Aadukalam

Cast: Dhanush, Tapsee, Kishore, Jayabalan and many
Director: Vettrimaran
Music:  GV Prakash Kumar
Genre:  Drama

Vettrimaran is back with his two successful actors Dhanush and Kishore in his second film "Aadukalam". In this film the director has made every scene as practical as possible, giving Sun Pictures a sudden transition from their previous film (Endhiran). Dhanush takes up a typical Madurai-born avatar and fits in well.

The film is centered on Rooster fight, where elements like love, friendship, fun, and betrayal revolve around it. The film is split (exactly) into two. The first half is about the scenario of Madurai's Rooster Fight craze through ages, and the second is packed with ego clashes and betrayal. 

Petaikaran (Jayabalan) is a rooster fight trainer, and victorious person who had never lost in a match. He is always with his followers Karuppu (Dhanush), Durai (Kishore) and a gang of rooster trainers and breeders. Rathnaswamy (Naren) a police, who is also a rooster trainer is determined to win Petaikaran. Irene (Tapsee) an Anglo Indian girl happens to meet K P Karuppu, and he falls for her. Dhanush's scenes with the heroine are the ones which impart comedy and colour between the action and tragedy fueled film.

The police Rathanaswamy considers winning Petaikaran as his family's pride. Though he tries to follow ethical means to win the fight, he is lured by his cronies, to follow the shorter route to win the sport. A tournament is held by Petaikaran, and it is a serious one as pride gets involved. The first few matches are won by Petaikaran's team, but, after the police imports roosters from Banglore, and uses steroid like medicines on them, the fight becomes difficult. Dhanush enters at this situation to save his master's pride and wins the matches after a lot of risks and rejection of his master's cautions. Dhanush becomes the hero of the town. This ignites anger and ego in Petaikaran's mind. The rest of the story is the clashes of ego and life or death fights where roosters are replaced by humans.

The scenes where Karuppu tries to impress Irene are wonderfully taken. The helps and tips from friends and companions to impress her are cute, like the one where Durai gives his bike at the mid-night and takes picture of them in a cell phone, and the one where Petaikaran innocently suggests giving malli (jasmine) to her on their meeting not considering the fact that she is a modern Anglo Indian girl.

The rooster fights are awesome and seems real. The depiction of trainer-rooster bond is mind blowing. These fights are shown as fights between the talents of the trainers than the fitness of the roosters. Coming to the human fights, which pops up in between the first half and makes the whole climax, are practical and logical, and are made to look like local street fights without sacrificing heroism. The infinite stamina of the hero at the climax can be forgiven for these practical fights.


The songs fall at right timing. Excellent job by the choreographer, though the steps aren't the professional dancers kind, they suit well for a carefree Madurai youth. 

Standing in the line separating the commercials and the non commercials, this is a decent, worth a watch film.