Director Prem Kumar captures ‘love’, ‘helplessness’, ‘memories’ and ‘life’ in the right ways possible. 96 isn’t an earth-shattering love story, but there is something special about it. If you are a hopeless romantic, this film will leave you in tears. It’s amazing how Tamil cinema has changed, and he is keeping up with the pace. Mani Ratnam has been making movies for the past 35 years and is still exploring new ways to tell stories within the boundaries of mainstream cinema. Despite having four male lead actors - Vijay Sethupathi, Simbu, Arvind Swami and Arun Vijay on board, there is a seamless balance in the screen time allotted to each actor. The story deals with a man’s quest for power, money and the way it affects even close relationships. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say only Mani Ratnam can make an action-based gangster film, and draw the family audience to theaters. The frames that involve Keerthy with exquisite designer saris, hand-crafted and vintage jewellery are a visual treat to watch. The makers couldn’t have found better artistes to play the legendary actors on the screen. Some of the best moments of the film include the romance between Gemini Ganesan ( Dulquer Salmaan) and Savitri (Keerthy).
Credit goes to director Nag Ashwin and team for the same. Recreating a bygone era which has the top star of the times definitely needs meticulous research. It’s not easy to make a convincing biopic - especially - when it revolves around the life of a female actor. The film, which sheds light on caste hegemony, education system and gender minorities, equally excels in the technical departments from cinematography to the background score. Kathir was a terrific choice to play the lead. What sets this Pa Ranjith production apart from other caste-based stories is the narrative. That way, Pariyerum Perumal, which begins with a card that reads ‘caste and religion are against humanity’, was unapologetic. I believe the primary objective of any art is to hold a mirror up to society. While commercial directors, in general, refuse to budge from the formula, it’s newcomers like Mari Selvaraj who give us some hope.
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