Rajini Murugan (Tamil)

There isn't too much in this film that will challenge you. It's a fairly archetypal story of lovers separated by feuding families, a Tamil rendition of the Capulets and Montagues. But despite the somewhat formulaic plot, this is still worthwhile cinema for an American viewer, if for no other reason than that it can serve as a very archetypal example of the Bollywood aesthetic. The themes are a good introduction to the Indian context, and the wonderful colors, dancing, and general festive playfulness introduce the viewer to a joyous mentality no longer found in the West.

From the first song, we enjoy a splendid celebration of Rajini Murugan (Sivakarthikeyan), an unapologetic loafer. Rajini "has no worries, because he is a king without a crown". He's numero uno, and we're all going to hear him sing his own name as a refrain. He's also got a crew, and they all agree: Rajini Murugan is one special guy.

The closest we get to this kind of unabashed self-promotion in the states is somebody like Donald Trump, but he gets away with it because he has money. The idea of unemployment as a species of nobility may just turn your American values upside down, and maybe you should stay home and focus on updating your more understated LinkedIn profile.

Of course, Rajini has siblings, aunts, and uncles who all left for greener pastures. They cannot be bothered with India, teaching their kids Tamil, and the state of family affairs, as they now live in places like London and California. Big deal.

So, it falls to the family failure Rajini to care for his aging grandfather Ayyankalai (Rajkiran) and manage the sale of his estate in his old age. This is made all the more urgent by his need to prove himself to Karthika Devi (Keerthy Suresh), his ideal girl, who, following her father's opinion, has spurned him as an unsuitable marriage prospect.

This is not to say that Rajini can't be a shining Western success. He actually manages to start a few businesses, including a tech firm that doesn't seem to do anything, but does hire massive numbers of people and receives incredible foreign investment. For a time, our Tamil hero walks around with an Apple laptop and styles himself as a hiring manager. Somehow, it seems plausible that he may just wind up rich it spite of himself, that by refusing to learn a work ethic he's actually perfectly qualified to play boss. Such is the karma of late capitalism.

But alas, it is not to be, as local capo Ezhrai Mookan (Samuthirakani) starts to shake down his business as well as the estate of his grandfather, Ayyankalai. Now the old virtues are needed, the forbearance, strength, and dignity of a man and not the pretense of careerist. Can Rajini Murugan the slacker become a true hero? Perhaps, perhaps not, but at least heroism and defense of his own community is still plausible for this loyal native son.

PS: The Tamil people are quite fascinating, and have some of the most ancient customs in all of India. Do learn more. The resilience of their traditions, as evidenced by the theme of this film, is enough to warrant a large degree of respect. 

Final Word: The true king refuses the crown...

IMBD

ToI Review

The Hindu Review

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