Ajith who went off the radar in his last 'Aegan', is back fit and fine in 'Asal'. And perhaps to compensate the 'Aegan' disappointment, he hogs all the limelight giving audience a double delight in the movie.
Though the story is not new, it is all about style and substance and the film is loaded with rich visuals and breathtaking sequences, making it a quality outing.
When a hit pair comes together, the expectations always bound to be high. So when Ajith and director Saran, who have back to back successes under their belt ('Kadhal Mannan', 'Amarkkalam' and 'Attagasam') joined hands for 'Asal', there was an air of expectancy.
'Asal' not just rises up to that level, but also good in its own way especially because Ajith is energetic and Saran efficient. Their good vibes are evident on screen.
Sivaji Productions deserves all credit, for at a time when the film industry is facing some troubled times, a production house going all guns without anything in mind but to come out with a quality product, deserves applause.
Unlike their earlier outings, Saran and Ajith have consciously chosen not to load the movie with mass hero matters and commercial elements alone. The intelligence in 'Asal' lies in giving them in the under current as the story flows. At the same time, the film has not disappointed 'Thala' fans too as they have moments to rejoice in cinema halls.
Yuhi Sethu, who is known as a taut screenplay writer, has ensured that the script has no loose ends and there is no logical lapse. Of course, with Ajith's name as co-director, it makes one sit up and watch. The actor seems to have involved himself in the filmmaking department knowing his strength and the taste of his ardent-fans.
Jeevanathan (Ajith) is an arms dealer in France who supplies artillery only to the government. His sons are Sam (Sampath Raj), Prasad (Rajeev Krishna) and Shiva (Ajith). Sam and Prasad sideline Shiva all the time.
When the elder sons decide to strike a deal to sell weapons to a terror group, trouble breaks out. In spite of their father's resistance, they go ahead with their plans with the help of their uncle (Milind). Crossing swords with them is a Mumbai-based group led by Shetty (Kelly Dorji).
What starts from here is a battle between brothers, besides their war with the competitors. The swiftness in the screenplay begins here. It is from here the movie takes a roller-coaster ride.
There is Sara (Sameera Reddy), who works in Franch Embassy and falls for Ajith. The scene-stealer here is Sulabha (Bhavana). Her scenes especially on Valentine's Day is rip-roaring fun. Meanwhile there is Daniel Dharmaraj (Suresh) a French cop who adds twits to the tale.
Though influence of Hollywood movies like 'Payback' could not be avoided especially in the second half, one can forget the fact since 'Asal' is a rich attempt that is bright and beautiful. The conviction in narration and character establishment (except that of villains) is praiseworthy. Yuhi Sethu as Don Samosa provides lighter moment in the movie.
It's Ajith's aura all through. He brings all the necessary tricks involved to make the double role look different and also appeal to the masses. As father, he is stylish and elegant. As the son, he is committed. Though the former comes for just 15 minutes on screen, he walks away with all applause. Ajith is willing and efficient. He has a raw passion and comes out shining in the double role. He has the right nuances to differentiate the two characters. After a brief gap, one could see the actor fresh and fine in dance sequences too. He carries the story on his broad shoulders. The film’s success is mainly due to him. If 'Billa' showed him oozing all stylish, 'Asal' showcases him on roles with style and substance.
Sameera Reddy is chirpy and vivacious. Happy that Kollywood has an actress who combines glamour with performance. It's a welcome break for Bhavana. The actress understanding the responsibility on her seems to have taken the role in her stride and renders enough justice to it.
As usual, Prabhu (who is the producer too) has been breezy and impressive on his part, while the rest of the cast do have a part to play in the script.
Prashanth D Mishalae, a former associate of Nirav Shah, is simply the man of the moment. His lens has given the whole movie a fresh coat. Stylish and suave all through, the cinematography sets up the momentum. Especially those sequences in France with different tone and colour, is a revelation to Tamil cinema.
Movies on underworld or those about a don do always have some breathtaking stunt sequences and so does ‘Asal’. The stunt choreographers including William Ong, Kanal Kannan, Thalapathi Dinesh, Patrick Bruneton have done justice to opportunities provided to them.
Bharadwaj seems to have repeated the magic (if you are ready to forget the background score). The songs are pleasant to listen to. Watch out for 'Em Thandhai...' and 'Tottadoing...', they rock in the theatres.
To sum it up, Ajith, Saran and Bharadwaj have the struck the right chord again- for 'Asal' in an unpretentious entertainer. Apart from the storyline, everything seems to be original here.
The second verdict
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The Ajith-Saran combination is at it again. Asal is in theaters and it is celebration time for all Ajith fans. The stakes are bigger this time with Asal being Ajith’s 49th film and it is also special because the titles of the film name Ajith as co-director of the movie. He is also credited for the story, screenplay and dialogues along with Saran and Yuhi Sethu. So, has the additional responsibility and control for Ajith worked well for Asal?
Asal is a story of feud between three brothers over property; two brothers (Sampath Kumar and Rajeev Krishna) on one side with their avarice for all the wealth with the righteous third trying to stop the family from breaking down. No marks for guessing who is the righteous one, who else but Ajith Kumar?! The feud that exists as an undercurrent in the presence of their father (Ajith again) turns ugly and personal after he passes away. It grows bigger with the two brothers joining in to elbow out Ajith. He graciously steps aside, only wanting to keep cordial relations. But, the two brothers are just not able to handle the huge wealth and the responsibility that it brings. Their wealth attracts trouble and it is up to Ajith to come back and save his brothers. Do things end there or does
Asal
the feud continue, does wealth disintegrate the family and how does Ajith conquer all the odds? Watch Asal to find out.
The first and most important thing about Asal is that it is an out and out Ajith movie. Not that anyone needs to be told this, it is an obvious fact. But, Asal is a full length celebration of Ajith’s persona, something his fans will absolutely adore. But, the film does have its weak points too. It is indeed sad that such a potential team ended up shooting a rather weak script. The main defect here is the characters sketch of the villains. They just don’t seem menacing or threatening enough to stand up to Ajith. It robs the excitement out of the confrontations making it look like cakewalks for Ajith. The only strong negative character (Kelly Dorji) is finished off prematurely which also stunts the growth of Ajith’s character. It is also pretty dampening that the much expected Ajith double act is only there for the first few minutes in the film. It should also be said that the opening sequences of the film do leave you a bit disappointed; the intros just don’t pack a punch. But, on the brighter side, the script does manage to throw a few surprises when you least expect them, like the one at the interval point. Saran has been successful in keeping the viewer guessing about certain things right until the end. The climax portions however should have been better. The finish looks literally forced into the script, with a fight inside a warehouse. There is not much room for romance. But, whatever little is there looks good. The silent tussle between Sameera and Bhavana over who gets Ajith is cute and Saran could have extended it a bit. One thing about the movie that could have been much better is the placement of songs; most of them look like appendages hanging loosely out of the main narrative.
As said above, this movie is all about Ajith and his persona. It would not be wrong to say that at many points it seems as if Ajith, the star, has been given more importance than the script itself. Trust Ajith to carry off a larger than life role with ease. He strides the screen with ease, having a presence that few others can boast of. He looks stylish in every frame; the hairstyle, the sideburns and the cigar sit well on him. In fact, Ajith’s presence is one of the main factors that stops one from getting bored. Sampath, Rajeev Krishna and Pradeep Rawat do their jobs as villains without too great an impact. As said above, their characters look like weak adversaries for Ajith. Sameera Reddy has a role of consequence in the movie and does pretty well, but there is no huge scope for performance. Bhavana looks cute in a role that demands only as much. She however impresses with her dance moves in the first part of the Dushyantha song. Yuhi Sethu tries hard to provide a few comic moments, succeeding partially on the rare occasion; his side kicks trying hard with a few gimmicks as well. Prabhu is a dignified presence.
The fact that this is a film made under Sivaji Productions can be sensed in the way the film has shaped up. The producer has left no stone unturned to make the film look rich, slick and sophisticated throughout. Be it the sets, the interiors, the locations or costumes, no expense has been spared. The story is set mainly in France, with a portion happening in Mumbai. The richness of the streets France has been transferred beautifully onto screen by Prashanth’s camera. The camerawork keeps the viewer visually pleased, partially compensating for flaws in the script. Action should have been better. Only the fight between Ajith and Kelly close to the interval stirs up excitement, it is plain on all other occasions. Music by Bharadwaj does not lend any strength to the movie, except Dushyantha and the BGM looks pretty unimaginative. Dialogues focus mostly on the word ‘Thala’ and the different ways in which it can be used. Imaginative for sure, but it could have been toned down a bit. Nevertheless, it does provide fans with an opportunity to cheer loudly.
Asal is a complete Ajith centric entertainer with lots of style and sophistication. Yes, the script is weak and there are other flaws too, but the movie does not leave you bored or exasperated. Ajith satisfies his fans, but Saran disappoints a bit with the way he has handled such a great team, better results were definitely on. Visually pleasing with about 2.5 hours of running time, Asal is will not have you yawning, nor will it have you asking for more.
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