I (Review)

I

I Shankar Tamil
2015
Written by Shankar and Subha
Directed by Shankar

I Shankar Tamil

Bring it on, Gaston!


After the trailer for Shankar’s I burst on the scene, it became a must-see event. Because the trailer was bonkers! I has hit theaters (including a nice limited release in the US, thus allowing me to go see it on the big screen!), and it delivers with lots of insane story, amazing visuals, rocking songs, and a sense of excitement for what it is. I packs in everything it can, trying to deliver entertainment on all levels to a maximum amount of audience.

I is a revenge movie, that differs than the usual revenge feature in that Lingesan isn’t killing those that wronged him, his hideously deforming them as revenge for hideously deforming him. As repeatedly pointed out in the film, this is a fate that’s considered more worse than death. And some of the things that happen to the villains are awful, but they do awful things to Lingesan first.

I Shankar Tamil

Laws of physics can suck it!


The tale is told in a mixed format, opening with the hunchback and mutated faced Lingesan kidnapping Diya away from her wedding and chaining her up. She screams demanding to know who he is, and we jump to the long flashbacks of the young and buff Lingesan and his story of how he made enemies because they were mad at how awesome he was. As the stories converse, we see Lingesan take revenge one by one on the various villains who destroyed his life.

Lingesan (Vikram) is a bodybuilder training hard to compete in the upcoming Mr. India regional event. He’s also obsessed with a commercial model named Diya (Amy Jackson), collecting her advertising images and buying products she endorses, even things like feminine hygiene products. Lingesan is well liked and appears to be a shoo-in to win, which angers fellow contestant Ravi (M. Kamaraj). This is Ravi’s last year he can enter, and he wants to win so he can qualify for a high-ranking job. His threats to Lingesan are ignored, resulting in a huge sprawling brawl that happens between rounds of the competition.

I Shankar Tamil

What do you mean you didn’t go see this when you had a chance???


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Enthiran

Enthiran


2010
Written by Shankar, Sujatha Rangarajan, Madhan Karky
Directed by Shankar

Enthiran
In 2010, Endhiran exploded onto the scene, focusing the world’s eyes onto the Tamil film industry for what may have been the first time. Of course, many of the eyes then left just as fast, but Endhiran did succeed in exposing people to something they would never watch otherwise and getting a lot of new fans for Indian cinema in general. Endhiran is the classic love triangle combined with father-son angst, resulting in the biggest Oedipus complex you ever did see. All neatly wrapped up in SciFi flavor, which helps give us some cool visuals and the most ridiculously awesome action sequences that fill the last half hour.
Enthiran
Endhiran was released simultaneously as the dubbed versions Robo in Telugu and Robot in Hindi, smashing records with ease. Rajinikanth is the superstar of Tamil cinema and is one of the most famous actors in India. It is hard to believe that he was 60 when Endhiran came out. He’s paired up with an equal in superstar statues, Aishwarya Rai, who is often cited as the most beautiful woman in the world.
Enthiran
Though the fantastic action shots are what gained the film exposure, Enthiran is about much more than that. Enthiran is a love story. A love story of both a couple (Vasi and Sana), and also a father and son love story between Vasi and his creation, Chitti. Vasi pours his whole being into his work, to the point of avoiding all contact outside of it. This rightfully ticks off Sana, who feels the jilted fiance. Despite creating what is arguably a life, Vasi also spends a good chunk of the film trying to make up to Sana for ignoring her all the time.
Enthiran

Vasi/Dr. K. Vaseekaran (Rajinikanth) – Brilliant scientists working on robotic AI, attempting to create a robot that he can sell to the military to save human lives. Vasi’s faults begin to manifest themselves as the robot Chitti experiences
Chitti Babu (Rajinikanth) – Robotic creation of Vasi, named by Vasi’s mom after what she would have called a hypothetical sibling of Vasi. Chitti starts out a a friendly robot eager to please, but as he learns more about humanity and is given emotions, there is a breakdown into chaos.
Sana (Aishwarya Rai) – Vasi’s long-suffering fiance, who puts up with him ignoring her while he’s engrossed in work. But she does have a line and Vasi blunders over it occasionally.
Dr. Bohra (Danny Denzongpa) – Vasi’s former mentor who is working on a competing robot project, thus he begins sabotaging Vasi’s creation without Vasi’s knowledge. Unlike Vasi’s noble goals, Dr. Bohra is creating robots to destroy.

Enthiran
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