Rewind: Sivaji - The Boss

My rating: 2.5/5
Firstly let me clear a few things.....I don't understand Tamil. But i have seen many Tamil films as a kid with my mom as a translator :P....i used to love Tamil music...so i developed an interest for Tamil films as well. So I found myself at Aurora theatre standing with 2 friends who were seeing the movie for the 2nd and 3rd time respectively. My friend had agreed to be the translator for me....and the poor fellow did an amazing job. It was a weekday and the 3rd week of the film....yet there was a crowd milling about excitedly....and I thought that probably I was the only one seeing the film for the 1st time.
The inside of the theatre was bedecked with flags and stickers with Rajnikanth's photo. The hall was house full. The giant screen flickered to life and showed a trailer of Rajnikanth's new animated film, where old age and physics held no meaning........his animated counterpart flashed a sword in a complicated pattern to receive the clapping of the audience.......Sultan was the name of the film........I looked around....saw the crowd.......smiled to myself, realising I was in for a ride with the Sultan of Indian cinema.
As soon as the film started.......the entry of Rajnikanth was met with clapping, hooting, shouting and whistling. Rajni is as always - stylish & suave with his trademark cigarette flicking replaced by chewing gum. Every finger movement of his has a 'whoosh 'sound.....and the crowd ooh's and aah's as he delivers his trademark punchlines. Nimble even at this age Rajni gives a convincing performance as Sivaji, a rich foreign-return Indian whose dream of building a charitable hospital and university is thwarted by the vile Adiseshan - an industrialist with high political connections. When he becomes broke paying bribes.....and yet his dream is not achieved.......Sivaji takes a vow to end this corruption...and he then becomes Sivaji - The BOSS (Bachelor of Social Service). Replete with jokes and spoofs of Tamil movies and actors....a little knowledge of Tamil cinema (or a knowledgeable translator as was my case) can make the movie a better experience.
The heroine, Shreya Saran, is probably as old as Rajni's daughter but she does a good job as a demure damsel - traditional looking in one scene, stylish in the other. Vivek, as Rajni's mama and sidekick also plays his role well. But everyone's performance pales in the screen presence of Rajni. The numerous changes in his look, and with CGI to enhance his already outrageous stunts....Rajni takes the cake. The film has a nice simple story with no complications and which puts forth a strong message using Rajni's star power.
So all-in-all this film has everything - a superstar, action, stunts, romance, comedy, lavish sets....what more does one expect from a film. It's entertaining till the end and you will definately come out of the theatre a Rajni fan. As Shah Rukh Khan says, "Actors are like healers. In the turbulent darkness of a theatre, they give hope and joy to so many millions.......they touch lives."