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.
"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.'
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 movie ends with a Rajinikanth message, and for that, he gets a hug from Amitabh Bachchan.
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!'
