August 16 1947 movie review: N.S. Ponkumar's intriguing idea gets beheaded by inane execution

Cast: Gautham Karthik, Pugazh, Revathy Sharma, Richard Ashton, Jason Shah

Director: NS Ponkumar 

Language: Tamil

August 16 1947 is a very intriguing title, and equally fascinating can be to make a film on this very title. What exactly happened a day after India’s independence and partition? Just like Anil Sharma’s Gadar- Ek Prem Katha, producer A.R. Murugadoss and director N.S. Ponkumar play with the idea of fictional characters thrown into a real world, a world where everything was a mess and full of mayhem.

This is the story where love blossoms between Param and Deepali, played by Gautham Karthik and Revathy Sharma. But the villagers won’t let the Twain have a happy ending. This doomed duo also faces another conflict in the form of the villain Robert (An OTT Richard Ashton who looks like a hybrid of Kabir Bedi and The Undertaker). The problem with August 16 1947 is we barely feel for the characters, their issues, and their plight. And no matter how hard the background music tries, it all feels hollow, even though some shots by cinematographer Selvakumar S.K. are impressive.

The makers across the country are currently suffering from the Pan-India syndrome, where the performances are dialed up, the grandeur is gargantuan, and the background music is audible till the moon. What began as decent attempts have now morphed into desperation. Look at the culminating reels of the period drama, a never-ending barrage of the heroes and the villain overpowering one another ad nauseam.

Murugadoss’ films, even the ones wholly underwhelming, have had some moments of pathos and genuine thrill, even Darbar and Spyder. August 16 1947, I’m afraid, is devoid of tension and thrill. There are close-up shots of brutality inflicted on helpless villagers, very reminiscent of Karan Malhotra’s Shamshera, and this is nothing but manipulative filmmaking. If good ideas made good films, every film would be a masterpiece. August 16 1947 is not.

Rating: 2 (out of 5 stars)

August 16 1947 is now playing in cinemas