Quick review: NGK
By Rinku Gupta
NGK which released today has the much awaited combo of Suriya and Selvaraghavan produced by Dream Warrior Pictures, so naturally expectations have been sky high.
Suriya plays NGK aka Nanda Gopala Kumaran, an MTech guy who turns organic farmer in Srivilliputhur, commanding respect amongst the community. But when his organic farming techniques begin to spoil the profits of the local vested interests and politicos, force is used when he refuses to give up his farming practices. Due to a series of incidents, he realises the power wielded by the politicians and seeing how much good can be done to society by a stroke of thier pen, he gets sucked into politics.
Once in, he realises the quagmire he has landed in, but by now, he begins to learn the ropes and get ahead playing mind games with bigwigs in the state.
In the course of his political journey, he meets Vanathi (Rakul Preet Singh) a hi tech PR company owner who is hired by the party to run their media campaigns. An affair ensues between NGK and Vanathi, which his wife Geetha ( Sai Pallavi) is furious about. In the meantime, things come to a head as NGK has rubbed many people the wrong way and they are out to kill him. What happens to him ? Does he give up his political ambitions? To what extent does politics change him?
Suriya shines with an earnest , stellar performance.
But many a time, its beguiling to understand what he's actually thinking
Rakul Preet has given a consistent and convincing performance as the serious minded PR exec but the impact of her role lessens in the story despite showing immense promise in the beginning. A sudden song and dance seems out of place.
Sai Pallavi as the jealous wife though subdued in the beginning suddenly lashes out at her husband in an over the top act that seems highly artificial and forced.
In almost every scene one finds theatrical performances by the cast, as if they were staging a drama for effect. The connect is missing. Dialogues of several characters seem loud, just to create effect and such performances are distracting. In the loud melee the director doesnt give us time to think, feel, absorb or connect with his characters
One sees the usual intrigues in political circles like in several films of late, be it LKG or NOTA. So they don't create the necessary tension and excitement. But particularly interesting are the scenes with Bala Singh, Ilavarsan and NGK's confident mind games with the CM.
The action scenes in the bathroom and the market place are well executed but seem over the top and implausible, with the hero attacking and defending himself with fisticuffs and a small knife, against dozens of hefty goons.
Sudden placement of songs doesnt help either.
On the other hand, the message about organic farming and educated youth coming into poilitics seems good but though showing promise, gets lost in the narrative.
The message seems to be that even the best of intentions gets mired and lost in the dirty game of politics. The character of NGK seems to be a fast learner and gets onto the political bandwagon to play mind games and turn the tables on his political adversaries, play- acting with them and beatimg them at thier own game, showing layers in the writing that Suriya has excelled in performing.
But one wishes it had been conveyed with a little more clarity and an engaging manner.
NGK which released today has the much awaited combo of Suriya and Selvaraghavan produced by Dream Warrior Pictures, so naturally expectations have been sky high.
Suriya plays NGK aka Nanda Gopala Kumaran, an MTech guy who turns organic farmer in Srivilliputhur, commanding respect amongst the community. But when his organic farming techniques begin to spoil the profits of the local vested interests and politicos, force is used when he refuses to give up his farming practices. Due to a series of incidents, he realises the power wielded by the politicians and seeing how much good can be done to society by a stroke of thier pen, he gets sucked into politics.
Once in, he realises the quagmire he has landed in, but by now, he begins to learn the ropes and get ahead playing mind games with bigwigs in the state.
In the course of his political journey, he meets Vanathi (Rakul Preet Singh) a hi tech PR company owner who is hired by the party to run their media campaigns. An affair ensues between NGK and Vanathi, which his wife Geetha ( Sai Pallavi) is furious about. In the meantime, things come to a head as NGK has rubbed many people the wrong way and they are out to kill him. What happens to him ? Does he give up his political ambitions? To what extent does politics change him?
Suriya shines with an earnest , stellar performance.
But many a time, its beguiling to understand what he's actually thinking
Rakul Preet has given a consistent and convincing performance as the serious minded PR exec but the impact of her role lessens in the story despite showing immense promise in the beginning. A sudden song and dance seems out of place.
Sai Pallavi as the jealous wife though subdued in the beginning suddenly lashes out at her husband in an over the top act that seems highly artificial and forced.
In almost every scene one finds theatrical performances by the cast, as if they were staging a drama for effect. The connect is missing. Dialogues of several characters seem loud, just to create effect and such performances are distracting. In the loud melee the director doesnt give us time to think, feel, absorb or connect with his characters
One sees the usual intrigues in political circles like in several films of late, be it LKG or NOTA. So they don't create the necessary tension and excitement. But particularly interesting are the scenes with Bala Singh, Ilavarsan and NGK's confident mind games with the CM.
The action scenes in the bathroom and the market place are well executed but seem over the top and implausible, with the hero attacking and defending himself with fisticuffs and a small knife, against dozens of hefty goons.
Sudden placement of songs doesnt help either.
On the other hand, the message about organic farming and educated youth coming into poilitics seems good but though showing promise, gets lost in the narrative.
The message seems to be that even the best of intentions gets mired and lost in the dirty game of politics. The character of NGK seems to be a fast learner and gets onto the political bandwagon to play mind games and turn the tables on his political adversaries, play- acting with them and beatimg them at thier own game, showing layers in the writing that Suriya has excelled in performing.
But one wishes it had been conveyed with a little more clarity and an engaging manner.
