Vetrimaaran’s foray into legacy and morality, Viduthalai Part 2 is doused in ambition but what works well in its favour is the feverish quest for a truth that eludes everybody
It might be a reach, but there lies a strong, subliminal connection between Vetrimaaran’s two-part Viduthalai and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Both works feature a protagonist who starts off as a mere observer as human beings around him are subjugated, but is soon promoted as a participant because of an inward journey he has undergone unknowingly. Both works also feature an enigmatic people’s leader who has captured everyone’s imagination, and it is up to the observer/participant to seek this man out. The only, and the main, difference between the film and the novella is the kind of disillusionment that the protagonist feels upon encountering the mythical figure — in both cases, there is moral devastation but for fundamentally different reasons.
But Vetrimaaran goes a step further than Conrad (and Francis Ford Coppola) in that he rids all enigma and mystery about his characters in Viduthalai Part 2, especially that of the People’s Army leader Perumal (Vijay Sethupathi). Part 2 is a continuation of the sprawling story (based on B Jeyamohan's Thunaivan and Thangam’s Vengaichami) that ended with Perumal, dubbed as ‘Ghost’ by the police, being captured by the unassuming police constable Kumaresan (Soori). The arrest is a major step for the state government in its pursuit of stifling the Leftist growth in rural Tamil Nadu, and the apprehension of the top dog of the extremist group means that all those involved in the operation — from ministers to the Chief Secretary to the police officer in charge — can get their name etched in history.
The human strife to strengthen its legacy
In essence, Viduthalai, as a two-parter, is very much about this human strife to strengthen its legacy. There is more than just one mention of posterity and the significance it holds in this context. In one scene, Chief Secretary A. Subramanian (Rajiv Menon) says that the risk of publicising Perumal’s capture is that he could be eulogised by journalists and thinkers, who might want to know who he is and why he is fighting the government. In another scene, a newly appointed Officer-In-Charge feels that one of the strong motivations for him putting his life on the line is that he will be recognised by records as the man who caught Perumal. Reputation is on the line for everyone, but Vetrimaaran valiantly presents a case that separates the men from the gentlemen.
It is, then, interesting how he goes about orchestrating things in the second part. Orchestrate seems the fitting word, considering the freewheeling approach he adopts to switch perspectives. While Kumaresan’s loss of innocence became the crux of Part 1, it is Perumal’s journey from being a humble rural teacher to a machete-wielding Naxalite that comes to the fore in Part 2. Perumal’s epic odyssey (chronicled with tremendous ease and gravitas by Sethupathi) brims with countless integral players who shape his being — from his mentor KK (Kishore) to his fellow Makkal Padai comrade Mahalakshmi who goes on to marry him — but the film’s non-linear, vignette-rich screenplay creates a melange of emotionally stirring events.
Also read: Viduthalai review: Deeply political, soul-stirring film, which leaves you shaken
The decision to conclude Part 1 with Perumal’s arrest evidently poses Vetrimaaran with the big conundrum of dealing with the sudden dip in the story’s intensity. Another major chunk of Part 2 involves the E-Company officers, Kumaresan included, transporting the man to a safe Checkpost through the dense forest. These scenes are thematically rich and layered in how Perumal captivates all the policemen with his nonchalance and acumen, yet the constant intercutting with his past takes the sheen away from the proceedings (the intriguing Perumal and Kumaresan dynamic remains a tad under-explored, as a result). It doesn’t help either that a lot of the flashback portions — particularly those involving Perumal, KK and co. discussing the Leftist doctrine and the role Mahalakshmi plays in the large scheme of things — are instructive in nature. But the matter-of-fact rhythm of the film, with editor R Ramar’s editing pattern injecting energy into the script, saves the day.
A truth that eludes all
The acclaimed director, though, saves his best for the last. The final hour of Viduthalai Part 2 is deeply effective in delineating how institutional power often goes unchecked while voluntary altruism comes layered with perils. The long-climax sequence, easily the most riveting moment in the film, is a simple armed conflict at first glance but Vetrimaaran steadily implores his characters — both big and small — to question their true motives behind firing each bullet. Soori’s Kumaresan, who is largely relegated to the backdrop thus far, reluctantly enters the fray carrying a huge moral baggage and so does Perumal on the other side of the battle, with the two fascinatingly finding each other in the same boat of rights and wrongs. There is no easy answer to the question and Vetrimaaran is fully aware of that, so neither of the two gets the resolution they deserve.
Also read: As 'Viduthalai' shows, Vetrimaaran is a filmmaker who never disappoints
Viduthalai Part 2 is doused in ambition and at times, its progress feels marred by how close the subject matter is to its maker’s heart. Unlike the previous instalment, the film is crammed with too many moments that, although engaging in isolation, aren’t necessarily of much help in making the overall narrative compelling. As a result, we don’t get to multiple narrative threads — like the intriguing Perumal-Kumaresan dynamic or the train incident we got to see at the beginning of Part 1 — are left under-explored. Yet, what works incredibly well in the film’s favour is the feverish quest for a truth that eludes everybody, along with the willingness to take account of both sides of an important story. These factors alone make Viduthalai a rare feat.
