After long back I was at theater
(drive-in) to watch the sci-fi thriller Miruthan, which was advertised as
India’s first zombie film in Tamil. Jayam Ravi as protagonist and Lakshmi Menon
as his love interest, the film was directed by Shakti Soundar Rajan of Naaigal Jaakirathai.
I was amused to know he was the director of Naanayam, one of my favorite Tamil
films, based on bank robbery but shot on an innovative platform.
I see Miruthan as an experimental
movie and the concept of zombie is pretty new for Tamil audience who haven’t
exposed too many zombie movies in Hollywood. Even I wasn’t familiar with this
genre. The film begins with a mishap where some toxic fumes split into the road
and a stray dog that sniffs become violent
and bites a man who in return becomes a zombie and the virus spreads from one
human to another through a chain of violent bites.
Jayam Ravi is a traffic police
with a grade to become a police inspector, but chose to retain to the former to
take care of his little sister. And he loves Lakshmi Menon as one side; although
she’s engaged to someone their meeting always end at sending bad reputation
about him to her. At this moment the virus spreads rapidly and many zombies rise
among the residences of Ooty – from where the story starts, and Jayam Ravi supports
the doctors’ team, which includes Lakshmi and let them to Coimbatore in search of antidote
to prevent the virus and violent spread through.
Though they reach CBE, the situation
blocks them into a shopping mall right opposite to the medical hospital, where
a team of doctors waiting for the sample to find prevention, how did they cross
the lane full of zombies in killing mane and a bite that could transform them into
zombie? Was set in a bizarre and yet light emotional and thriller. Though there
are spaces for emotion, the film travels on a matured lane and straightforward keeps
the length of movie short.
The director has applied light-hearted
moments here and there to keep track on entertainment rather going serious and keep
discontent. Kaali Venkat, RNR Manohar and Sriman has done their bit pleasing
the audience as naive and Jayam Ravi led his role well and shooting most of
them is something sounds overwhelmed. While I appreciate the director for
coming up with different subjects, I wish his films carry some realism for us
to believe on the concept. I don’t find a strong reason for those becoming
zombie, but still has done a good job and leave us with an anticipation and fierce
version 2!
