Review: Pokkiri – Vijay’s Pongal special - Fans Only

Quality Score: 4.5/10
Masala Value: 8.5/10

As a cinema connoisseur/critic, first let me tell you why the movie was so hyped and is big. Vijay wrestled to buy the re-make rights following one of his biggest flops and now returns this Pongal after the longest sabbatical of his career. Prabhu Deva after establishing himself in Telugu cinema wields the megaphone for the first time in Tamil.

Tamil (Vijay) a.k.a Pokkiri is a powerful henchman who will work for anyone who pays him well. Over time, he builds a reputation for himself amongst the city’s different terror groups and they begin to fear him. This entire terror network is run by the international don Ali Bhai (Prakash Raj). How Tamil comes face-to-face with Ali Bhai and manages to clean up the terror mess forms the basic story. In this backdrop, Tamil comes across a happy-go-lucky yoga instructor in Sruthi (Asin). They do eventually fall in love, but refrain from getting together as Sruthi is not sure of Tamil’s credentials in life as a ‘pokkiri.’

The story is definitely not extra-ordinary. You will need star-power and a good screenplay to make such films run – there is abundance of the former and a dearth of the latter. People of all classes loved Vijay’s Gilli solely for its pace, which is completely absent in this movie. It is too slow and moves at a snail pace especially with no content in the first half story-wise. Prabhu Deva, reveled for his racy screenplay has failed to change the initial version and inject some much needed pace in the film and I’m very disappointed with that.

Vijay effuses brilliance and maximum macho-ism in yet another super-hero role. Asin is as attractive as always and had managed to effortlessly captivate and hold 500 people around me speechless in the theater with her sexy looks and magnetic presence. Vadivelu is funny and does make you laugh in some scenes; his mockery of the Ghajini song is too hilarious.

The songs are just average and no tune really stays on your mind. However, the remix of the yesteryear hit number ‘Vasantha Mulai’ is catchy and hummable. The same songs look beautiful on screen courtesy some good picturization and vintage Prabhu Deva choreography. Some of his dance moves are always a treat to the eye!

Caution: If you’re a Vijay fan, dance and whistle while you watch; And if you’re not one, think twice before you watch.

-Varun Prasad