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Set in the 1800’s, the film tells the story of Thangalaan (Chiyaan Vikram), Gangamma (Parvathy Thiruvothu) live in North Arcot as agriculture workers with their children. The upper-class landlord long back grabs their land. Lord Clement, a British General, asks help from the villagers in tracing gold underneath soil near their village. Thangalaan and villagers believe a local myth which claims that the sorceress Aarathi (Malavika Mohanan), guards the area where the Gold lies underneath. Still, Thangalaan agrees to work for Clement for the sake of his and his people’s well-being.
Performances:
Vikram, who is known for choosing versatile scripts and portraying them effortlessly, once again shows his capability as an actor and performs effectively. Parvathy, Malavika Mohanan also deliver commendable performances. Pasupathy, Anand Samy and others were okay.
Analysis:
Thangalaan has an interesting plot set against the periodic backdrop. From the caste related oppression to Britishers using Indians as slaves, and mythical aspect regarding the kolar gold field, every thread has an interesting setup. However, Pa Ranjith failed in weaving all the threads perfectly.
Positives:
The mythic story regarding the Naga clan is intriguing. One gets a feeling that this thread should have been shown more clearly and effectively. A few scenes work well for the film, such as the episode of Thangalaan returning to his village after gaining a trust of Clement, was good. A couple of action sequences in the latter half were also useful. GV Prakash Kumar’s music and background score are perfect.
Negatives:
The screenplay of the film lacks the engaging atmosphere. The first half of the film gives boredom and the second half has too much happening, but it did not have proper emotional engagement. The characters in the film go through several hardships, but audiences feel nothing.
Last Line: Thangalaan — A Sincere but Weak Attempt
Rating: 2.25/5
