The latest flick from distinguished director Mari Selvaraj is 'Bison Kaalamaadan'. Mari, known for tackling tough topics like oppression and social inequality in his films, is tackling a new subject - Kabaddi. This time around his story is set in a rural area back in the 1990s.
The lead character is Kittayya (played by Dhruv Vikram): a young bloke who dreams big of achieving miracles in Kabaddi. But his old man Veluswamy (Pasipathi) has other ideas - he's dead set against Kittayya taking up the sport. He's worried sick about his son's future and orders him to pack it in. Kittayya's family just happens to be part of a community that's been kept down for generations.
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Even though he's determined to break through those social barriers using Kabaddi as a platform, he's up against it at every turn. The main storyline of this film is Kittayya's journey to turn his dreams into reality and to take on the inequalities that run deep in that particular village where the class divide is stark.
Mari, like in his previous flicks, has picked up on social injustice and oppression as a key theme here too. The director has managed to get the idea across to some extent - how Kabaddi can serve as a platform that brings to light the social inequalities - but not as sharply or emotionally as we've come to expect from him. The story moves a bit slowly, with some scenes feeling a bit too familiar and the twists a bit too predictable.
Dhruv Vikram (Kittaiah): lets just say that Dhruv has gone to town on this role - he's transformed himself physically and given a top notch performance that showcases his ability to convey the emotional depth of a young guy trying to pursue his dreams in an environment that is stacked against him. He's shown he has the chops to become a top actor by the looks of it.
Pasipathi (Veluswamy): this actor has played the father torn between fear and love with an authenticity that is hard to put into words. The emotional core of the film is the bond between Kittayya and Veluswamy - the scenes between these two had me feeling all sorts of emotions.
Other actors: Lal, Aamir and Rajisha have all done a good job but to be honest Anupama's role was a bit of a letdown - just 15 minutes of screen time and she didn't get much chance to act at all.
Direction & Writing: Selvaraj, who has turned writer and director, has done a decent job with this film but not as good as his previous films. Especially the uneven pace and repetitive scenes brought down the film. Although there is a good point on Kabaddi and social issues, he couldn’t make it fully accessible to the audience.
Cinematography: Ezil Arasu K’s cinematography is another plus for this film. He has captured the rural environment and Kabaddi sports scenes very well and naturally. The visual experience is good in every frame.
Music & Editing: Niwas K. Prasanna The music is not good. Although the songs and background music is good, in some places it’s loud as if it doesn’t fit the scene. Shakthi Thiru’s editing should have been sharper. If the repetitive parts had been removed, the film would have been shorter and the narrative tighter. The production values are as per the film.
Overall: ‘Bison Kaalamaadan’ is a sports drama that shows oppression and social inequality in the context of Kabaddi. The film is a bit of a workout because of Dhruv Vikram’s dedication and his performance. But director Mari Selvaraj’s narrative is not as sharp and emotional as his previous films.
The long runtime, predictable narrative and the ups and downs in the flow of emotions make ‘Bison’ an average film. The raw tone of the film may not appeal to all. If you are only interested in Dhruv Vikram’s performance and the social sports theme, you can watch this film with low expectations.