Film review: Jigar Thanda Double X
Cast: Raghava Lawrence, SJ Surya, Nimisha Sajayan, Naveen Chandra and Shine Tom Chacko
Director: Karthik Subbaraj
Rating: 8/10
YOUNG Kollywood director Karthik Subbaraj used his movie-making skills to the maximum in offering discerning movie fans an engrossing period action-comedy drama in this brilliant movie, Jigar Thanda Double X.
Madurai district in Tamil Nadu serves as a backdrop to the storyline and it captures the essence of Tamil cinema in the year 1975, when dark-skinned Indian hero and superstar Rajinikanth delivered a hit movie titled Apoorva Raagangal, where his character’s name was Pandiyan.
And in Jigar Thanda Double X, Raghava Lawrence, who is also dark-skinned, plays Pandiyan, a gangster and fan of Hollywood spaghetti western star Clint Eastwood. He scouts for a movie director who would direct him in his own western movie.
Armed with an 8mm movie camera, Ray Darsan, played to perfection by ace director-turned-actor SJ Suriyah, is hired to direct Pandiyan in his directorial debut.
The filming of Pandiyan in Madurai changes gear post-interval and takes the viewers into a harrowing world of violence and destruction perpetuated by highly ranked government officials who will stop at nothing to satiate their greed for money and power.
Subbaraj has hand-picked a talented cast and crew to offer one of his best movies to date. The set and sound design, as well as the costumes, elevate the movie to unassailable heights.
S Thirru, the innovative cinematographer with his breathtaking wide-angle camera shots and exquisite lighting, offers a feast to savour on the big screen.
Dhilip Subrayan has learned his craft well from his stunt director dad, Super Subrayan. The tastefully choreographed stunt and action sequences are realistically portrayed.
Music by Santhosh Narayanan is a breath of fresh air and perfectly complements the rural and raw tribal scenes.
Jigar Thanda Double X is a movie within a movie. The 8mm movie camera wielded by Ray is the ultimate hero through the eyes of the audience.
The clear and concise message of the movie is this: The camera does not lie. It will capture footage of atrocities and bring to book the perpetrators who destroy wantonly for posterity.
Jigar Thanda Double X is not the usual run-of-the-mill movie. This is new-age movie made for pan-Indian and international movie audiences and it must be applauded for its quality and pertinent message for the times we live in, especially here in South Africa.
The jungles and forests, fauna and flora and indigenous tribes of our planet and all its citizens must be protected and preserved for future generations to experience and enjoy and we, as citizens, should ask our leaders “why?”
Jigar Thanda Double X is currently on circuit at CineCentre Suncoast in Durban, with two daily shows.
Michael Lachimiah has worked in community radio and internet radio platforms and is an MC.