Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi Tamil Movie
Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi is a period film that blends fact and fiction with immense skill and sensitivity. What makes the movie tick is the combination of cleaver direction, terrific story narration, and out-of-the box story line sprinkled with comedy, action, adventure and deceit. You will get more in return than the money and time that you spend on the movie.
Vadivelu, the central character in the movie, gives a cracking performance in his dual role as a dumb wit and as a liberator. The film is sure to establish him as a leading comical hero like yester year comedian, Nagesh.
All out praise must go to Simbudevan, the cartoonist turned writer-director. Even in his debut venture, he has proved his directorial prowess. He has cleverly used humor to convey the social stigma prevailing in the country.
The ace director Shankar, who is the producer of this film, must be duly credited for giving an opportunity to Simbudevan's team to bring out this unusual hilarious fable.
Here goes the story...
Veera Chozhapura Palayam kingdom is ruled by a king (Nagesh), who is heartbroken as there is no successor to his thrown. His queen (Manorama) gives birth to 22 children, but all of them die at birth. Little do they realize that it is the queen's brother, Rajguru (Nasser), who is behind the death of their children as it is part of his ill-conceived scheme to usurp the thrown and become the next ruler.
When the queen is ready for delivering the 23rd child, the palace astrologer foretells that the child will be a born dumb. Unexpectedly, the queen gives birth to twins. Rajguru identifies the dumb child with the help of the astrologer, and orders the other child to be killed. Imagining that the dumb child will not be a threat to his devious plans, Rajguru allows the child to survive.
The royals, name their surviving child as 23am Pulikesi (Vadivelu). Pulikesi shapes up under the prying eyes of Rajguru as a stupid, timid, uneducated and as one who could be controlled by outside forces. Pulikesi takes up the reigns of the kingdom soon after the death of the king. Nevertheless, he plays into the hands of Rajguru, who collaborates with the British to loot the state.
Meanwhile, a childless couple brings up Pulikesi's twin brother Ugraputran (Vadivelu), as a brave, educated, intelligent and patriotic man. Very soon, Ugraputran learns his past and devices plans to save his kingdom from Rajguru and the British. He takes over from Pulikesi as the king. With the help of his chief-commander (Sreeman), Ugraputran sets to expose Rajguru and free his kingdom from the clutches of the British. How Ugraputran saves his kingdom forms the remaining part of the story.
Vadivelu for the first time is playing the hero and is hugely successful in that. In a dual role, Vadivelu simply sparkles. Especially, as Pulikesi, he brings the house down with unlimited comedy. Vadivelu deftly handles the shift required in acting emotional scenes, fooling, romancing, and fighting.
That deftness is matched by Simbudevan 's astute direction, precise period feel, evocative photography, and a fine ensemble of actors- Manorama, Nasser and Sreeman rising to the challenge of Vadivelu's brilliance. Art-director Krishnamurthy must be credited for his visually stunning recreation of palaces, and period costumes for all the characters. Music director Sabesh Murali's compositions add to the authenticity of a period movie.
The film is fantastic in its own rights.
