Vithagan

Canny cop & cruel crooks

In making since 2008, Vithagan, Parthiban’s 50th film, has finally seen the light of the day. One only wishes it had been confined in the cans for eternity. Donning both before and behind the camera functions, Parthiban pins his hopes on Vithagan that it will validate his pull power at turnstiles.

Sadly, Vithagan, billed as a cop saga, wherein the man in khaki, boasts of being both brainy as well as brawny, brooking no nonsense, turns out into a typical, trite fare, where Parthiban rules the roost, given that he plays the lead as also cranks the camera. 

In keeping with it’s trigger-happy tagline – With The Gun, Vithagan, turns out a high-voltage, action surcharged, adrenaline-driving drama. Incidentally, Vithagan means one who is skilled in all aspects. If one could truly say that of Parthiban who wields a willow one too many!

Finding that being forthright does not fetch him necesary results nor help fend off offenders or deter them from their henious activ ities by appealing to their saner senses, Rowthiran takes the law into his own solid, steely hands. Matching wit for wit, ploy with ploy, brain with brawn, the clever cop tackles the trouble makers sending them to the coolers. In between he makes time to fall in love with Mary as also romance her with duets and dance dos. 

Though Parthiban does bring a bit of novelty in his dealings with the routine crime and criminal cauldron, the film though fails to be an enlivening experience. While his antics and actions evoke guffaws among audiences, Poorna provides support as the pretty maiden behind her man.

The rest act as pivots to prolong the great Parthiban show. Peppy songs, technical gloss and spiced script and delirious denouement, turn Vithagan into one vivacious vaudeville as vapid and vacuous as it can be.