Review: Karuppan

Film: Karuppan

Director: Paneerselvam

Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Tanya, Singam Puli, Bobby Simhaa, Pasupathy and others

Music: D Imman

Cinematography: Sakthivel

Director Paneerselvam, who proved his mettle with Renigunta, has directed Karuppan, a film that primarily looks to focus on the deep love and understanding between a husband and wife.

Karuppan (Vijay Sethupathi) is a strong youngster, who is known for his bull taming skills and his carefree ways.

Every year, Karuppan wins laurels at the annual Jallikattu competition. While participating in a Jallikattu tournament, a spectator urges him to capture a bull. Initially, Karuppan ignores the repeated pleas of this spectator called Maayi, a big shot in the village. However, when his pleas turn to taunts, Karuppan’s friends choose to hit back, asking Maayi what he will give in return if Karuppan succeeds in taming Maayi’s bull which is let out onto the field. They ask Maayi if he will give his sister’s hand in marriage to Karuppan, should he succeed in taming the bull. Maayi agrees to the challenge. Soon, Karuppan wins the competition by taming the bull.

When Maayi’s sister Anbu (Tanya), an educated and bold woman, learns of her brother’s promise to give her hand in marriage to someone for having tamed a bull, she is furious. However, she cools down after learning about Karuppan’s good nature and chooses to honour her brother’s word as she knows he would have done this only with her best interests in mind. Anbu weds Karuppan and everybody is happy. Well, not everybody. There is Kathir, Maayi’s brother-in-law who has been secretly nursing ambitions of marrying Anbu. Now, with Anbu marrying Karuppan, all his dreams are shattered.

Anbu wins Karuppan’s heart by showing care and concern for his aged and ill mother. From there, the husband and wife get ready for a long and content relationship. However, Kathir is determined to claim Anbu as his own even after her wedding with Karuppan. He begins to plot against Karuppan and makes devious plans to separate Anbu from Karuppan. Do his wicked and manipulative plans succeed? Karuppan gives the answer.

The film’s biggest plus is its actors, all of whom deliver strong performances. Vijay Sethupathi, as always, shines like a new penny, delivering a delightful performance as the rough but kind youngster. Pasupathi, one of Tamil cinema’s finest actors, comes up with yet another sterling performance in Karuppan. Pasupathi as Maayi appears tough and whimsical but is careful about decisions he makes, especially those pertaining to his sister, as he deeply cares for her. It’s a difficult role but with his skills, Pasupathi makes it looks very easy and natural.

Tanya, who plays Anbu, is set for stardom. She is so comfortable playing Anbu that you forget that she is only an actress playing a role and begin looking at her as Anbu herself. She simply steals your heart as the lovable Anbu, who controls her strong and powerful husband Karuppan with her love and affection. For an actress so young, matching an experienced actor like Vijay Sethupathi is quite a task but Tanya does a brilliant job. Tamil Cinema has just got itself another talented star.

Comedian Singam Puli, whose combination sequences with Vijay Sethupathi work big time, is at his scintillating best in this film. There is one particular sequence in a bar where Singam Puli dances with Vijay Sethupathi to a number of songs. This is a highly enjoyable sequence. Normally, comedians dancing to popular songs isn’t an enjoyable experience but this one is remarkable because of the fantastic dance moves of Singam Puli, who just steals the limelight with his grace and charm.

Bobby Simha as Kathir is very convincing in the film. Simhaa reminds us of how strong an actor he is with this finely tuned, elegant performance of a fiendishly clever spurned lover intent on ruining the lives of even those that he loves for his selfish needs.

Full marks to director Paneerselvam for efficiently extracting excellent performances to make this film an entertaining watch. Although the film is on the lines of regular commercial films and is on a subject that has been dealt with at length in Tamil cinema, it is still interesting from the word go.

Karuppan impresses!