Feel good films in Tamil cinema are always lapped up by the audiences, when done right. After a stunning feature film debut in 96, director Premkumar returns with a endearing and entertaining dosage once again in Meiyazhagan, a film that is not entirely affecting but somehow does the job in getting the emotions across.
The film is about a man who returns to his village after a long gap of 22 years, and how he forms a peculiar relationship with a man who calls him ‘athaan’, only to spend the entire night with him discussing a variety of topics. The first half of the film is exceptional, and keeps the ball rolling with a solid lineup of emotional scenes and comic moments which are balanced out so beautifully. With the performances in the top drawer, Meiyagazhagan graces through the narrative like a breeze, and will be a sucker for lovers of feel good material. In the second half, the film gets a bit stagnant, as it begins to discuss a variety of topics which aren’t connected to the scenario, while also discussing political ideologies and nostalgic elements. The film deviates from the travel of the characters overnight and starts to feel like a YouTube discussion here, and that’s where Meiyazhagan loses a bit of its steam. The climax is a warm and nice one, but it isn’t as impactful as it should be, though it is a subjective standpoint and could work for many.
Karthi and Arvind Swami come together to deliver performances that will rank in the top 3 of both their filmographies. While Arvind Swami is measured and excels in the emotional scenes, Karthi laps up his potential with excellent dialogue delivery, comic timing, splendid long-shot sequences. The film largely benefits from these two, who stand as tall pillars in the way.
Meiyazhagan is also technically brilliant as Premkumar leaves no stone unturned to make it a visually and musically brilliant experience which will be a major reason to enrich it in theatres. The cinematography by Mahendiran Jayaraju is one of the best this year, while Govind Vasantha’s music is haunting and complements the film in the best way possible.
It is quite a disappointment that Meiyazhagan takes the route it has taken in the second half of the film, as something with more interest and intrigue would have made it a masterpiece. Nevertheless, Meiyazhagan stands tall as a film that would live on for its amazing performances and its excellent aesthetic and experience that it provides.