'Sengalam' review: An effective yet predictable tale of power play – The New Indian Express
Specific Information Service
They are saying loyalty in politics solely serves a private function. In all probability why any political energy sport finds itself on the centre of a vicious and never-ending loop. In some methods, political energy is like vitality… it could actually neither be created nor destroyed, and might solely be transferred from one political chief to a different. The plot of the brand new Zee5 internet collection, Sengalam (Purple battlefield), is all about this unending battle of passing the baton.
The nine-episode collection reveals two parallel tracks colliding ultimately by untying the knots and becoming a member of the dots. Every episode is split into two segments. It travels from present-day Virudhanagar the place Rayar (Kalaiyarasan) and his two brothers are in a hideout after committing murders, to the previous the place a household with three generations of political legacy faces off in opposition to a brand new political rival. Will the third-generation chairman, Rajamanikam (Pawan), married to Suriyakala (Vani Bhojan) lastly be dethroned?
Rajamanikam’s sudden demise units the ball rolling and brings to the fore Suriyakala’s machinations to rule the municipality. On this quest, she makes use of the knowledge of her pal Natchiyar (Shali Nivekas), who’s the queenmaker, and her brother Rayar. The preliminary episodes are centered on establishing the characters, and the narrative is burdened by exposition. Though few scenes appear a bit staged, Sengalam positive aspects momentum after the third episode when Suriyakala strategises her option to the highest.
Those that have noticed Tamil Nadu politics know of the camaraderie and fallout between former CM J Jayalalithaa and her shut aide V Sasikala. In some ways, Sengalam appears to discover an analogous equation with its principal characters albeit approaching it by way of the purview of native governance. Though the plotlines lead to some predictable pay-offs, it’s burdened much more by some underwhelming staging, particularly with the lacklustre police procedurals, and the onscreen hype concerning the election outcomes doesn’t actually translate off-screen. The dearth of inventiveness within the visible model, and a template narrative model don’t assist the promising premise. However director SR Prabhakaran, who has already proved his penchant for rural dramas, strikes gold with the mounting of Sengalam too. The fragrances of the Chettinadu swirl round by way of the dialect, the classic homes, the crooked lanes by way of the hamlets, and the huge and arid forest ranges.
In a dialogue-heavy collection, actors Kalaiyarasan, Vani and Shali put up assertive performances that elevate this relatively acquainted story. There’s an attention-grabbing layer involving Rayar’s estranged spouse Mathi, who would possibly come throughout as only a comedian aid, however has a poignant second the place she displays on how not all girls get to do what they love. Such transient moments of pathos hold the narrative ticking, and one other such scene was the one involving Rayar and Suriya as they talk about the chasm between them regardless of the unprofessed love discovered within the crevices of their hearts. There is no such thing as a doubt that politics can’t be with out the affect of sophistication and caste, and Sengalam subtly brings in these angles within the exploration of how harmless people are sometimes caught within the crossfire of devious plots.
This determined longing for the all-consuming energy to interrupt out of the shackles, and attain the higher echelons, is finest explored by way of the convincing Naachi, who has no qualms admitting politics is like fishing in murky waters. In reality, it’s her pertinent questions on politics that kind the bottom of Sengalam.
Even when the hype will not be as large because the Baahubali cliffhanger, Sengalam does have a cogent one within the type of ‘Who killed Rajamanikam?’ There’s a trace of a sequel, which guarantees to reply questions just like the technique of the brand new chairperson and the plight of Rayar and his brothers. With the gamers and the plot in place, all that’s required of the sequel is to have extra focus and finesse. Will that occur? That’s yet one more query that the sequel will hopefully reply.
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