Rajinikanth's Jailer released on August 10 (Image: screengrab from video posted on Youtube by @suntv)
Cast: Rajinikanth (Muthuvel “Tiger” Pandian, a retired Jailer), Ramya Krishnan (Vijaya, Muthuvel”s wife), Vinayakan (Varman), Tamannaah Bhatia (Kamna, an actress), Mohanlal (Mathew, cameo), Jackie Shroff (Kamdev, cameo) and Shiva Rajkumar (Narasimha, cameo)
Director: Nelson
The old Tamil cinema is back. Jailer has all the elements of a hit (box office reports prove it), including action, drama, comedy, and a Pan-Indian ensemble cast. Rajinikanth, who reminds viewers of his old avatars of Baashha and Pandian, is the cherry on top. In a role that requires him to switch between sheer drama and angst, he showcases his acting prowess to the fullest. This is a Rajinikanth film in its full range.
(Spoilers ahead…) The first half hour of the film revolves around the normal domestic life of Muthuvel Pandian, a retired police officer. Yes, after Darbar and Pandian, Jailer sees Rajinikanth play another police officer, this time a retired jailer. He is not just any jailer, but one with more influence than a regional political leader from Andhra Pradesh, as shown in a flashback. His normal retired life takes a turn when his police officer son goes missing, and he sets out for revenge.
This is director Nelson”s next after the highly criticized Beast movie starring Ilayathalapathy Vijay. Both Nelson and Rajinikanth have delivered. The film has all the ingredients of a potboiler. Anirudh Ravichander”s music is mostly static, with the exception of the impactful “Rathamaarey” song. The background score, which is typical of a Nelson film, becomes a distraction after a while due to its heavy noise.
Style Mannan is blessed with cameos by Mohanlal, Jackie Shroff, and Shiva Rajkumar, who all make stylish entrances and have theatre-moving appearances in the climax. Mohanlal stole the show with his appearance, which was reminiscent of his famous character Sagar Alias Jacky from Irupatham Noottandu and Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded.
At times, the film looks like an Indian Sin City with its gory visuals. It begins with Varman, a dreaded Malayali gangster, killing three of his associates for backstabbing him. This continues throughout the film, with violent scenes involving Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, and many other characters.
Vinayakan, the award-winning Malayalam actor, proves that he can play any role. This time, he stands up to the powerful “Muthuvel “Tiger” Pandian” as a murderous gangster. The women in the film have little to do, as Rajinikanth controls the film and their lives alike. Their roles are mostly passive, as wife, daughter-in-law, and an actress who appears only when the story takes a small turn. Rajinikanth’s Padayappa antagonist Ramya Krishnan has been cast as his wife, but don’t expect the magic worked between them in the 1999 movie here. As usual, Ramya Krishnan delivers fantastic acting in the limited scenes given to her.
Jailer shows that the Tamil industry is now learning to use the new winning formula of the South Indian film industry. In the process, you will see the influence of other box office hits in the region, such as Pushpa, in the use of effective visuals and impactful background score.
Rajinikanth starts the film serenely, but as the idea of revenge grows in him, he transforms into the Megastar actor we know and love, with all his celebrated mannerisms and sound modulation.
The screenplay is presented in a predictable way for typical Rajini fans. From the moment he cries after “losing” his son, you know that the screen icon you are familiar with is going for retribution. With the overarching idea of “a former jailer of Tihar jail will do anything and everything possible”, the viewer is left to guess about the entire storyline even before the film enters halftime. However, the film does have some good twists and turns, even if it is predictable.
