103. Valimai; movie review

 

VALIMAI

Cert 15

178 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence, drug misuse

Five years ago, it became national news in India when it was revealed that Ajith Kumar had succumbed to using hair dye.

Nothing wrong with that I say...Mrs W even dabs some over my follicles every month.

But can I humbly suggest that the Tamil superstar, his hairdresser and continuity gurus pay more attention to his shading while he is making a movie because it is very distracting when it is forever changing.

I presume the issue here was that the shooting of Valimai was disrupted due to the Covid pandemic. Consequently, Kumar's locks are dark in some scenes and light in others. Perhaps it was easier with the good old salt and pepper.

In Valimai, he plays the muscular cop the city of Chennai desperately needs to help end a terrifying sequence of robberies and murders.

This is a more complex thriller than the likes of Singam with the police officer facing some key moral dilemmas as the quest to nail the criminals ratchets up.

Kartikeya Gummakonda is a rather wonderful villain who rounds up young men who feel excluded from society because they can't find a worthwhile job.

Through some technical wizardry, he can instruct scores of them at a time to go out on motorbikes and cause mayhem or even commit murder.

Meanwhile, he has linked up with Colombian drug smugglers and even has his tentacles among the police and politicians.

This all sets up what is essentially a dramatic chase movie with motorbikes literally flying through the air.

Indeed, there are some cracking scenes, especially one in which the bikers try to release pals as they are being transported down a motorway to court. It really is a classic.

And, as is so often in Indian films, the plot really grabs during the second half and has a particularly satisfying ending.

Kumar maybe to the fore but as well as Gummakonda, he has admirable support from Huma Qureshi as his character's right-hand woman, Sumithra as his mother and Raj Ayyappa as his younger brother.

Reasons to watch: Great chase scenes

Reasons to avoid: Far too long

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Ajith Kumar has a passion for racing. He is a Formula 2 racer & has participated in many national & international racing competitions.

The final word. Vinoth: "Every commercial director’s dream is to work with big names, but as a star, Ajith was so humble that it took me by surprise. He even served coffee for me! I’m going to be doing my third film with him now, but the excitement of seeing him has not dimmed till date." The Hindu

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