“Vikram Vedha 2022” is a riveting crime drama about a cat-and-mouse game between Tamil Nadu’s most feared gangster Vikram and the righteous cop Vedha. The movie artfully balances intense action scenes and thought-provoking dialogues, leading to an explosive finale that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The brilliant performances by R. Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi as Vikram and Vedha, respectively, showcase their impressive range as actors. In short, “Vikram Vedha 2022” is a cinematic masterpiece that cannot be missed.
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Review
The Power of Storytelling, Morality, and Masculinity in Vikram Vedha
Have you ever watched a movie that stayed with you long after the credits rolled? A movie that challenged your assumptions, touched your emotions, and made you think about the world in a new way? A movie that combined suspense, drama, humor, music, and action into a cohesive and compelling narrative? If not, I recommend you check out Vikram Vedha, a Tamil-language crime thriller from India released in 2017. Even if you don’t speak the language or know much about the culture, you can still appreciate its universal themes and impressive filmmaking.
Written and directed by Pushkar-Gayathri, Vikram Vedha revolves around two charismatic characters who represent opposite sides of the law but are connected by fate and morality. The titular duo consists of Vikram (played by Madhavan), a ruthless police officer who believes in using any means necessary to catch criminals, and Vedha (played by Vijay Sethupathi), a notorious gangster who challenges Vikram’s beliefs and values through his own version of events. As they play mind games with each other and reveal their pasts and motivations, the audience is drawn into a complex web of justice, identity, power, love, loyalty,
and revenge.
What makes Vikram Vedha stand out from other films in its genre is its unconventional approach to storytelling. Instead of following a linear plotline that reveals everything from one character’s perspective or point of view, it adopts a nonlinear structure that shifts between Vikram’s story and Vedha’s story. Each story has its own tones,
moods,
and messages,
but they intertwine at crucial moments to provide an alternative perspective on what really happened. For example,
Vikram recalls how he met his wife Priya (played by Shraddha Srinath) while investigating a case involving her father, a corrupt businessman who had killed his own son to frame a rival. However, Vedha reveals that he was the one who orchestrated the whole scheme to get rid of his competition and that Vikram unknowingly helped him by arresting the wrong suspect. This revelation not only changes Vikram’s perception of his past but also sparks a crisis in his present as he realizes that he has been manipulated by Vedha.
Similarly,
Vedha tells Vikram about his childhood, where he witnessed his father’s murder and became a street fighter to survive. He then tells him how he rose to power as a gangster by challenging the norms of society and using violence as a means of justice. However, Vikram discovers that Vedha’s version of events is not entirely truthful when he confronts Vedha’s henchman Simon (played by Prem) and learns that Vedha had actually killed innocent people and framed them as criminals to cover up his tracks. This revelation not only changes Vedha’s perception of himself but also leads him to question his own morality and future.
Through these contrasting stories, Pushkar-Gayathri explores the nature of truth, memory, perspective,
time,
and identity in a way that reflects both Eastern and Western philosophies. The film asks us to consider whether there is such a thing as objective reality or whether all reality is subjective and relative. It also asks us to consider whether our identities are fixed or fluid and whether our pasts define our futures or whether we can choose our own paths. By reframing the conventional tropes of good vs evil, hero vs villain, cop vs criminal, Pushkar-Gayathri challenges us to expand our empathy for characters who are often reduced to stereotypes and caricatures in mainstream cinema.
Besides its storytelling innovations,
Vikram Vedha also boasts top-notch performances from its cast,
especially Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi. Madhavan, who is known for his charming and suave roles, surprises us with his gritty and intense portrayal of Vikram, who is not afraid to get his hands dirty or break the rules to achieve his goals. He shows us the inner conflict of Vikram as he struggles to balance his duty and conscience, his loyalty and curiosity, his love and suspicion. Vijay Sethupathi,
on the other hand,
has a field day with Vedha, who is both menacing and charismatic, funny and tragic.
He brings a sense of unpredictability and depth to Vedha that keeps us glued to the screen even when he’s just talking. The chemistry between Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi is also electric, as they bounce off each other’s lines,
gestures,
and expressions with ease and wit.
The supporting cast also shines,
with Shraddha Srinath providing a refreshing portrayal of Priya as a smart and independent woman who challenges Vikram’s machismo without losing her own agency. Prem as Simon is also memorable as the loyal but flawed sidekick who has his own agenda. The score by Sam C.S., which blends classical Carnatic music with modern beats, adds to the film’s flavor and atmosphere.
No wonder Vikram Vedha has attracted critical acclaim,
box office success,
and global recognition since its release. It has won numerous awards in India,
including Best Film at the Filmfare Awards South 2018, Best Director at the Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards 2018, Best Actor for Vijay Sethupathi at the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards 2018, among others. It has also been selected for various international film festivals such as the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2017,
the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2017,
the Fantasia International Film Festival 2017,
the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival 2017,
and so on. It has garnered positive reviews from critics such as The Hindu, The Times of India, Variety, and The New York Times. It has also inspired remakes in other languages,
including Telugu,
Hindi,
Kannada,
and Malayalam.
But what makes Vikram Vedha more than just a successful film is its relevance to our times and its impact on our culture. It reflects the call for more diversity and authenticity in storytelling that transcends language barriers and geographical borders. It challenges the patriarchal norms that restrict women’s roles and perspectives in cinema and society. It critiques the systemic corruption that undermines justice and morality in institutions and individuals. It celebrates the power of art to entertain, educate, and enlighten us about ourselves and others.
As Brené Brown says, “Stories are data with soul.” Vikram Vedha is not just a story or a movie;
it’s a data point with a soul. It captures the essence of human nature that struggles between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, love and hate, hope and despair. It invites us to participate in its journey of discovery, reflection,
and transformation. Whether you watch it for entertainment or enlightenment,
I hope you feel empowered by its message that there are no easy answers or quick fixes to life’s challenges but that we can still learn from them if we open our hearts and minds to different stories.
As Vedha says to Vikram at the end of the film,
“Every story has four sides:
yours,
mine,
the truth,
and what really happened.”
Which side will you choose?
Technical Data
- Runtime : 160
- Release : 2022-09-30
- Genre : Action, Crime, Thriller
- Cast : Saif Ali Khan as Vikram, Hrithik Roshan as Vedha, Radhika Apte as Priya, Rohit Saraf as Krishna aka ‘Shatak’, Yogita Bihani as Chanda
- Crew : Vishal Dadlani as Original Music Composer, Bhushan Kumar as Producer, Shekhar Ravjiani as Original Music Composer, Neeraj Pandey as Producer, Shital Bhatia as Producer
- Popularity 8.741
- Budget : 0
- Revenue : 0
- Company : Friday Filmworks, Reliance Entertainment, Y NOT Studios
- Summary : Vikram, an honest officer with the Lucknow police, is on a mission to find and eliminate gangster Vedha. However, when Vedha surrenders himself to the police and starts narrating stories to Vikram, it blurs the lines between good and evil. Vedha questions Vikram’s righteousness while the latter believes he is fair and just. But is he?
- Tagline : Between Good & Evil, what you choose, defines you
