Sivaji - The Boss

Runtime: 182min 14secs
Language: Tamil with English Subtitles.
Written & Directed by: S. Shankar

Plot Outline:
The film begins with a person being cast into the Central Jail, Chennai. When asked what he did wrong, he says that he tried to do good for the people. We see that this is the protagonist Sivaji (Rajinikanth). A flashback is shown to when he returned from the US as a Software Systems Architect to Chennai. He has brought Rs. 249.990 crores that he has earned in the US.

He intends to start a charity organization called Sivaji Foundation and build hospitals and educational institutions which will service the poor free of charge. However, he faces roadblocks to his plans in the form of bureaucracy and corrupt officials. Setting aside his principles, he bribes his way through the system, losing his assets in huge chunks, even mortgaging his house and personal property in the process. With corruption having infinite hunger his resources are all gone. His competition with the aid of the corrupt have left him in the streets to beg.

Overall Impressions:
I should point out, this is the first Indian film I am seeing where I don't actually understand the language & had to rely on the subtitles. I'm sure some of the jokes went to waste on me but no much, as most of it is extremely visual. The kids of the 80's will remember Rajnikant from films like Hum and Brashtachar. He's done a few hindi flicks but it's the Tamil sub-industry where he is seen as a total rock star. I can see why to some extent, he has a confident personality & style about him that is unique, a somebody that the people out there can aspire to be like.

The first half of the film is a little slow but as the synopsis suggests, he digs the hole in which he's to find himself stuck in. Given a 1-rupee piece as a mockery of him, at intermission point he takes it as his only resource to turn his fate around. In true Rajni fashion, he also decides to wipe out all the country's black money by taking the matter into is own hands. Commiting laundery for the good of the people, thus cleansing the money & breaking every organisation that stands between him & his goal. Though unrealistic, it points at some possibilities for the future of India, how there are solutions to the problems out there, only if people take some responisibility for themselves.

The love story and songs waivered into the plot are a hindrance to the ongoings. That said as standalone pieces, the songs look as though they chewed up a budget of a film in itself, but
above all what stood out to me about this film is how it took me back to my childhood, the late 70's and 80's film nostalgia took over me.

The action was totally over-the-top. Cars exploding, One man fighting 30 men with musical instruments for weapons, the full works. It was like watching a Jet Li film without the martial arts. Though totally defying reality, it finds a good place for escapism & fun, while relaying a message that we've heard and said hundreds of times. Corruption must end.

All the above said & done, I enjoyed it & the main reason is the atmosphere in the cinema, it felt like being back in Leicester again on the opening night to a Bollywood film, the crowd cheered the hero as soon as he made his entrance, boo'd the bad guys, whistled at the women folk, and cheered on the hero when he did anything cool, the full works.

Not a necessary film, more a guilty pleasure. Kids who liked those Mithoon & Amitabh films of the 80's may enjoy this, but prefer watching their old favorites again due to the language barrier.