Visaranai : Truth Alone Triumphs
Starring: Dinesh, Anandhi, Samuthirakani, Aadukalam Murugadoss, Kishore, Pradheesh Raj, and Silambarasan Rathnasamy
Directed by: Vetrimaaran
Visaranai (English: Investigation) is a 2015 Indian Tamil-language crime thriller film written and directed by Vetrimaaran. The screenplay is based on the novel Lock up by M.Chandrakumar, which in turn was inspired by true incidents. This is Vetrimaaran’s third directorial venture after Pollathavan and Aadukalam. By then, he established himself as a storyteller who is capable of painting gripping narratives vividly on screen. While his previous films were typical commercial tamil films, Vetrimaaran decides to expose the dirty dealings prevalent in the law enforcement of India on this one.
Visaranai follows the story of four migrant labourers hailing from different parts of Tamilnadu, working in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. They are staying in a park as they are unable to afford accomodation, striving to make ends meet. One of them, Pandi, works in a shop of a tamilian acquaintance. One night, they are arrested by the local police and are beaten without rhyme or reason. They get to know that they are captured to be falsely prosecuted for a high-profile robbery that occurred within the vicinity as the police is pressurised from their superiors to close the case. Pandi speaks for the gang and believes the truth will save them. He takes the decision to not plead guilty. Consequently the gang is made to go through ruthless torment. The first half of the film ends with the gang crossing paths with Muthuvel, a police officer from Tamilnadu. The film then follows an entirely unrelated arc set in Tamilnadu which does seem as a drastic shift of narrative but it continues to unwind more deeper corruption and dirty politics. Muthuvel holds a suspect crucial in unraveling a money laundering case involving the political opposition of the state. Pandi and his gang gets caught amidst this.
The movie isn’t to be mistaken for an art film considering the subject matter as it pretty much falls into the commercial category sans the song-dance routines and hero worship. Vetrimaaran effortlessly keeps the narrative captivating and fresh throughout the runtime with the visual storytelling at its peak in the scenes at the Guntur police station. The colour palette is predictably sepia tinted as it is a norm for scenes set in a police station but the nights are filled with a calm blue from the moonlight( which later brings a sensation of dread in the final scenes). The frames are a blend of shadows and brightness to establish a claustrophobic environment of isolation from the outside world. The scenes of assault are brutal enough to churn the viewers’ stomach but not to avert their eyes from the distressing reality. Black humour is used to make fun of the hypocrisy of moralists like the constable who gives a lecture on the value of life and suggests how to end it in the same breath and religious people like the Guntur police inspector who has sacred threads in his wrists and offers “prasadh” to Pandi and the gang only to mercilessly order to beat them up after. The score barring a few occasions is the eerie but effective chirping of crickets. Vetrimaaran extracts excellent performances especially from Samuthirakani who is organic and convincing as the Muthuvel who is compassionate but sadly slaved to the system.
Visaranai shines light on the deep rooted corruption and malpractices in our politics and law enforcement. It unveils the dog-eat-dog world where a conscience and lawfulness will lead to your downfall. Money and influence pull the strings behind everything and the institutions are just a facade. There is a thought provoking scene where Pandi asks Muthuvel why isn’t he protecting him as he promised. Muthuvel’s bewildered face lays bare how the police sworn to protect and serve end up doing the contrary to the common man.
The jury of the 63rd National Film Awards chose Bahubali: The Beginning over Visaranai for the best film though the FFI (Film Federation of India) chose the movie as the country’s official entry to the Academy awards (but it unfortunately failed to get a nomination). Films like these deserve more recognition as they show the mirror to the society and sets in motion the ripples of change hopefully before another lamb is sacrificed.
