Asal – An ajith bonanza
Asal is a real treat for ajith fans. I watched the movie yesterday. The opening was one of the biggest I had ever seen. After all he is the king of openings. And this time, this opening will surely convert into something big like Billa, for Asal is a clean action flick. The screen play is squeaky clean, there are no loose ends and the pace is good.
The opening aerial shot of Paris is in itself stunning and sets the tone for the stylish entertainer. I will not divulge the story and spoil the fun but I should say the movie was definitely worth the fare ( which by the way was too high thanks to the huge opening ). When was the last time we saw a pure action flick? Movies like Jackie’s Police Story or Die Hard are not made anymore even in the west. So asal is really a fresh attempt in Tamil cinema. But of course you should not go there expecting a web of a storyline. The story is just enough to fit the stunning action sequences. If that is kept in mind, you can enjoy the movie well and fine. You have Ajith filling up every inch of the screen space. There are a lot of “Thala” dialogues. But again excuse it. It is for hardcore fans like us. And unlike other “mass” heroes, Thala doesn’t go about delivering lectures to reform us. I think his entire dialogues will fit within a single page, despite the fact that he comes in every scene. Ajith surely understands his strengths and weaknesses very well. He looks great and is fast in action scenes. He is also good in roles with a slight negative tinge. But he has never been good at delivering dialogues. The movie has been made with this in mind. Definitely he has contributed a lot in the making of the movie too. When his name comes up as a co-director and story writer, the theatre rocks. Ajith definitely has the makings of a good action director in him. He should take inspiration from Jackie. After all, he shares the same fearless spirit.
The other plus in the movie are the two heroines. One definitely did not expect Bhavana to look this glamourous. And Sameera is sizzling in her modern attire. But both don’t have much to do in this out and out ajith fare. Still the characters are laid out well.
One should also congratulate the makers for the picturisation of the songs. I was disappointed with the music when it was released. But I should say, when watched with the movie, the songs sound fun. “Totodoing” has been picturised well. Again the director has used the glamour factor shrewdly. Cinematography is another highlight of the movie. Apart from the fact that all locales are stunning, there were some truly ingenious shots, like the scene where Ajith’s shadow looms large over the villain, or the one where the smoke from his cigar announces the hero’s arrival.
Background score is jarring though. Yuvan had done a terrific job in Billa. It would have been better if Bhratwaj had atleast refrained from producing screaching noises everywhere .The other minus is Sampath’s character. A character like Ajith’s Shiva demands an equal match in his opponent. Sampath does not fit the bill. And this makes the climax somewhat a disappointment. A movie like Ghilli succeeded in equal measure due to Prakash Raj’s portrayal of the villain. Action movie makers must remember this.
Having said that Asal is definitely a wholesome entertainer. You will definitely enjoy it if you are not prejudiced against Ajith. I do not claim that he is a great actor. But he is definitely the most stylish hero around- a true heir to Rajni. He has charisma and his presence on screen is enough to trigger an adrenaline rush. So grab your popcorn and enjoy asal today.
