Didn’t we chuckle when Balram Naidu in Dasavatharam explained how the investigation of Andhra police would be, that latti scene?
In Visaranai, Guntur police have savaged enough lattis to trigger the endurance of audiences in this emotional thriller.
Pandiyan[Dinesh], begins the dawn in a hope to meet his crush Shanthi[Aanadhi] in Guntur.
Guntur police arrest Pandiyan and his friends and charge them with a ‘case of doubts’. What comes next sums up this horrific investigation? Well, that would’ve been a self-centered story.
Beaten brutally by the police, Pandiyan, and his friends begin to contemplate as to what plausible the reason could be.
They see a ray of hope when an inspector says “Theesko” and offers a ‘prasad’ to them.
While ‘Mahanadhi’ Shankar portrayed the brutality of a jail warden, this inspector portrays the vilest of a police officer.
All the interrogation scenes in the film are vile, gruesome and inhumane that I’m short of adjectives.
If the average person blinks 15-20 times a minute, the first half of Visaranai makes us blink 15 times just for a scene.
But there are moments in the film, rather light moments. Film has lots of humor. Especially when Ramesh [Murugadoss] says “Tha, edhuku othukanum nu sollitu adi” (Agree for what?). The intensity of that dialogue through his eyes was huge and laughable.
Some of the moments reminded me of the director’s Polladhavan but totally out of context.
A slap-to-the-society portion when a police officer promptly asks if he was an Al-Quedaian when one of Pandiyan’s friend gives a Muslim name.
For such a fast-paced first half, the second half creates a fleeting pause, for like 10 minutes. It makes you scratch your head as to what’s ruining the plot but before you realize it, you’re already there with a nail-biting climax for the last 10 minutes or so.
Samuthirakani [Murugavel] plays the role of a police officer from Tamil Nadu who argues with the judge for the release of these innocent laborers. But will he juxtapose?
The film isn’t a daring attempt but a realistic product.
I loved the way Vetri Maran dichotomised the investigation of Pandiyan and K.K[Kishore].
Considering the fact that the novel ‘Lock Up’ was based on a true story, the possible time-frame could be during the regime of Chandra Babu Naidu? Couldn’t resist noticing his picture, just a hunch.
While Dinesh’s acting was effortless in Cuckoo, one actor who was intriguing to me with an effortless performance as a sub-inspector was actor E.Ramadoss of Yudham Sei fame, just effortless.
Vetri Maran’s role in the film was apparent or should I say his voice? He gave a voice-over for Samuthirakani’s boss if I’m not wrong.
While we had a scores of cop-centric films worhsipping the protagoinst for the undeniable good-hearted cop he is, Vetri Maran gave a promptu-diversion by directing Visaranai to give us a glimpse of how the system actually works.
The Loner 