Review: Sivaji – The Boss, totally in sync with Style & Stardom
Quality Score: 7/10
Masala Value: 12/10!

The buzz is finally over! Kollywood has been bustling with anticipation for months and the media has added to this euphoria with all the hype and coverage it can possibly provide. And what was the result of this equation? Sivaji just blows the audience away proving that the Rajini-Shankar-ARR combination is just the most formidable of them all. Trust me; the audience went berserk with every dialogue and every move the super-star made in the film. It’s like a big bang for tamil films, breaking the lull that has been prevailing for sometime now.

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Sivaji is yet another addition to Shankar’s slew of hits. The theme is not un-guessable considering the director’s history. It’s about the prevalence of black money in our society and the omnipresent corruption that hinders the upliftment of the dark areas in India. Sivaji (Rajinikanth), a highly ambitious software architect returning from United States is instantly displeased with the state of affairs & rising poverty levels in India. So Sivaji along-with his uncle (Vivek), floats a venture ‘Sivaji Foundations,’ a pool of hospitals and universities for the welfare of the poor and needy. Very piqued by Sivaji’s ambitious nature, is Adi (Suman) a powerful kingmaker/businessman whose ultimate goal is to dominate and quell Sivaji’s social desires. So there starts the movie, as Sivaji overcomes each hurdle placed in his way and ultimately completes his Rs. 200-crore project and thereby, realizes his dream. Selvi (Shriya) plays his love interest.

This undoubtedly is one of Shankar’s toughest assignment till date. He has to walk a tightrope between the presentation of his usual message against the evils of society and serve this in superstar-ly fashion laced with all the trademark antics. Add to that the pressure of satisfying fans and living upto the hype – Shankar has come up with the best he can offer in a clutch-performance.

Vivek is paired with Rajini in a major role for the first time and their combination does bring the roof down at times. Being the superstar’s heroine is the biggest role Shriya can dream of in her career. She looks HOT, no seriously! Oozes glamour and lights up every damn frame. This movie is sure to bring her international recognition and fame.

The most note-worthy part of the movie is the colossal sets and the make-up. Rajni has been made to look young and more stylish than ever before - kudos to Manish Malhotra, for pulling this feat. A.R.Rahman’s songs have been utilized very well throughout the movie; Shankar’s picturization in the backdrop of Thotta Tharani’s set is a true revelation. Thotta’s much publicized glasshouse set in the ‘Sahana’ song is a brilliant spectacle. In line with Shankar’s tradition of fast-beat pre-climax numbers’ ‘Athiradee’ simply beholds the viewer.

Although content-wise it may lack depth when compared to other Shankar movies, remember this is a Rajini-starrer, specially designed for him. You goto a Rajni movie not for story-value but for unlimited mass entertainment and there is no dearth of it. I call it no less than a ‘nuclear hit’ for lack of a better phrase.

Above all, it is set to shatter all records and take Tamil films to greater heights. Sivaji has ensured that the Rajni-phenomenon is now a national theme.

Bottom Line: Sixkku approm Seven da; Sivajikku approm yevan da!

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- Chandrachood Ramkumar, Varun Prasad