Review: Angikaaram
Film: Angikaaram
Director: Thenpathiyan
Cast: KJR, Viji Venkatesh, Isabella, Vasundhara, Sindhoori, Ajith Koshy, Rangaraj Pandey and Mansoor Ali Khan among others.
Producers: S K Prasanth | Ajith Baskar | Arun Murugan
Music By Ghibran Vaibodha
Action By – Peter Hein
DOP – A. Viswanath
Edited By – Dinesh Kumar
Art Direction – Lalgudi Ilayaraja
Rating: 4 stars
Director Thenpathiyan’s Angikaaram is a well-researched and hard-hitting sports, legal drama that shines the light on the deep rooted and stifling corruption prevailing in the sports ministries in both the centre and the state.
The film is not just entertainment but a reality check on the dismal state of affairs in the sports ministries which, instead of aiding sportspersons looking to bring honour to the nation, add to their challenges and woes.
Synopsis…
Angigaaram revolves around the life of Aadhiran (KJR), an immensely gifted sportsman who manages to equal the National record in athletics despite the challenges posed by poverty and a hostile administration.
Aadhiran believes that winning glory for the nation in athletics is his ticket to a better life. He desperately wants to not only do well for the country but also bring his family, comprising his mother, who works as a scavenger in the corporation, and his younger sister, out of poverty.
However, when the sports bodies, which are filled with incompetent personnel who have nothing to do with sports and everything to do with politicians, try to thwart his rise to stardom by denying him an opportunity to participate in the Commonwealth Games in the country, Aadhiran moves court. What happens then is what the film is all about.
Analysis…
The film, which is based on real incidents, is as much a sports thriller as it is a legal drama and what works more in the film is the legal drama aspect of it.
Thenpathiyan’s narration is just brilliant. The narration has so much of authenticity to it that it commands a viwer’s attention and manages to retain it till the very end. In other words, one gets the impression that the director has witnessed first hand the developments that one sees on screen.
The court sequences in particular keep you spell bound. A special word of appreciation in this context for actress Viji Venkatesh who plays the role of the Advocate General Aandal in the film. She is just outstanding as the AG, delivering her lines with such authority and flair that it is hard not to admire her performance.
Equal credit must go to KJR for his acting in the court sequences. He doesn’t overdo his portions and delivers exactly that which is needed for the film. The dialogues in the court sequences are sharp and to the point, making it an engrossing watch.
Thenpathiyan’s sports, legal drama ‘Angikaaram’, is an important film for Tamil cinema. It happens to be the first Tamil film to speak at length for the poor sportspersons of this country, who often have to fight for not just recognition but also for their dignity in this country. It is a film that tells you exactly why this country of over a billion people manages to get only one or two medals while smaller nations with much lesser populations score several medals.
The film is so good that one feels this must be screened for everybody associated with the sports ministry in the government. It is also a film that every sports lover in this country cannot afford to miss.
