Kollywood superstar Dhanush who has been picking up only message-oriented social dramas of late is switching tracks with Jagame Tantram, a commercial potboiler helmed by Karthik Subbaraj. Let us see what the film has to offer.
Story:
Peter (James Cosmo) and Sivados (Joju George) are two arch rivals in the London crime world. Following a series of unfortunate events, Suruli(Dhanush), a local gangster in Madurai relocates to London and joins Peter’s gang. How does Suruli’s entry into the crime syndicate change the whole scenario? What are its consequences?
What about on-screen performances?
Dhanush excels in the role of a small-time gangster who goes on to shake the London underworld. His dialogue modulation and body language are electrifying. James Cosmo has a menacing screen presence. National award winning actor Joju George plays a brief yet impactful role and he delivers what is expected of him. Aishwarya Lekshmi bags a good role and she performs well.
What about off-screen talents?
Shreyaas Krishna’s cinematography is top notch. His visual presentation is of the highest quality. He brings Hollywood gangster saga vibe with his brilliant work behind the lens. Santosh Narayanan’s background score is soulful and it elevates the mood. Editing should have been much better as quite a few scenes look stretched out.
Karthik Subbaraj never fails in presenting his films aesthetically and he continues the tradition with Jagame Tantram. But the problem is with his narration this time around. The first half is comparatively better and it has a few bright moments here and there. But things fall apart in the latter half as the screenplay is clumsy. The story doesn’t progress at the right pace and the poorly conceived climax doesn’t help the cause either.
What’s Hot?
First Half
Dhanush’s performance
Elevation scenes
Music and visuals
What’s Not?
Second half
Weak story
Slow-paced narration
Poorly written climax
Unnecessarily lengthy run-time
Verdict:
Dhanush’s performance is one of the very few highlights of Jagame Tantram. The film goes down as one of the weakest works of Karthik Subbaraj till date. The visual presentation is good but abysmal storytelling and snail-paced screenplay make this gangster saga a poor watch.
Watch or Not?: Dhanush’s fans can give it a try.