Vivek Athreya’s new mass avatar banking on Dasara’s proven Massy Nani powered with Jakes Bejoy’s massiest background score is a true commercial action drama tailored for a theatrical experience, enjoyed best with masses.
The power of a commercial hero in Indian cinema is in the anger, and violence that comes after. So, the hero is always in search of justification, often it is for the sake of justice. After all, he is the hero. Surya (Nani) doesn’t search for the justification. Justifications find him. He is the hero, after all. Surya is made to restrain his anger and violence through mother-sentiment. And, what else gives such a theatrical high than the hero’s restrained anger unleashing at the right moment?
This commercial formula of hero silently restraining his power to be unleashed at the right moment has been utilised very well by Vivek Athreya through his unique concept of violent hero for a reason on only Saturdays and a violent villain for no reason on all days.
Duality of Surya.
Surya (Nani) is a boy-next-door NLIC employee still searching for his childhood love-crush, his sister-in-law, Pallavi alias Charulatha alias Kallu (Priyanka Mohan). She works as a police constable under our star performer of the show, SJ Suryah playing the inspector Dayanand role with an impeccable eccentricity that only SJ Suryah can deliver.
The anticipation created by making us wait for the face-off between Surya and Daya and Charulatha is as interesting as the buildup scenes that comes after; that brings Daya, Surya, Charulatha and also Sokulapalem together.
Athreya’s Mark of Screenplay
Vivek Athreya’s intelligent mark of screenplay comes alive for a moment in the second half. The smart Surya tries to side himself by trying to exploit the existing feud between Daya and his brother Kurmanand (Murali Sharma) to set the criminal-turned-innocent Sokulapalem free of Daya’s cruel atrocities. But the over-smart Daya’s cat-and-mouse game is even more interesting and amusing too. The scenes with Daya and Kurmanand are a few scenes that generated a few good laughs.
Jakes Bejoy: The Fuel to the Fire
The last time the whole cinema was elevated with a single score was Anirudh Ravichandran’s Jailer’s Hukum track. Jakes Bejoy’s Garam Garam track is definitely a speaker-thumper high on octane banger. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram wouldn’t be the same if Bejoy’s music is taken out of the cinema.
The cinematography by Murali G added a great value with the right usage of colour palette of Red-ish Oranges tinted with slight blues, The visuals are quite cinematic. The colour palette sometimes reminded me of DVV’s previous production RRR (2022), especially in the climax where there is a bit of play with fire and water for a few seconds.
Mass Hero & Saviour Complex
Is it impossible to have a mass hero without the saviour complex? Surya becomes the saviour of a ghetto that reminds you of Rajamouli’s Chatrapathi and bits from Vamshi Paidipally’s Yevadu– which again feels like a cheap rip-off from Chatrapathi. It is not a screenwriting crime to have such a subplot without just playing with two masculine egos. But, it is also a dreaded subject to have a hero as a saviour of the enitre community. Yet, it always works if done better. And it works well in Saripodhaa Sanivaaram because of its climax’s chaotically well-choreographed fight sequence imagined by Ram Laxman and Real Satish.
I definitely missed the comedy timing of Vivek Athreya. But, it was compensated with cinematic mass scenes and intelligent screenplay playing with the idea of a restrained anger of hero for a purpose and unleashed anger of villain for no reason. Vivek Athreya’s new avatar as a mass commercial now makes him an even more interesting filmmaker. The champ has proven.
Rating : 3.5/5
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