Movie Review : The Grandmaster
Vellayi ( Abarnathi) is a conservancy worker whose young son loves chess. But due to caste politics he is not allowed to play the game in the government school by a cruelteacher who also tortures him and slanders him.
His mother is distraught by his struggle and passion for the game as she wants him to be a lawyer and study well.
But seeing his unwavering passion she decides to teach him the game, revealing her own story behind learning the game in a peculiar set of circumstances, threatened by the president of the chess federation Narayanan (Suresh Menon) a casteist elite who killed her husband, in a bid to ensure she never plays chess again.
Now, years later, the same villain re-enters her life, this time a threat to her son.
What happens next? Does he succeed ? What does Vellayi do to save her son and his passion for the game and dream to be a Grandmaster?
The film deals with an unusual subject, with Chess at the centre of the story and uses the sport to also highlight caste prejudices, elitism and the struggle of the poor and downtrodden against a system which doesn't allow them to rise easily.
Abarnathi at the centre of it ask, delivers a tremendously befitting performance, with her sharp retorts, spirited fight against injustice and later her valiant efforts to use her brains to outdo the powerful and ruthless tycoon. She is the pivot of the film and a briliant asset to it.
Suresh Menon as the formidable enemy instills chills with his terrific act, of manipulation and craftiness and never-give-up attitude to get his goal.
The cat and mouse game between the duo is a highlight of the film in the second half.
The child actor does a magnificent job and the scenes between mother and son are touching.
The film however has violence and cruelty that is difficult to watch after a while. Though the film deals with an interesting subject, the screenplay needed to be more tightly knit instead of wandering in many directions. The shrill and repetitive admonition scenes between mom and son make for tedious viewing. How she teaches her son the game in just 2 days to make him win, is not very convincing a point.
However, the film has many hard hitting dialogues that drive home the social message it seeks to convey. The passion for the game comes through in the execution of scenes and detaiing by the director.
Overall a film with a sound social message, using a sport as a pivot to drive it home.
Rating 2.75/5
Cast:
Abarnathi
Lingesh
Vettri Cheliyan
Suresh Menon
Aswin
Tamilarasi
Anbu
Crew:
Written and directed by- VettriCheliyan
Producer-Velayutham
Music-Dinesh Antony
Dob-Arjun Ravi,Gnanasekar R.S
Editor-Ranjeet CK
Art director - Ragavan Sanjeevi
Executive Producer-Arun mozhi devan
Sound design - Krishna Samy
Sound design - R.KRISHNAMOORTHY D.F.Tech
Publicity Designer-Rajinkrishnan
Vfx-Art FX Studio
Post-Sasikala productions
DI-Sri kalasa studio
DI colourist-Raghuram
Stunt-Rock Prabhu
