Bheema became one of the longest awaited Tamil movies of recent times not just for the hype it created but also for the time it took, from completion to release. And when a movie is usually this delayed, the hype and hoopla surrounding it buzz out, but Bheema only became bigger with expectations rising with each passing day. There are several reasons for this: One, this is Vikram’s first movie after two years. Two, Vikram and Trisha pair up for the first time since the extremely successful Saami. Three, Bheema is Lingusamy’s follow-up to the stupendously successful Sandakozhi. And four, Harris Jeyaraj’s soulful songs. But here’s the lowdown: in spite of all the above reasons, the movie doesn’t quite live up to its colossal hype.
In Bheema, Vikram plays a man who has, since childhood, idolized Prakashraj, a gangster with a heart of gold. Vikram grows up to become a no-nonsense, street smart, powerful young man. Impressed with his courage, Prakashraj embraces him, inducting him into the gang. And with Vikram as his right hand man, Prakashraj gradually becomes the godfather of the city. He even outrivals his archrival, Raguvaran. Filled with rage, Raghuvaran and his two sons attempt to kill Prakashraj and take back the city. But with Vikram by his side they are unable to touch the newly crowned godfather. Meanwhile, Vikram falls in love with Trisha, and he becomes so lost in love that he loses focus and concentration on the job, nearly threatening the life of his idol. Vikram is now forced to choose between work and love. What Vikram will choose forms the rest of this tale.
On some level Bheema bears a striking resemblance to Maniratnam’s Dalapathy. As director, Lingusamy succeeds in provoking riveting performances from all the actors, but as scriptwriter he’s not as successful in keeping us involved. From the first reel to the last reel Bheema is packed with the sound of gunfire and fisticuffs – the wirework and action scenes are stunning but as the movie winds down, the relentless violence gets to you. The first half is full of incident but the pace slackens in the second half, no thanks to some inappropriate song placement that spoils the fun. Bheema is full of style but little substance. As in all our masala entertainers, logic takes a back seat. A gravity-defying stunt in a shopping mall restroom is close to being preposterous. However, when Bheema is not about gunfire and fisticuffs, Linguswamy handles several scenes deftly. The scene where a very drunk Vikram spoils a birthday party and talks back to the police commissioner is unforgettable for Vikram’s magnificent acting and some well penned dialogues.
Prakashraj, as always, comes up with a topnotch performance. His role is well etched and this versatile actor makes the most out of it. Vikram once again stuns us with his subtle body language, incendiary acting and skillful dialogue delivery. Trisha’s role is bubbly and this talented heroine makes the most of it, looking cute all through the film and ravishing in the song sequences. Raghuvaran delivers that slick, sly villain he is so well know for. Thalaivasal Vijay is competent, reminding you of the Iyer role Delhi Ganesh played so well in Nayagan. As the police commissioner, Aashish Vidyarthi is superb.
Technically, Bheema is brilliant. RD Rajasekhar’s cinematography is a treat for the eyes, especially the Mudhal Mazhai song, which is shot ravishingly. His camera work here is certain to win him laurels. Anthony’s editing is terrific except in a few places where it is not always seamless. The stunts by Kanal Kannan will be a major draw, particularly the fight sequence in the market place where slow motion is used to great effect.
Ahmed Khan’s choreography is understated and tasteful. Harris Jeyaraj’s music, of course, is very good. Unfortunately, some of his songs are inappropriately placed in the film, taking away some of the luster. However, “Oru Mugamo” and “Ragasiya Kanavugal” are memorable numbers that are also shot beautifully. For pure lovers of action, Bheema might just be the Pongal movie they are looking for, but those expecting an action movie with a strong story will be disappointed.
Outcome: excessively much action, moreover little story
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