Release Date : April 15, 2023
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring: Soori, Bhavani Sre, Vijay Sethupathi, Chetan, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Ilavarasu, Balaji Sakthivel, Tamizh and others
Director: Vetrimaaran
Producer: Elred Kumar
Music Director: Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematography: R Velraj
Editor: R Ramar
Related Links : Trailer
National Award-winning director Vetrimaaran is back with a new film titled Viduthalai Part 1. The Tamil film, which was released last month, is now dubbed in Telugu and has hit the screens today. Check out our review to know how it is.
Story:
Kumaresan (Soori) gets appointed as a police officer in a sensitive village surrounded by dense forests and jagged routes on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border. He serves as a driver in the police camp, where his superiors are leading a mission called Operation Ghost Hunt to nab the leader of Praja Dalam, Perumal (Vijay Sethupathi), who opposes the government’s decision of mining the hills for valuable minerals. Unfortunately, none of the police officers is aware of Perumal’s identity and whereabouts, but the honest and upright Kumaresan discovers his location. What happened next? Did the police believe in the tip of a driver? How is Papa aka Tamilarasi (Bhavani Sre) related to this story? Did the police catch Perumal or not? The movie has all the answers.
Plus Points:
Director Vetrimaaran and his movies have a separate fan base. The director always showcases social issues in a realistic style. In Vidudala Part 1, he talks about the police and their behaviour towards the commoners and showcases how policemen treat the general public.
As a story, Vidudala Part 1 is nothing new to audiences. But Vetrimaaran’s style of making is one of the main assets of this period film and makes the audiences glued to their seats.
He also needs to be appreciated for choosing comedian Soori in a serious role. It is quite a surprise to see a comedian in such a serious role and Soori has nailed his character of an upright policeman.
Though the screen time is low compared to other lead characters, Vijay Sethupathi is as usual good in his role. The director also hinted that the second part will focus more on Makkal Selvan.
Bhavani Sre is truly exceptional in the role of Papa alias Tamilarasi. She delivers exactly what the director needs, and she looks more attractive in a non-glamorous role. She needs to be appreciated for taking up this challenging role. Her scenes with Soori are lovely to watch on screen. Gautham Vasudev Menon and Chetan also performed very well. The rest of the actors are just okay.
The dubbing is good. The 4-minute single-shot scene in the beginning, the intense climax portion, and the glimpses of part 2 are worth watching.
Minus Points:
As mentioned above, the story is nothing new to audiences, and what makes it more uninteresting is the slow narration, especially in the second half. Though this is how Vetrimaaran makes films, it is important to know that he needs to write an engaging screenplay to make Vidudala a better film.
Most of the scenes are prolonged with lengthy conversations. Though they are important for the proceedings, they create unnecessary lag and thus make one feel bored.
The excess amount of violence and nudity, specifically in the second half, might disturb a section of the audience.
The other problem with the film is that the majority of actors are unfamiliar to Telugu audiences, and it might be difficult for them to connect with the characters easily. Also, certain scenes soaked in Tamil nativity might not connect well with Telugu audiences.
Technical Aspects:
Director Vetrimaaran must be appreciated for showing reality on screen in a natural manner. He presents exactly what he wants to. As a filmmaker, he succeeded in making people glued to their screens for the most part. But he should have come up with a more engaging narration in the second half.
Director of Photography R Velraj did an amazing job. He showcased his exceptional skills in aerial and extreme wide-angle shots, which are amazing to watch. Tunesmith Ilaiyaraaja gives a lively background score that tunes well with the situations. The film has a couple of songs, and they are also good. Editing should have been better, and the production values are fine.
Verdict:
On the whole, Vidudala Part 1 is a realistic period cop drama that has some well-executed moments. Vetrimaaran’s making, Soori’s performance, and the climax part worked out very well. You can watch the film this weekend if you manage to bear the adult content and sluggish narration.
123telugu.com Rating: 3/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team