Iruvar: Mani Ratnam's retelling of the birth of a state is a testament to his caliber

 

There is a feeling that washes over a person once the credits roll on Iruvar. The viewer finds that for almost the past three hours, the film has held their attention to an extent where nothing else has mattered. It is one of the most accurate descriptions of being 'mesmerized'—mesmerized like how Anandan was when he first saw Pushpavalli, mesmerized like those in the cinema halls when they first saw Anandan on their big screens, mesmerized in a way that only cinema can achieve. Mani Ratnam brings his decades’ worth of experience to tell this star-studded tale about the birth of a state and its political superpowers, intertwined with its most beloved artform. He takes this story, which has been inspired by an epic real-life tale, and puts the best filmmaking talent behind it to achieve a stunning display of what sight and sound can accomplish. Every moment that is etched in the history of Tamil Nadu has been presented here, and the heft isn’t lost on any one of them.

Santosh Sivan's camerawork is almost a definitive showcase of the phrase "Every frame a painting." However, the paintings in this analogy are not created just for artistic merit. These are frames that are reminiscent of photographs and artworks displayed in museums and textbooks—paintings created to mark large historical moments like the birth of a revolution, the creation of a leader, or depictions of an epic rivalry, and so on. Each of these frames is opulent in scale and filled with gigantic reminders of the scale at which the story operates. Large mansions and forts often appear alongside big sets with multiple cameras. Lakhs of people gather to hear these characters address them, and they bear witness to these speeches through rains and cold, foggy nights. They rise to their words and even hold torches for them, while also being ready to fall at their feet and take up arms against their own for their leaders. Each of these frames, alongside the public that they control, are glorious and help convey the authority these men have over the citizens they rule. They are also detailed in how they visually describe the place that each one has in this political scenario. The distance between two characters is one of many staging devices used to showcase how one is above the other; some are framed higher than others for the same effect. The blocking and staging of each frame can be observed for years to come as a textbook in depicting character dynamics. A particularly intense exchange of words between the two leads gets built up to for long and is paid off incredibly, only due to the way the camera chooses to follow these two men as they speak. The camera also tracks many of these moments in a remarkably intense manner. It is able to establish feelings and shifting power dynamics directly through its tracking. A scene involving a car interrupting a passionate speech in a rather similar manner occurs at two distinct points in the story, and the framing is the only device that is able to establish the slight difference in the interruption's emotional reception by a lead character. That singular framing choice adds a whole layer of intensity and ego to what could have been a simple scene.

Mani Ratnam's screenplay is tasked with the heaviest of all burdens: it has to encapsulate a story of epic proportions that takes place over a long period of time. It is a difficult exercise to keep the film feeling exciting and crisp when it has to cover decades' worth of material. Each of the events that the film covers is not only bundled with the occurrences in its past, but also has to consider that it isn’t ignorant of what the decision in that scene caused in the future. The inherently political nature of the film and its sensitive subject matter makes it susceptible to scrutiny from those who hold the past dear to them, and those who have been affected by these choices in the present. It is all incredibly handled by this master filmmaker, who has clearly put effort into making sure this film feels like it never drags on, while also making sure that the weight of its importance is never lost. Every scene is written with a keen eye, making sure that it plays a vital role in forming a significant part of both the arcs of these characters and the state as a whole. Every decision solves a previously posed problem while also giving enough leeway for audiences to follow along for what is to occur. It is all kept short enough to maintain intensity and engagement while never overstaying the welcome of any particular issue or sequence. The screenplay is helped by its editing, which is also determined in its effort to make sure that no single set of events feels like it has gone on without the sight of an end.

A.R. Rahman is a national treasure, and the reason for placing that title upon the composer is evident in every single one of his collaborations with this filmmaker. Iruvar is no exception to that statement. Mani Ratnam's story, which contains a central character intertwining between being a person of the arts and a man of the people, required a score that satisfies this character-driven narrative with something that fits both these polar-opposite scenarios. A.R. Rahman manages to create a soundtrack so unique to the context of the film that it always feels like it fits. The score helps digest the transitions between these two distinct worlds. The songs are their own beast in themselves. The songs have to cater to three different generations. They have been made in such a way that the songs are organically included in the storytelling by making them a part of the films that Anandan is in. These are then played in a way that they also apply to the onscreen sequences. The songs have to, therefore, feel like something composed for the period epics being made in a period epic itself. The songs have to cater to the present viewers while feeling like songs made for period films during the 1950s. This is tackled head-on by using one aspect of the music in each song to cater to each generation. A great example would be the first song we see that establishes a love story, which has playful lyrics but is composed in a manner that feels like something from the 1920s. Many other songs can be taken apart to find similar usage of various aspects to cater to all aspects of the film.

The performances by both leads are a class apart. Mohanlal plays a wide-eyed, naïve supporting actor who slowly becomes an enormous politician, and the transition from these two very different personalities is done so seamlessly that it is hard to notice. Prakash Raj plays a man so enamored by his own progressive views and his ability to poetically string together words that he mentions them at the drop of a hat. It is a character trait that could bother viewers instantly if not done with the utmost amount of grace and tenderness. Prakash Raj brings this grace, adding to the experience of watching this film instead of taking away from it. These two leads take up most of the runtime, but Aishwarya Rai's extended role in two different characters stands out.

Iruvar is a testament to the legendary status that people bestow upon Mani Ratnam. This political tale of the camaraderie and eventual fallout between two titans could have easily dissolved into a cold and unfocused narrative, lending itself to become an average affair. It is only in the capable hands of Mani Ratnam that this story is handled in a way that feels intimate and personal. Large conflicts can be boiled down into smaller issues of ego and passion. Every point in the story feels accessible due to it being something that the audience can feel through the two incredibly etched-out characters. We are invested, through and through, in their personal journey involving growth, anger, and turmoil, and through these very relatable emotions, this grand tale of the creation of a state is told. The magical camerawork, combined with an iconic soundtrack, invites you into this world, and the story that is told is nothing short of extraordinary. Iruvar is a work of pure genius and is definitely worth watching just to understand the level of storytelling that this maestro is capable of.