Thalaivii review: Kangana Ranaut as J. Jayalalithaa leaves a strong impact on viewers

Director: A. L. Vijay

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Aravind Swamy, Bhagyashree, Nassar, Raj Arjun, Poorna

Producer: Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Shailesh R Singh, Brinda Prasad

Where to watch Thalaivii: In a cinema hall, or on Netflix

The plot:

Thalaivii revolves around the life of much-loved actor and politician J. Jayalalithaa, fondly called ‘Amma’. Played by Kangana Ranaut, the film traces the life of the famous personality from her debut in the film industry to entering the public life through politics. Jayalalithaa began her acting career at the young age of 16 opposite fan-favourite M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), played by Aravind Swamy in the film. Despite being firmly against entering political life, Jaya takes on the challenge to support MGR and begins her rather difficult climb to the top to become the ‘Amma’ of millions.

Watch the Thalaivii trailer here

What works? (Spoilers ahead)

Right from its first scene, the film catches pace and engages the audience. The opening shot of Thalaivii begins with Jayalalithaa being assaulted and manhandled in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. After she leaves the building, she vows to enter it only after she wins the title of Chief Minister. It is after this scene that the audience gets a first-hand look at Jaya’s life up until that very moment.

Kangana Ranaut gets into the skin of her character and plays the iconic Jayalalithaa perfect to the T. Brilliantly capturing the accent, believable acting and dancing make the audience believe they are watching Jayalalithaa in the flesh. Her dressing style that included elegant gold jewellery, hair accessories, printed sarees were details added carefully by the makers, enhancing the authenticity of her character. Ranaut truly delivers some goosebump-inducing moments in the film - be it her dialogue delivery or acting through her eyes.

Arvind Swamy plays his part to perfection. He embodies his character as an actor and politician opposite Ranaut well. The characters in the film are written exceptionally and are a realistic depiction of the real-life individuals they take on onscreen. The film also features other mediums of communication like radio and TV clips in black and white, which make the viewing experience unique. The time line of the film too is portrayed in a systematic way, which helps the audience understand every detail of Jayalalithaa’s life.

Thalaivii marks the rise of Jayalalithaa in the face of doubts of the world that she faced. She was underestimated not only for being a 'woman in a man’s world’, but also for being from the film industry. Despite the world trying to bring her down, Ranaut’s depiction of Jaya’s determination and will to fight back prevails.

The film focuses of three aspects of her life; personal, political and onscreen. A. L. Vijay’s direction gives fans a 360-degree view of the life Jaya led. Although a serious film, it has moments of humour and romance, that make for an informative and entertaining watch as well.

What doesn’t work?

Although the film was shot simultaneously in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, it did seem that some scenes were not shot in Hindi and were merely dubbed. This failed to convey the exact emotion of the scene and did not seem authentic. 

Thalaivii review: Final thoughts

The best part about Thalaivii is that one does not need to have prior political knowledge before watching it. It takes the audience through the life of Jayalalithaa in a systematic and easy-to-understand way. The music plays an integral role in the film and elevates it to new heights with an addition of Kangana Ranaut’s outstanding performance. Thalaivii will be sure to give viewers an in-depth history lesson with a hint of entertainment as well.

Reviewer Rating: 4/5

Picture Credits: Kanganadaily/Twitter