Director: Soundarya
Writers & Supervisors: K.S.Ravikumar / R. Madesh
Kochadaiiyaan is an unique attempt
from Rajni. Not because of the computer-generated-photorealistic-animation
(phew that’s a very big word with zero meaning and negative output!), but
because it dabbles with the unwritten philosophy of life. Beyond the huge
kingdoms and epic wars, Kochadaiiyaan is a battle between people with myopic
views and it’s opposite. While this in itself is a giant leap for Rajni,
the script proudly goes one step further and teases us at times by swapping
people from the either side of ideology and at times by depicting a guy with
both ways of life.
The last time Rajni tried something
on these lines in Baba, he got a heavy beating in box office and rightfully so.
But this time the stark difference comes in the form of the organic flow in the
narration. While many writers are happy to just mount scene after scene
primarily to fill-up the timeline and at times to convey the story to the
audience, only few people passionate about the art see the strength of
narration. To the uninitiated, narration encompasses the talent to identify
which part of the story’s continuum is fit to be shown, which part is better
left hidden, which perspective of the same plot is interesting, in which order
the scenes flow smoothly. While this approach is necessary for any script, it
is all the more necessary in Kochadaiiyaan for it balances a very thin line
between revenge and justice, in that the hero has his own flaws. While any
Rajni film will celebrate these flaws or worse make him a two dimensional saint
irrespective of his inherent flaws, in this computer generated form, he is more
flesh and blood. Fittingly, there is a scene in Kochadaiiyaan where Rajni
intelligently uses his own blood to escape from captive. The script’s integrity
enhances even more when it reveals that Rajni still has to pay for his sins in
the sequel.
Amidst these engaging character arcs
is the epic score of Rahman. Right from the gusty voiceover at the beginning to
the songs, he acts as a lifeline thread to the film, elevating the script’s
level to greater heights and covering its shortfalls whenever needed; case
being the ‘idhayam’ song. While the poor choreography depicts the song as a
dance number and hence a speed breaker to the tense narration, Rahman’s
structuring of the song, aided by Vairamuthu’s lyrics, fills the necessary gap.
This song again is an example of the wonderful detailing present in the script
level. While most scripts would have just jumped into the flashback without
prodding, this script takes effort to show the agony and dilemma in the heroine’s
mind which instigates her to take the uncharted path in love. But the script
isn't just about the story; it also gives ample space for its stars to stamp
their presence. Besides Rajnism, I loved how the dancing prowess of Shobana
was elegantly tied into the narrative instead of being a forced cameo.
But then, most of the merits I
listed out go to the script. With K.S. Ravikumar at the helm of affairs, aided
in his absence by R.Madesh (erstwhile right hand of Shankar), little can be
deciphered what was the creative contribution of director Soundarya besides
creating an underwhelming animation of the wonderful script. But then, with all
the resources in the world at its disposal, what Avatar and Tintin lacked, Kochadaiiyaan
has in abundance – solid script.
Comments