Miruthan -  Pleasantly surprising and bumpy ride with the zombies 

Bharath Vijayakumar

Mainstream Tamil cinema is probably at the most exciting phase where you really cannot rule out any genre with the excuse that it would not work here. More good news is that saleable stars too seem to be game for it. Jayam Ravi who has hit a purple patch in his career has hit the screens this week accompanied by a horde ofzombies. 

Plot: 

A hazardous spill of a toxin leads to a viral outbreak resulting in the origin of zombies in Ooty. Traffic inspector Karthik (Jayam Ravi) takes on these zombies as his loved ones are on the firing line. 


Cast: 

You might not really associate versatility with Jayam Ravi. But that could really change with the films that he is churning out. Though not really outright experimental as an actor he deserves credit for the scripts that he has been choosing of late. Despite potential to showcase his action avatar Miruthan is not really a typical hero vehicle. The actor does gel in well with this new genre. These are flicks where you let yourself loose and enjoy the flow and he does seem to have realized that. The supporting cast does a neat job. 


Crew:

You mess up in creating an authentic zombie look and things could have gone for a toss. The technical team of Miruthan has done a commendable job in importing these creatures who have created enough havoc in Hollywood. They too need a different recipe to feed on right! Imman is really impressive with both his songs as well as the BGM. 


Shakti Soundar Rajan: 

Here is a maker who has probably modeled himself on films from the West. A bank heist (Nanayam), a cop story where a canine took centerstage (Naaigal Jaakirathai) and now a zombie flick. The good thing about Miruthan is the clarity with which the maker has clearly avoided any effort to 'making it suitable for the local audience'. Of course there is some emotional connect as well as a romantic angle. But these too are kept in check and most importantly aid the plot. The gore has however been kept to a bare minimum. The songs are cleverly used in the narrative. The soulful 'Mirutha Mirutha' amidst the havoc is a master stroke. The film never wastes a second on anything. It is a start to stop 100 meter dash sort of a film with the run-time too at almost exactly 100 minutes. The open climax is a gutsy move and these films never really are meant to complete a circle. It is not about the destination but always about the ride they offer. 


Bottomline: 

A zombie flick that is right on the money and true to its genre. Well done team Miruthan!!! 

Rating: 3/5