Robin Bhuyan
Whether you accept it or not, Netflix India has given us mostly subpar content in the past few years. However, this year, things seem to be taking a significant turn with the release of Maharaja, a Tamil drama starring two popular faces of Indian cinema- Vijay Sethupathi and director-turned-actor Anurag Kashyap.
Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, the story begins with a barber who is woken up by a serpent. He finds that his house has been ransacked. He goes to the police station to file a complaint that “Laxmi” is missing. Things turn hilarious as well as suspenseful when it is revealed that the “Laxmi” he is looking for, is not his wife, daughter or mother, but it is actually a tin trash bin that saved his daughter’s life 15 years ago from a fatal accident. Despite the reluctance of the police to help him, Maharaja is persistent, and even offers them a huge bribe, showing how desperate he is, to get his trash can back.
The screenplay is the best part about the movie – it was so well written that before you reach the satisfactory ending, you ask yourself several times – what on earth is going on? But by the time you reach the ending, all the pieces fall into place, giving you one of the most climactic endings you might have seen! The film not just tells you a good story, but also gives a mirror to society, about the flaws of the police and legal system.
Vijay Sethupathi gives his best as usual. He portrays a common man named Maharaja who is willing to go to any length for his daughter, while also maintaining his innocence. Anurag Kashyap does his best as well, in his role of a psychopathic criminal, who also wants the best for his daughter. How the lives of these two men, living two different lives connect, forms the story.
The film, despite its brilliance and clever storytelling, is not without its flaws. The film repeatedly tells us how “Laxmi” had saved the life of Maharaja’s daughter, but despite this, the audience fails to have an emotional connection. Well, it could be argued that it was never the intention. The starting of the film shows us Maharaja’s daughter sharing a motherly bond with her PT teacher, played by Mamta Mohandas. But shockingly, the character doesn’t play any importance in the latter part of the film, despite having such an emotional introduction.
So, yes, if you don’t mind a little violence and bloodshed, and if you want to watch an engaging crime thriller, then you should definitely stream it on Netflix right away.
Rating – 9 out of 10
