One must say filmmaker Siva has learnt the art of handling the mass-quotient of Ajith Kumar on screen. Having worked together in three films already, the fourth outing of the director-actor combo, Viswasam makes it bigger than what it had originally promised. The rustic and raw urban-rural entertainer is packed with elements that would satisfy a person expecting a complete mass entertainer flick.It starts right from how Viswasam establishes the characteristics of Thooku Durai (Ajith) who is innocent and courageous at the same time. The treatment of this profile itself requires so much care as it might spoil the sport if the dosages of this innocence and the bravery come with an imbalance. But, Siva and team have made this possible in a stylish way.
Ajith and a sequence in rain always go hand-in-hand. We’ve already watched him having some mass moments in Dheena and Veeram. Now here’s a full-length action block in Viswasam which has a touch of sentiment along with it.
In cinematic context, the conflict of Viswasam is mixed with an element of suspense. There’s a parallel narration in the screenplay. It has two storylines – one happening 10 years ago and one in the present-day. The smartness of writing lies in making what comes as a conflict in the flashback version become the resolution in the present-day version.
It’s been a long time since the female lead in an Ajith movie had a strong role with conviction. Also, when the woman has to be as bold as the hero, there’s no other option than Nayanthara in the industry who can stand up to Ajith. She does that with a clean attitude.
Be it the reason behind the villain turning a villain or the way the hero saves the day or even the emotional bonding among the characters, there is a thick ray of melodrama that is passing through the over-current of the screenplay. But Siva has managed to make it convincing and entertaining to watch. What went wrong in his last outing with Ajith, Vivegam, has been taken care of in Viswasam by the director.
In fact, the screenplay and narration of Viswasam seems to be crossover of all the three previous films Siva has worked along with Ajith. The reference to being a bodyguard without letting know the true identity reminds one of Vedalam. Similarly, the way love blossoms between Thooku Durai and Niranjana is more like the Kopperumdevi episode in Veeram. And the husband-wife drama is a rural version of Vivegam. When everything mixes up in Viswasam the story still makes itself afresh with more Ajithism and family bonding in a perfect balance.
Despite hero and villain locking horns, the background for that is detailed with reasonable justification. Finally, when the screenplay finds its resolution, Viswasam becomes even more sensible, and yes with the same flavour of melodrama that had been following all the way.