Thangalaan review: When we head into a Pa Ranjith film, we know that we can expect something that is different. Thangalaan starring Vikram, Pravathy Thiruvothu, Pasupathy and Malavika Mohanan is a historical drama that is set during the British rule and revolves around the Kolar Gold Fields in the late 1800s.

British ‘dorai’ Clement has a hunger for gold and having heard of the ancient gold mines of Tipu Sultan (Kolar, Karnataka), he wants a group of labourers for the mining. He is told it is the tribals (pariahs) at Veppur village (North Arcot) who have been traditionally involved in mining and he has to convince the people there to take up this job. He even says he will share the spoils with the villagers to take them out of poverty.

The plot

Thangalaan (Vikram), his wife (Parvathy) and the others in Veppur wotk hard on their land but don’t reap the rewards - it’s the local mirazdar who does. Oppressed and treated like slaves, it is the need for self-respect and a better life that pushes Thangalaan to take up Clement’s offer. But the tribals also fear the existence of a strong, supernatural mystical power called Aarthi (Malavika Mohanan) who lives in the forests and hills to protect the gold. Thangalaan has experienced the fierce power of Aarthi on an earlier sojourn to mine gold but he believes that this time will be different. With Thangalaan leading the way, the group heads to Kolar with Clement to see if can find gold. Now, does Thangalaan find gold? Does the story of Aarthi turn out to be a myth? Does Britisher Clement help the tribals get a better life?

The verdict

Pa Ranjith has once again given us a film in a completely new genre - Thangalaan is a period film that is intertwined with some fantasy and mystical realism. The characters and the setting are raw and rustic and it adds to the allure of this drama which is based on the Kolar gold fields and the labourers who worked there. Thangalaan is definitely a visual extravaganza - right from the costumes to the make-up and the stark settings of the dry, arid land and the poverty-stricken look of the people creates a strong impact. You feel the suffering and desperation of the tribals just by looking at them and Ranjith and his team must be praised for this. The first half of the film takes its own time to set up the stage and this slow pacing is an issue. The second half meanders and is not as gripping as one expects which is a let-down. The hallucinations the characters face also get a bit jarring. Given that the characters speak a different kind of Tamil, it’s not easy to follow the dialogues which is a drawback. Thangalaan has a great new concept and fine performances but could have been more engaging.

Vikram has outdone himself in this film as Thangalaan and shows us how talented and committed he is, yet again. Whether it the emotional scenes or the action ones, Vikram makes you feel every emotion he goes through. Parvathy and Pasupathy are excellent as well and all three have mouthed the period Tamil dialogues with extreme elan. Malavika Mohanan is good in her role too.

Music director GV Prakash’s tunes and BGM for the film are really apt and he proves how he can adapt his style effortlessly across genres. The cinematography by A Kishor Kumar is a plus for the film but the editing could have been tighter.

Director Pa Ranjith has always been the voice for marginalised communities and themes of social reform, social justice, caste oppression and discrimination, often find their way into his films. His central character is usually an underprivileged person and Thangalaan is no different. Thangalaan, may not be perfect, but it’s a film that’s unforgettable thanks to its excellent performances, especially Vikram’s.