‘Author’ film evaluation: Samuthirakani delivers an impactful efficiency in a shifting movie

Cops have been portrayed in a number of methods in Tamil cinema, however most of them have been over-the-top. Consider the Singam franchise, the place Suriya’s highly effective punch despatched half a dozen guys flying. Or the newer Darbar that had Rajinikanth as a cop gone rogue.

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Franklin Jacob’s Author additionally contains a cop, Thangaraj, as its protagonist, however he’s far faraway from the cinematic cop universe. After we first see Thangaraj (Samuthirakani), he is seated in a police station in Thiruvembur, adjusting his glasses and studying the morning newspaper. An outdated Tamil movie track ‘Kavalai Illatha Manithan’ performs within the background, most likely pointing to the truth that Thangaraj is main a lifetime of contentment. However is he?

He’s combating for a trigger – to ascertain a union among the many police drive, to make sure honest working hours – however Thangaraj is however a minor speck within the system. A tussle together with his higher-ups ensures he’s transferred to Chennai. Regardless of repeated directions to stay to his job profile, Thangaraj will get inadvertedly caught in a case involving a college-going boy and different police officers. Can he, a humble author, stand towards the powers-that-be?

This may sound like a cliched storyline of a weak man taking over the system, however Author packs in some strong materials, particularly within the second half. The most important takeaway, after all, is the real-life-like depiction of the primary characters. You would stroll into any police station in your neighborhood, and discover characters like Thangaraj and firm.

However that is not the actual triumph of Author. Very like Malayalam movie Nayattu, which additionally brilliantly showcased three cops on the run, Author weaves an attractive storyline across the protagonist. There’s so much to love about Samuthirakani, who could be very completely different from his earlier message-driven movies. Caught in a system he detests however has gotten used to, he’s typically clueless about what is absolutely happening round him. Samuthirakani shines in these sequences; there is a sequence involving simmering pressure between him and one other cop, through which he conveys a lot with out uttering a single phrase. A lot of the supporting solid put in strong performances too; Merku Thodarchi Malai Antony manages to infuse some humour in an in any other case severe topic, whereas Kavin Jay Babu impresses too.

There are minor missteps, like Devakumar (Hari Krishnan), the teen pinned in the primary case within the movie, getting a flashback that could be a tad longer than essential. There are additionally a couple of pertinent factors on caste that the movie raises – no surprise for the reason that movie is produced by Pa Ranjith, well-known for his fiery movies and social statements. With Author, debutant director Franklin Jacob joins the lengthy checklist of thrilling Tamil filmmakers to be careful for.

Author is at present taking part in in theatres