Review: Sigma

Film: Sigma
Director: Jason Sanjay
Cast: Sundeep Kishan, Faria Abdullah, Raju Sundaram, Sampath Raj, Shiv Panditt, Anbu Thasan, Yog Japee, Sheela Rajkumar, Magalakshmi Sudarsanan
Kamalesh Jegan, Kiran Konda and Naga Sai
Producer: A. Subaskaran
Music: Thaman S
Cinematography: Krishnan Vasant
Editor: Praveen K.L.
Art Director: Benjamin M
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:
Sundeep Kishan plays a guy who is desperate to save his dilapidated library from debtors, who are eyeing the property as it is in a prime place and a metro station, which is to shortly come up next to it, is likely to triple its value. The reason he wants to so desperately restore the library back to its hey days is because it was started by his late mom (played by Sheela) and it also happens to be the last piece of property left behind by his ancestors. It is under these circumstances that Sundeep Kishan comes in possession of an entity that has a skull for a cover and holds a key and a pen drive with video files inside it. What does the key open? and what incriminating evidence does the pen drive hold? Who is desperate to get the key? What problems does Sundeep Kishan face as a result of this? Sigma gives you the answers…

Analysis:

Sigma is clearly designed as an entertainer, and for the most part, it succeeds in keeping the audience engaged. It does not completely live up to its potential, but the film has enough energy, twists and commercial elements to make the ride reasonably enjoyable.

The biggest strength of the film is Sundeep Kishan, who seems tailor-made for the role of a man desperately trying to save a library established by his late mother. He plays the character with flair, completely owning the part and, more importantly, seeming to relish every opportunity the role gives him. There is an easy confidence to his performance that makes the character considerably more appealing than he might have been on paper.

Sundeep Kishan’s conviction is also important because the plot demands a fair amount of indulgence from the viewer. His performance lends credibility to the proceedings and helps keep us invested in the protagonist’s predicament even when the narrative begins to stretch itself.

He is ably supported by Raju Sundaram, Sampath Raj, Shiv Panditt, Anbu Thasan and Yog Japee, all of whom deliver commendable performances. Raju Sundaram, in particular, deserves mention. An actor who has arguably been underutilised in Tamil cinema, he gets a reasonably substantial opportunity here and makes the most of it. His presence adds to the entertainment value of the film, and it is good to see the actor being used beyond the limited space he has generally been given.

The problem is that Sigma has perhaps too many twists and turns for its own good. The screenplay keeps springing surprises on the audience, but the constant reversals eventually begin to feel excessive rather than exciting. Instead of allowing the story to develop organically, the film occasionally appears to be in a desperate hurry to introduce another revelation or complication. The twists do provide momentum, but they also make the narrative increasingly convoluted.

Still, the film deserves credit for largely sticking to its entertainment-first approach. It does not pretend to be anything more cerebral than it is, and when the writing threatens to become unwieldy, Sundeep Kishan’s performance helps hold things together. The supporting cast, particularly Raju Sundaram, also ensures that the proceedings retain their share of fun.

Ultimately, Sigma is a reasonably engaging entertainer that achieves its objective to quite an extent, though not completely. Its overstuffed plot keeps it from becoming a consistently satisfying experience, but Sundeep Kishan’s spirited and committed performance gives the film its biggest boost. He owns the character, enjoys playing him, and makes sure that the audience has enough reason to stay invested till the end.