Ameerin Aadhi Bhagavan – Traces of Brilliance lost in Bloodbath 

Bharath Vijayakumar

The terms "Critically acclaimed" and "Blockbusters" often seem to be antonyms in our Tamil film industry. Not very often do these two terms are used in the same sentence. Ameer's Paruthiveeran was one such exception. It has been six years since it released and it is only now that Ameer Sultan, the man behind Paruthiveeran, is back with his next directorial venture. It is only natural that the curiosity levels go up. Is the long wait worth it? 

Plot

Ameer had mentioned in numerous interviews that Aadhi Bhagavan is a commercial film to be enjoyed with family. The one line of Aadhi Bhagavan is definitely interesting and offers ample scope for a thrilling action flick. Revealing the story-line would be unfair to the makers and viewers. It is about a gangster(Jayam Ravi) in Thailand and how love plays spoilsport in his life. This is a film where everyone is not whom they seem to be on the surface. 

Cast 

Jayam Ravi looks the part as a dreaded gangster. That he has put in a lot for this movie is obvious. He shines in the action sequences and his portrayal of the effeminate Bhagavan is noteworthy. Neetu Chandra has a solid part and is convincing. She has even performed some stunts in the film. Her character is one of the surprise packages of Aadhi Bhagavan. Sudha Chandran looks dignified as Jayam Ravi's mother who is pained by the wrong path that her son has taken.

Crew 

Yuvan has done a neat job, with both the songs and BGM. They are both up to the mark. The stunt sequences are raw and in your face. There is a gruesome action sequence before the climax and this is possibly the reason for the 'A' certificate. Cinematography by R. B. Gurudev and K. Devaraj is good and the scenes and sequences in Thailand have a slick look to them. The editing (by Ram Sudharsan) could have been crisper. The lip sync at certain places is pathetic. It looks like these scenes were originally shot in Hindi as the place of action is Mumbai and as an afterthought was dubbed in Tamil.

Direction & Screenplay

Aadhi Bhagavan is possibly a golden opportunity lost. The film has some genuine surprises and a smarter packaging could have done wonders. The opening sequence before the title cards makes you sit up in anticipation. It is actually well 15 minutes into the second half that you realize where the film is headed. Ameer certainly deserves kudos for maintaining the suspense. However, the film does seem a tad too long. The screenplay could have been tighter in the first half by packing in more interesting scenes. Also, the last half hour where the hunted settles scores with the hunter could have been dealt more interestingly. All it turns out to be is more of a bloodbath. Though not strikingly similar, you do get reminded of Samar that released a few weeks back.

Bottomline:

Aadhi Bhagavan is at best "watchable" and is certainly not up to the level of Ameer's earlier films. Watch it for Jayam Ravi’s sheer hard work.

Verdict: