Low standard of animation mars impressive debut
KOCHADAIYAAN (8/10)
THE long-awaited and longdelayed Kochadaiyaan was released worldwide last weekend, marking the directorial debut of Soundarya Rajinikanth Ashwin, the younger daughter of superstar Rajinikanth.
The film uses photorealistic motioncapture technology to take Indian cinema into a new era. It was initially scheduled to be released on 6 000 screens in 10 countries, but because of problems associated with its release, the final number of screens was substantially reduced.
The cast features Rajinikanth, Deepika Padukone, Sarathkumar Naaser, Aadhi, Jackie Shroff, Shobana and the late “Peter” Nagesh.
Rana (Rajinikanth) has trained himself to be a very focused fighter and is entrusted by the king, Mahendra Raj, to take important decisions about the kingdom.
Rana persuades the king to allow him to offer an alternative to the prisoners of war who are being held in the royal mines as slaves. Rana makes an enticing offer to the prisoners and they agree to join the king’s army.
Rana’s real plan, however, is soon revealed and it becomes clear that there is much more than meets the eye as layers of deception and betrayal unfold.
It is to the credit of all the actors that so much emotion is generated despite what is clearly a flawed animation process.
Rajinikanth is in stunning form, which is augmented by his powerful voice characterisation.
Nagesh is presented in a very realistic manner, thanks to two talented mimics. Naaser, Aadhi, Sarathkumar and Shobana are also very impressive.
The script is the strongest feature of Kochadaiyaan — it presents an impressive story in a manner that ensures maximum and enduring impact.
KS Ravikumar’s script is punctuated with gems that tempt one to write them down immediately to remember and share with others.
The values and life lessons presented demand more than a single viewing.
Given the budget and the technology used in this film, the quality of the animation is well below Hollywood standards and this is especially evident in the 3D version.
Despite this, Ashwin must be lauded for an impressive first attempt. She has set an impressive benchmark for this type of film in Indian cinema. With Kochadaiyaan , she has already found herself a place in the history books.
A great deal has been written and said of the music by AR Rahman and I will probably invite much invective by saying that, with the exception of two songs, the soundtrack is not an exciting one. The background score is largely a rehash of two of the film’s songs.
Ashwin has done her father and Tamil film fans proud with her brave venture into uncharted territory.
One gets a glimpse of the hard work involved in the closing credits.
Had this been a live action film, it would have been one of the most memorable films of recent times. Its impact is indelible and must be seen on the big screen for maximum enjoyment.