Devarattam movie review: Yet another violent film in Madurai backdrop
Director: Muthaiah
Cast: Gautham Karthik, Manjima Mohan, FEFSI Vijayan, Vinothini.
Devarattam faithfully follows Muthaiah’s routine template of a rural entertainer - high-octane mindless action sequences followed by loads of violence, akka(s)-brother sentiment, a dash of romance and innumerous characters walking in and out of each scene. And this one is seemingly akin to ‘Kadaikutty Singam’, and the only difference being here Gautham Karthik as Vetri is the youngest of his six elder sisters.
Set in Madurai, Vetri (Gautham Karthik) is a lawyer and his elder sisters and mamas (comprising of Vinodhini, Bose Venkat and Soori among others) dot on him. Though family wants Vetri to practice in the court and lead a normal life, he would not. He is an angry young man who cannot tolerate injustice meted out to anyone and takes the law in his hands by bashing up people with his muscle. When the most dreaded man in Madurai Kodumpaavi Ganesan’s (FEFSI Vijayan) son Deivam (Chandru) tries to protect Munna (Raghu Aditya), a sexual offender, Vetri kills both of them. Now, Ganesan goes on a revenge-seeking mode. After Vetri faces a personal loss, he is in no mood to spare Ganesan.
Gautham Karthik looks fit and delivers in action blocks. Sadly, projecting him as mass macho man who takes on innumerous thugs single handedly is unbelievable. Manjima Mohan as the romantic interest of Gautham who appears in almost an extended cameo has no scope to perform. Thankfully, Vijayan doesn’t ham and has underplayed his menacing act. Other villains are adequate. There’s nothing new in Soori’s comedy.
It was Amma-son (Kutti Puli), father-in-law- Son-in-law (Komban) and Grandma-grandson (Marudhu) in his earlier films; here Muthaiah takes akka(s) brother sentiment. There is hardly any story, with irrational brutal violence unleashing in alternate scenes. And the insensitive way he has handled the scene of girl raped multiple times looks manipulative and annoying.
Nivas K Prasanna’s title song is good with the rerecording jarring in many places. Sakthi Saravanan’s cinematography is pleasing.
