We
see
Rajini’s
trademark
style
in
Vettayan,
and
all
we
can
hear
from
the
audience
is
‘Thalaiva!‘,
A
Ganesh
Nadar
records
after
watching
the
film
in
Chennai.
Rajinikanth
posters
appear
as
larger
than
life
as
the
man
himself.
Photograph:
A
Ganesh
Nadar
“I
have
acted
with
superstars
like
Amitabh
Bachchan,
Shah
Rukh
Khan,
Salman
Khan,
Mammootty,
Raaj
Kumar,”
Nagma
once
told
me,
“but
if
you
ask
me
to
name
one
superstar
there
is
only
Rajinikanth.”
<p”On
the
sets,”
she
recalled,
“he
will
be
sitting
quietly
and
no
one
will
notice
him.
But
once
the
cameras
roll,
he
steps
forward.
It
is
electrifying!
Something
happens
to
him
and
everyone
on
the
sets
can
feel
the
energy
he
brings
in
with
him.”
Vettayan
is
Rajinikanth’s
latest
film,
and
it
has
something
not
usually
associated
with
his
movies
from
the
last
decade:
It
has
a
strong
story
line.
Another
speciality
of
this
movie
is
that
there
is
no
heroine
dancing
with
him.
Yes,
there
is
one
song
where
he
dances,
but
without
a
partner.
The
choreographer
keeps
his
age
in
mind
and
gives
him
moves
where
he
doesn’t
have
to
strain
himself.
Like
a
friend
once
told
me,
“During
a
press
conference
with
Sanjay
Dutt,
when
a
reporter
asked
him
if
he
liked
the
song
and
dance
he
was
performing,
the
deadly
Dutt
said
in
his
Munnabhai
style,
‘Main
kahan
nach
raha
tha.
Woh
(the
heroine)
mere
aage
peeche
nach
rahi
thi.’
A
cine-goer
stands
next
to
a
Rajinikanth
cut-out
in
a
Chennai
theatre.
Photograph:
A
Ganesh
Nadar
In
Vettayan,
Rajnikanth
plays
a
hot-headed
encounter
specialist
and
shoots
people
at
will.
Amitabh
Bachchan
plays
a
human
rights
lawyer.
Whoever
dubbed
for
him
in
Tamil
did
a
very
poor
job.
I
really
missed
the
baritone
voice
that
can
produce
as
much
energy
as
Rajinikanth
in
any
scene.
Dushara
Vijayan
plays
a
pivotal
role
and
her
innocent
face
will
make
you
cry
when
a
horrific
sexual
assault
happens
to
her.
Her
assault
scene
is
repeated
several
times
in
the
film.
It
is
heartbreaking
at
first,
but
later
gets
jarring.
Fahadh
Faasil
is
brilliant.
He
is
a
scamster
electronic
genius,
who
turns
a
good
leaf
to
become
Rajinikanth’s
spy.
Though
everyone
in
the
film
seems
to
be
in
awe
of
Rajini,
Fahadh’s
character
is
certainly
the
exception
and
acts
normal
around
him.
Not
only
is
he
a
spy,
he
has
a
comic
element.
Manju
Warrier
and
Ritika
Singh
play
important
roles.
The
villain
is
Rana
Daggubati.
Unfortunately,
Director
T
J
Gnanavel
seems
so
fascinated
by
Rajinikanth
that
Rana
is
reduced
to
a
footnote.
He
appears
only
after
the
interval
and
his
total
screen
time
must
be
around
15
minutes
in
a
165
minute
movie.
Amitabh
gets
slightly
more
screen
time,
at
about
20
minutes.
Fahadh
is
there
throughout
the
movie
and
deserves
the
screen
presence.
Veteran
actress
Rohini
appears
late
in
the
movie,
but
is
efficient.
Abhirami
plays
a
good
sidekick
to
Rana
Daggubati.
The
scene
outside
a
theatre
screening
Vettayan.
Photograph:
A
Ganesh
Nadar
The
movie
ends
with
a
Rajinikanth
message,
and
for
that,
he
gets
a
hug
from
Amitabh
Bachchan.
Rajinikanth’s
movies
are
always
welcomed
with
drums
and
festivities.
Photograph:
A
Ganesh
Nadar
The
songs
are
foot-tapping,
and
Music
Director
Anirudh
even
appears
in
one
of
them.
The
background
music
is
only
to
highlight
the
superstar,
whether
he
is
fighting
or
simply
walking.
We
see
Rajini’s
trademark
style
in
the
film,
and
all
we
can
hear
from
the
audience
is
‘Thalaiva!‘
Vettayan
Review
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