Thalaivan engira peril makkaloda adimai ma naan’
Nam Naadu – Thalaivar to Rangarao - 'Ennoda mudhal enna theriyuma? Ennoda naanayam, makkal en mela vachirukire nambikkai. Adhukku enikkum mosam varadhu'
Whereas Maari delivers dialogues like 'Sethikiduven' and ' Oru Kalapadamaana nallavana irrukirathavida oru suthamana kettavana irrukalaam'
I can go on and on but I am compelled to write a few words about the premise of this film not with any interest or choice but more as a habit and a chore :
MAARI (Dhanush) is a pettai rowdy who is always followed by his two cronies (comic quotients of the film). His main occupation extortion of protection money from all and sundry mostly from the needy and poor shopkeepers. His favourite pastime 'pigeon' racing (can u beat that) apart from smoking, drinking, teasing old, young, women and even children. He has a local god father (sandal wood smuggler) for whom he is even willing to kill! Veerappan never dies~! Does he? Maari meets Kajal Aggarwal the usual north Indian import fair skinned, well proportioned lass who wants to set up a boutique in a slum area controlled by Maari! Isn't this laughable! Yes! How did the director ever come up with this nonsensical brain wave. Was it to make a further fool of the discerning viewer. Yesudas (Junior) is the corrupt inspector who wants to by hook or crook take over the 'petttai' and extortion business from Maari.
& the climax is so predictable with the hero bashing up everyone around him with the exception of the viewers who thankfully can walk out of the theatre unscathed physically but scarred mentally after watching a low grade film like this.
Acting: Please ......... Let us not talk about it!
Camera: .......................... !
Music: Please ......... Leave me alone......!
Edit: The whole film!
Bottom line: Puratchi Thalaivar MGR would have wept with pain and anguish if he had watched this film! A condemnable action on the part of the producers and censor board to have produced and passed this film so low in morality and values which will put satan to shame!
Finally a quote : "The hero and director should to a certain extent practice what they preach"
PS - A number of viewers and hard core Dhanush fans may end up taking this film lightly and value it purely based on it's entertainment value alone and probably even laugh it off; but believe me when I say that quite a few of the viewers may end up becoming a 'MAARI' for real! Furthermore if female viewers fans subscribe to this lowly portrayal of women then they will only have themselves to blame for their position in this already male dominated society!
I have decided not to rate this film! I personally do not subscribe to such films; entertainment or otherwise!
Until Next Time,
Director Haricharan
19/7/2015
Chennai
