Maru Dheeran is a meek child brought up in an enslaved village coming under the oppressive rule of the blue-eyed monstrous ‘Vedalam’ group who burden the people with enormous taxes and kill on whim. When his wife is kidnapped for sacrifice by the Vedalam Queen & her commander in-chief, Maru Dheeran takes a journey to their impenetrable fort in order to retrieve her and put an end to the tyranny.
Language:
Tamil
Running Time:
154 min
Rating:
U
Release date:
1 October 2015
Directed by:
Chimbu Deven
Produced by:
Shibu Thameens
PT Selvakumar
Written by:
Chimbu Deven
Starring:
Vijay
Sridevi Kapoor
Kiccha Sudeep
Shruti Haasan
Hansika Motwani
Nandita Swetha
Prabhu
Thambi Ramaiah
Aadukalam Naren
Music by:
Devi Sri Prasad
Shot by:
Natarajan Subramaniam
Editing by:
A. Sreekar Prasad
Distributed by:
Sri Thenandal films

What’s Hot

  • Puli has a well written plot having signature Chimbudeven elements of fantasy with a tinge of satire. The animals, lilliputs and birds are all aimed at children and they work really well. The satirical creator in Chimbudeven once again raises its head with the unique naming that the tribe follow.
  • The VFX is close to excellent and so are the art-work, costumes and cinematography. The editor has managed to blend the VFX shots with the normal ones well. The pain-staking work behind the fort design and the Lilliput world are visible on screen and will certainly prove to be a reference for all those attempting fantasy flicks in India.
  • Vijay as ever captivates with his screen presence and his dance is electrifying. Sridevi has a meaty role as a Queen and emotes well. Sudeep too shines as the prime antagonist matching Vijay in charisma. In spite of not being close to his recent masterclass in Thani Oruvan, Thambi Ramiah excels again in a character that travels with the hero.

What’s Not

  • The film is a reminder that just an intriguing plot set amidst a grand canvas with captivating visuals do not make for a wholesome product. Dialogues, screenplay, and music which were the strong points of Vijay’s Thupakki & Kaththi are huge letdowns with nothing making a mark. It is certainly a step down for Chimbudeven. Hope he comes back with by making little unique films like Oru Kanniyum Moonu Kalavaanikalum which is his strong point.
  • Some capable performers like Sathyan, Vidyulekha, Imman annachi, Robo Shankar are wasted having been given so less to do. Similarly the leading ladies Shruthi Hassan and Hansika do nothing other than being made to parade in revealing clothes.
  • The flashback generates extremely minimal impact and as a result the audience do not emotionally invest in the protagonist paving the way for a very dull climax. The absence of a stirring theme for the lead character must also be noted here. Also, the sound design is loud and tacky with the songs proving to be an ear sore in spite of some good choreography.

Badges

Verdict

Verdict Stamp

Puli promised to be a fantasy extravaganza that was never seen before. However, what we have got is the hapless execution of a decent plot that never gets us off our seats except during the title card when actor Vijay’s name is announced!