Directed by:- Atlee
Cast:-
Thalapaty Vijay, Kajal Aggarwal
Samantha Ruth, Prabhu Nithya Menen
S. J. Suryah, Sathyaraj
Vadivelu, Hareesh Peradi
Kovai Sarala, Sathyan
Release:- 18 October 2017
Running time:- 163 minutes
Mersal Movie Download:-
Mersal Movie Review:- The film begins with the kidnapping of a few individuals and the arrest of Dr Maaran (Vijay), who, the investigating officer Rathnavel (Sathyaraj) believes is the mastermind. As he interrogates the doctor on why he let himself get captured, he learns that it is actually Vetri (Vijay) , a magician - and a look-alike of Maaran - who has committed these crimes. How is Vetri connected to Maaran and what does he want?
Taking a leaf out of his guru Shankar’s playbook, and a lot of inspiration from masala movies of the yesteryears (from MGR's dual-role films like Kudiyirundha Koyil and Neerum Neruppum to triple-role films like Rajinikanth's Moondru Mugam and Kamal Haasan's Apoorva Sagotharargal), Atlee has given us a wholly satisfying mass-hero film. And his decision to bring on board Vijayendra Prasad, the writer of Rajamouli's films, is a masterstroke (Atlee and Ramanagiri Vasan, who has written the dialogues, are the co-writer). The fingerprints of the Baahubali writer can be found in many scenes - like in the scene in the flashback portion, where Thalapathy (Vijay), the father of Vetri and Maaran, has to save people trapped in a fire. Thalapathy brings down a giant wheel singlehandedly, and it feels like a nod to Baahubali, where Prabhas stops a huge statue from falling down. There is also another distinct Baahubali moment where a child raises its hand even as its father goes down promising the hands of his people will rise up.
Like the masala films that it tries to emulate, the film also has a longer duration. We get two flashbacks, one before the interval, and another post it. Atlee also gives a romantic track each to Vetri and Maaran. These are just generic ones, but the two actresses, Kajal Aggarwal and Samantha, manage to provide some lighthearted moments in the minuscule time that they get. But the director makes up for it with the romance in the flashback involving Thalapathy and Nithya Menen, once again, comes up with an affecting performance.
The success of any revenge-based masala movie is the effectiveness of its antagonist and it is here that Mersal feels a little underwhelming. Atlee seems to have wanted an antagonist who is suave and sinister, but perhaps because we have only recently seen a terrifically over-the-top SJ Suryah in Spyder, his characterization of Daniel Arockiaraj here comes across as a rather subdued villain, even though the actor does well.
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