'Taanakkaran' review: Vikram Prabhu's performance throws light on power abuse
The story of the Tamil film Taanakkaran is fairly simple. Arivu (Vikram Prabhu) gets selected for police training and soon, he is seen locking horns with Eshwaramurthy (played by Lal)—a menacing training officer. It is up to Arivu and his comrades to do whatever it takes to graduate from the training academy and realize their dream of becoming police officers. Here's our detailed review.
What is the story all about?
Director-writer Tamizh has succeeded in what can be perceived as the brutality of the police force. While Eshwaramurthy is ruthless, in a rare instance, Arivu and his companions find a sympathetic officer who is kind enough to listen to their woes. And, the plot revolves around how they survive while having Eshwaramurthy as their training officer, who is out to make Arivu's life difficult.
Film backed by an ensemble of talented actors
Prabhu manages to carry the entire film on his shoulders but that is not to say he is not aided by the writing—he is lionized to a fair extent. That also sets the ball rolling for the female lead played by Anjali Nair. The supporting cast, including the likes of Lal (in top form), MS Bhaskar, and "Bose" Venkat, among others, lend able support.
Leading lady's portions were pretty meaty
Nair is sprightly and does a fairly good job but we still wish her character was designed better. Nevertheless, the actor has made good of the material that has come her way. Considering the film's genre, there are not too many songs but thankfully, they blend in well with the proceedings. The stunts are realistic and go with the overall theme of the story.
Major flaw is the familiar pattern that the story flows
If one were to point out the flaws, it would definitely be the familiar pattern the film settles itself into soon enough. There is bad behavior on part of the officers, a mutiny among the trainees, punishments, and ultimately, triumph. No prizes for guessing, who wins over whom. Had there been an element of surprise in the film, it would have worked even better.
'Taanakkaran' doesn't engage us and fails in screenplay
Tamizh has his heart in the right place and has put in sincere effort in highlighting the abuse some men in powerful uniforms commit. But a good-intended film doesn't always mean it is well crafted. The film falls short of conveying the same in an engaging, effective manner. We are going with 2.5 stars for the film. Taanakkaran is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
