Jigarthanda | Detailed Analysis (EXTENDED)

#Jigarthanda
Movie Review & *DETAILED ANALYSIS*

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***********HEAVY SPOILERS AHEAD**********
Please do not read if you haven’t watched the film! But for those who are really desperate to know my verdict, here it is – Watch this film IN THE THEATERS. That is the best thing you could to help Tamil Cinema go on the right path to discovering a Guy Ritchie/Tarantino of our OWN.
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*I will update the article with more pictures and screencaps from the film when the DVD releases!
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“Infact neenga partheenga na, Rowdy nu soltu thirinjutu irukura paadhi per nejathula joker dhan. Adha than kaatanum nu ninaichen” says Director Karthik (Siddharth) when he is questioned by the media about the success of his film, “A. Kumar” (A title that is another satirical take on the absurd rule of tax exemption for films with Tamil titles). I have strong feelings that this would have been Subbaraj’s one-liner for this film. See it through this angle, and you will be able to justify the metamorphosis of all the characters in the second half.

In one of the most clinching scenes of the film, “Assault” Sethu (Bobby Simha), opens the doors of a theatre hall. He is shown as a silhouette, with the only source of light being from behind him. He also casts a long shadow towards the inner part of the hall. This shadow can be interpreted as the link between now and the future of this brooding figure. He walks in, the shadow gets shorter, and he sees himself coming to terms with his prospects in the coming days… Cinema is his future. This “moment-of-realisation” was elavated by Santhosh Narayanan’s “Jigar” theme, which featured gibberish lyrics (another classic metaphor). This scene is enough to showcase all the “jigarr” that Karthik Subbaraj has put into making this film.

Subbaraj is the first director from the current gen of Tamil Cinema talents, who puts Tarantino’s “I steal from every film ever made” to practical use. Copy the “feel”, or the “texture” of a scene, but not the scene itself. You will know if you would have watched the film closely.

“Jigar” means heart. “Thanda” is cold. This title made better sense in retrospective, where we can clearly see that the first half of the film shows the “cold” side of the gangster, and in the latter half we see the “heart” in him. A very elaborate title indeed.

Simha’s entry is shot in full majesty, with Santhosh Narayanan wreaking havoc with his rococo BGM at the back. This very scene is of an assassination – directed so well, that you feel “within” the scene. “Within” the hay. “Within” the brutal fire. Subbaraj had his job cut out then and there. He had established the character in the best and easiest way possible. His job of convincing the audience of the underlying “cold” was predominantly done right there.

There are 2 long shots of the protagonists which follow them from a particular place to a very “decisive” point of their lives. The first sequence is right at the beginning, when we are introduced to Karthik (Siddarth), the short film director who is facing the last moment jitters during the semi-finals of a reality show of his field. He is smoking, he is urgently being called for on-stage, and he takes a stride through the outdoors of the studio to reach his “moment”. This small journey that lasts a few seconds captures the “sounds” of anything and everything along his way. The sound designers have had a field day over here. Vishnu Govind and Sree Sankar are sure to go places with their department. Dolby Atmos is the future of sound inTamil Cinema. Fast forward to a time where we know the character of Sethu…

Sethu and his gang of goondas are having a fun time at the canteen of a theatre. Sethu gets up, takes a quick dig at his porn-addict friend and starts off to the restroom, which is at another end of the premises. On the way, he complains to the cook, of the “bajji” being bland and tells him to add more spice. He gets going, and it is raining outside. He gets cover, and walks towards the other end. We can hear the sound of the rain gradually reducing while he talks a stride towards the commode. The caretaker reminds him of his “commission”. Sethu pays, and as he progresses, sees a drunkard vomiting all over the place – But, he is also signalling him not to get into a particular cubicle. Sethu grunts, and switches onto the other commode. Suddenly, he sees the drunkard getting shot by the assailant from inside the earlier cubicle. He was there to kill Sethu. But seldom does he realise that his target was watching all this unfold few feet away from him, very much alive. Sethu’s gang reaches the spot on hearing the gun shots and make the assailant realise how wrong his miscalculation is. They get him, and the scene ends as Sethu gets on with doing whatever he had come to that place for… That one extra second of innovative and divergent writing, has taken Subbaraj to a different league altogether. These 2 scenes are reminiscent of Scorsese’s “Goodfellas”. And I loved seeing them set in our times, in our place.

And there is more to the “Goodfellas” feel… Sethu is given a dialogue similar to “I have always wanted to be a gangster” while he narrates his story to the camera. But it still doesn’t feel a “lifted” dialogue!
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Aural Fixation (Baradwaj Rangan) : // One scene in the original script had a single-take shot that begins in a motel and ends as a character walks into a restroom. Vishnu Govind told me, “In a long, unbroken shot like that, we can show the passage of sound.” And so the script was rewritten. Now the character begins walking from the kitchen of a restaurant, goes through a theatre and then ends up in the theatre’s restroom. Sounds from all these locations ended up in the mix. The sound guys also suggested that the scene would be enhanced by rain, so that was worked in too. I asked them how this was different from the tracking shot that opened Guna, where the camera takes in – without a cut – the sights and sounds around a Hyderabad whorehouse. Venkatraghavan said, “Earlier, with a film like Guna, you could just fade in and fade out the sound [in accordance with the movement of the camera]. Now, when this character is walking through the passage in the theatre, you’ll hear a song from the film that’s playing inside on just one of the speakers around you.” // Now that is the amount of detailing gone into this film. This has to be the most “immersive” experience in the theater this year. The other film that would come close is Thegidi, mainly because of its BGM. The same with yesteryear’s Mariyaan. But Jigarthanda is definitely a notch above them, mainly due to the attention these scenes demand and the magic they result in. Karthik Subbaraj renounces providing surrealist environments (read: Pizza), and yet makes the “experience” surreal.

The “Paandi Naatu Kodi” song is set in a well. If you paid attention to the sound, you would have noticed the echoes… The very natural voice that comes from inside a well. This minute detail is taken care not only for the dialogues, but in the song as well! And in the climax scene featuring the confrontation between Sethu and Karthick, one can feel the “texture” of the ground they are standing on due to the clarity in the sound these sound engineers have created. Vishnu Govind and Sree Sankar, you are here to stay and take sound in our cinema to another level of enchantment!

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The first scene at the reality show sparks a verbally violent debate between a posh film critic and a “general audience mela nambikkai vechirukka producer”. These 2 fight it off over the verdict of Karthik’s short, where the critic slams it as a “kuppa padam”, while the producer who is mighty impressed gives him a chance to direct a feature film. These fictitious conflicting points of interest come a full circle at the end, where our real “film”, on the whole, manages to satisfy the needs of both the critics and audience.

There is another scene which chronicled an assassination attempt on Sethu in his earlier days. He gets cut on his shoulder, jumps into the car and fires shots from inside. This is one of the best action sequences of our times. Just that it could have been given more time for the awesomeness to sync in with the audience… And in one of his interviews, Simha even pointed out that all of this was done in one single take! How mesmerising is that?! B|

And there are too many instances of Thalaivar thrown in. A true fan in Karthik Subbaraj can be seen when he uses a very rare photo from that of Stills Ravi’s collection. This photo is featured as KS’s macbook wallpaper.

Thalaivar’s entry from “Thalapathi” is used in an important scene as well, with the goon saying “Epdi namma aal oda entry”, and Assault Sethu entering the scene with quite a blast by kicking the door open… Such subtle references and intelligent editing make this film lively.

A comment by Adrian David on the page revealing more of the Thalapathi influence… “Not only the entry scene, but also a precise reference of Thalapathi was showcased. In Thalapathi, Surya kills Ramanna and later marries his widowed wife and develops a liking for her little daughter. The same scene is replicated in the climax scene by Assault Sethu.” And the fact that Sethu ends by asking for Mani Ratnam’s number, makes it even more striking!

And the references do not stop there. We have “Kaadhalin Deepam Ondru” playing at the background when Sethu is being taught “romance” in the acting class… ( Thinking Pagalavan from Soodhu Kavvum? Anyone? 😀 ) And of course, “Assshhhhoookkkkkk!”

The two BGMs, “Jigar” (heart) and “Thanda” (cold) are used for two different variations in the same scene. The scene I am talking about is the post-climax sequence at Vijay Sethupathy’s office. A cold and heavy version of “Thanda” plays as the BGM when the gangsters enter the scene, and this sequence ends with “Jigar” showcasing the change of heart in Siddharth’s character.

This dessert on celluloid is exquisite with its technical finesse. A separate write-up would be required to describe Gavemic U Ary’s frames and the heavy influence of landscape photography in his cinematography. Madurai has never been so convincing in recent times. A long time after “Subramaniapuram”. The entire town is alive throughout and there is necessary emphasis on architecture whenever and wherever required. A thinking cinematographer is what Gavemic is, when we see him swinging with the camera when a character is on a swing.

Such subtle touches work big time as a whole. Karthik owes him big time, and I would love to see more of him in Tamil cinema. Landscapes are given importance too. For example, the scene where we travel along with the car is totally refreshing to go through. The camera isn’t static, it is above the car, and in sync with its turns and glides… Superlative stuff indeed!

And there are numerous scenes where one can see natural lighting at its best. If the character is in the market, you “feel” being within the market. If an abandoned shop at dawn, you feel being there. Same with shots like that of Sethu taking a bath, being in a party, or praying inside cramped up spaces. Way to go Gavemic!

The editing – plays to the strengths of the script. The scene where ladies are conning the shopkeeper off sarees, the transition we see is beautiful to say the least. And then in the second half, Sethu is narrating his backstory, and we see Siddharth’s film version of the same story in glimpses. The cuts here are riveting. Vijay Sethupathy appears in a cameo here that has taken his screen presence to another level. Another sequence where the editing can be called sheer brilliance. As posted by Chris Sud Nolan on the page, “Another absolute belter of a scene: Siddharth explains to Karunakaran how the three keys to knowing more about Sethu’s life are Rasu, Senthil and the tea shop owner – The scene immediately cuts to Sethu and his henchmen running and jumping in the well. Antony Dasan, the singer, also plays one of his henchman in the movie. The perfectly captured scene, that lasts about 30 seconds is topped with an adrenaline pumping BGM and morattu-thanamana villains running in… An absolute ripper!”

Two more instances of genius in editing –
1. The “Paasamalar” song which plays in the mini-theater when a murder takes place, is continued for a few seconds, and the transition takes us to Siddarth, whose mobile has the same song as a ringtone. The song is not cut abruptly, but instead given its own time to sound well during the transition.
2. “Pesuren Pesuren” from “Pannaiyaarum Padminiyum” is superimposed in the background when Kayal proposes to Karthick. Immediately we are cut to a scene where the song is actually playing on TV. This works exactly as the previous transition!
These transitions ensure that none of the scenes feel “away” from each other, and gel within one another beautifully.

The film is cracked open in the perfect way possible with a dialogue mouthed by Simha – “Rowdy-a irukuradha vida Rowdy a nadikuradhu kashtam”. Break up this sentence in two, and we essentially get the one-liners of the first 2 halves of the film. I loved the first half start to end. The interval block is the best in recent times, the most awe-inspiring since #IamWaiting from #Thuppakki. The second half shifts its course prominently, if not drastically like being portrayed by the general consensus.

The change in tone is too heavy. The change in heart may not be as convincing as it should have been. Sethu, the menacing figure from the beginning, is reduced to a mere caricature towards the end. Well, that is the general complaint. Yet, Assault Sethu is sure to become a cult. The film does lose its coherence mildly towards the end, but with the instant “twist-u mela twist samalification” (which did not work too well for me), the film ends on a high. More than enough to keep you smiling… A straight-forward ending would have worked as well (again, maybe). Siddarth’s character and the motto of “Adi odhavura madhiri” gel very well. He is a one-sided selfish crook from the very beginning, and that drastic change in attitude is really convincing, as his flaws have always been defined. That moment of variation was just round the corner. I was expecting it, and it was brought about in the best way possible.

Rephrasing something that I came across on facebook – There is another scene where Lakshmi Menon is planting the idea of becoming a cinema star in Sethu’s mind. There is a guy in the background who is lighting a cigarette, while a drunk Siddarth tilts his head to have a better “look” at what she is saying. This scene is supposedly, as being quoted by many on the internet, a symbolism of “kozhuthi viduradhu” or “patha veikuradhu“! How thoughtful! 😀

And to add to all this, we have awesome performances from each and everyone featured in the frame. No complaints whatsoever about any actor’s job. Siddarth is perfect and Simha is a dream… I hope both of them continue supporting such scripts and directors. Siddharth in particular, has to be lauded for taking this up and giving it the necessary push. And we have Somasundaram Rudra in another rollicking act as the acting teacher! He is another powerhouse of an actor, and I am eager to see more of his character-oriented roles. Each and every one of the goons entertained us with their back-stories and one-liners.

Lakshmi Menon is totally unconvincing. A character who simply doesn’t seem to have the flesh unlike everyone around her. She didn’t fit in this film. But at least she is the inception of the prime plot point. The character variation was just too contrived and looked indulgent as well as forced at the same time.

The other thing that seemed fake was that “elavu veedu” scene where a mourning lady walks onto Sethu to say that she loved his performance in Azhuguni Kumar. It was just too over-the-top and looked straight out of a daily soap and stood out like a sore thumb in the mature scheme of affairs. The same happened with the way Karthik’s parents congratulated him after their show of  A. Kumar ended. These are the only moments that didn’t gel within the feel of the film. But nevertheless, they did what they were supposed to do. People laughed, and didn’t complain at all. Just something that I felt was wrong.

The Amma who hasn’t spoken for the past 12 years, was a very good sentiment to capitalise on, but is just left with two simple shots. Maybe it was too pre-planned to keep the emotion short and sweet.

Getting back to the over-hyped “character variation”, I honestly feel we are looking at it in the wrong way. Sethu would have remained Assault Sethu if Karthik hadn’t entered his life. The Sethu shown to us in the first half had to be that ruthless, because one can’t show an ambitious director taking notes from some half-baked wannabe-gangster’s life. The gangster had to be an unflinching, cold-blooded killer. What transpires after that is purely something that is a result of the characters being themselves. Nothing looked forced for me. Karthik was being his own, selfish and creative image, while Sethu was also self-centered and only counted on the fear that his image commanded rather than thinking about others’ moves. The indulgent situations they were set in, lead them to their respective mood swings and transitions…

And now the man without whom, this film on the whole, would have been a nothing more than a caricature gone wrong – Santhosh Narayanan. To start with, the whistle infused with the “Thanda” BGM – Goosebumps galore!

His BG score is on par with what Yuvan did for “Pudhupettai”. He is leagues ahead of his competitors in this particular department. There is no one in the current crop of MDs who could pull off anything of this sort. He manages to balance the sensibilities of Tamil folk beats as well as Western-influenced subtleties. I will get back on his work with a special article dedicated to his subtle yet striking rise to fame. This man is oozing with class as of now… The variation he shows in using one basic tune in different moods is exceptional. He seems to have the Midas touch where an absolutely ordinary/seen-before/cliched moment, like the kid giving a hand to Sethu, is lifted to greater heights due to his knowledge of placing the right cues at the right time.

Karthik Subbaraj has indeed mastered the art of deception. The way he has cut the trailer… Should say, “sedhukirukan”. Or in cheap local slang, “Vechi Senjirukan!” 😀 Enough said! The pace of the film, which clocks at about 170 minutes, is not a big problem either. I have been vocal about my feelings about the pace of a film – I never feel a film is slow unless it had unnecessary scenes. The screenplay should be fool-proof. And in this case, it very much is. Obviously, all of us wanted to see more of the evilry in Assault Sethu. But I wasn’t complaining as we should actually let a film get ahead of us rather than expecting it to go along our own presumed route. In this case, the deception was not on us, unlike in Pizza. The deception was within the storyline, and wasn’t supposed to hit us as a huge “plot twist”. It was rather a development, and a very heavy one at that. Sethu gets a taste of his own medicine, or should I say poison, when Karthik makes the mockery out of his wannabe-cinema-hero hopes. It was nothing but a rehash of Sethu’s own history! Hence, we shouldn’t be complaining about the “variation” in the two characters IMO. So shut your expectations/predictions and let the story do the talking I say! 😀

Quoting Brangan once again, “We feel churlish and nitpicky while talking about the things that don’t work in these films when even with these “flaws” they’re far superior to ninety per cent of the films we see.” Now how true is that?!

This film will be remembered for breaking majority of the norms our writers have been following all these days. Villains can be funny. Heroes can outplay the villain without laying a finger on him. Second half can be even funnier than the first. The heroine can be a petty thief and think of cunning conspiracies. On the whole, Jigarthanda is a must-watch. *In the theatre*. The 120 bucks that you would pay, will be redeemed by the experience given by the 1st half itself. I am not giving a rating for this film. But simply saying, it would be worth every penny you pay. Go and experience it for yourself. A drink that serves it purpose of entertainment. With the “twist-u mela twist samalification”,  a short film director’s trademark signature, the film ends on a high. More than enough to keep you smiling…

En masse, Jigarthanda is an honest and candid avant-garde push for Tamil Cinema.

Regards,
Akilan Nagarajan,
Founder | Reviewpuram

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Last but not the least, having watched “A Dirty Carnival” AND “Rough Cut“, I can confidently say this film is NOT a “copy” of either.
An interesting take on this issue by a blogger, when Malayalam classic “Drishyam” was being slapped with plagiarism claims… “But when the movie, even though inspired, is significantly different from the original idea and has new ideas infused giving it a soul of its own and an independent existence, then it should be treated as a totally new and original work of art. It will be unjust to attribute the credits of a movie which has a soul of its own to yet another movie which is significantly different from even though it has the same thought process running through it. Here when we insist that the credits should acknowledge the source of inspiration, aren’t we doing discrediting the script writer of the present movie who has worked hard on the initial inspiration?”

You guys are seriously stretching your imagination a lot… So I have decided to give you guys an elucidated response regarding this “mindset”. We are currently under this illusion that only the Koreans “think”, and only the Japanese invent. “Hollywood” is flawless. Sounds baffling to me! I am just not able to accept and digest this perception. We are no less than them. We are as brilliant as their film-makers. Even we have a “Mumbai Police”, a “Pizza”, a “Kartik Calling Kartik”, a “Lucia” and a “Pudhiya Paravai” for that matter. It is just that we don’t have those many “thinking” producers and an open-hearted audience. Sit back, and try to come to terms with the fact that ONE AMONG US, has the ability to THINK. As Kamal Haasan said, and as Siddarth quoted him in this (inset) success meet, “there are only seven stories in fiction and that all others are based on them“! Period.

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