Satire is one of the wonderful ways of probing into the existing pitfalls in a system with a view to laughing at them. Satire may be a verbal weapon or a visual voice.Silent satire through looks and gestures is some times more effective than what words could do.But verbal satire always creates instant laughter as in the case of late Mr. Cho Ramasami the ever sparkling writer and actor for whom satire was a tool for causing rib tickling laughter through parodies and power of words, targeting his victims with tenacity and grit.His subject was mostly politics and his victims were usually politicians.
However when a film resorts to hitting its own themes,profiles and performers, it becomes extraordinarily exciting because of the intrinsic risks involved in washing one's dirty linen in public. Tamizh Padam2 following its earlier journey of self satire in Thamizh Padam,continues to ridicule the way Tamil films project their themes, events and characters, in addition to grooming and blowing up the hero image, into superhuman dimensions.
At the outset, it should be stated clearly that one needs a different mind set to watch the film with enjoyment because it is altogether a different type of film.In fact even my mindset is not fit for that.When I say this it does not mean I undermine the quality of presentation of the film or the hard work put in by the team consisting of C.S Amuthan,Shiva,Satish and others who have shouldered the major responsibility of making the film reach a wider level of audience.When I watched the film at a local theatre I was really stunned to see a huge audience,which I have not recently seen, even for a Vijay movie or a movie of the Superstar.The crowd at the ticket counter triggered my expectation for a vigorous enjoyment of the film.
Those who would have witnessed Imsai Arasan Irubadhumoonram Pulikesi of Simbudhevan would have left the theatre with memories of laughter generated at the theatres by the grand show of comedy by Vadivelu&co because the spontaneity of humour was vitally linked to characters and situations, that made the show unforgettably rejoicing.But here, you have periodical bouts of laughter like the intermittent feeble showers in Chennai during the months of July /August.There is enough to laugh about but not much to absorb and retain.
The film has touched upon various funny aspects of film making and political programming.It has not even excluded a sly reference to the meaningless visits of politicians to the tombs of their departed leaders, purely to indulge in meditation and swearing.From Devar Makan to Kabali,from Thuppaaki to Vedhalam , from Endhiran to Vikram Vedha it is a panorama of satirical inclusion of scenes.To make the audience chuckle, Venkat Prabu and Premji Amaran appear specially for an item number{Kasturi is 'honoured'}that ends with the glamour dancer getting paid by the police department for her job.The payment by cheque to the dancer is a cheeky reminder of the 'avoid cash payment' dictum of the present regime.The film touches upon demonetization too,as 'a Cop measure' to trap the villain.
The mythological flashback revolving around the theme of immortality blessed by a jack fruit, becomes an irrelevant intrusion that could have been jettisoned.But the dance performed by Shiva and Satish at the mythical palace,seems to have been scrupulously filmed to amuse the audience.Music{ Background score and not the songs that hurt the ears} and visual effects make the film reflect and echo the splendour of a superhero film.Nevertheless,the determined role play of Satish and Shiva {sorry Shiva and Satish} under the astute supervision of Amuthan make the film live up to the yardsticks of a full fledged parody. On the whole it is a film meant for a selective audience,though in reality,it has undoubtedly become s crowd puller.
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