Sarkar Movie Story: Sundar Ramasamy (Vijay) is an NRI corporate honcho who comes to India to exercise his right to vote. He finds out his vote has already been cast. While he reclaims his rights legally, it sets into motion a chain of events with him trying to change the system.
Sarkar Movie Review: There’s a telling scene in Sarkar when its protagonist Sundar announces his candidature and addresses the residents of a colony. He’s questioned in return if he even knows the price of tomatoes today. And while he honestly feigns ignorance, he uses it to talk to them about economics and explain to them how it affects financial status. He finally manages to sway them to his side.
For most of the film, director AR Murugadoss tries to establish that politics is in fact not that different from business. Sundar, effectively played by Vijay, keeps pointing out how marketing, branding and strategizing, not just helps win the support of the people but also change a corrupt system.
Sundar is introduced in the film as a ‘corporate monster’ who doesn’t just conquer his competition, he annihilates them. His visit to India has many firms worried about his agenda, but he’s only here to cast his vote. However, he’s informed at the ballot that his vote has already been cast. While he takes the legal route to reclaim his right to vote, circumstances force him to stay back to change the system and make people aware how a single vote can make a difference.
Murugadoss has executed the film well, choosing a good script over plain old fan service. In fact, the few songs and action scenes seemingly there to pander to the ‘mass’ audience are what weigh the film down. The makers also deserve credit for doing their bit to present facts and add credibility to a story based on the election laws of our country.
Despite having none of the larger than life moments, Vijay is on top form as Sundar. His confidence as a corporate honcho adds credibility when he decides to bring about change and take on a political party. The writers too humanise him by painting him as someone who doesn’t have all the answers but who is willing to work with others to seek solutions.
However, the other characters in the film are forgettable. The feeble attempt at romance between Sundar and Nila (Keerthy Suresh) gets nowhere and doesn’t offer her the scope to perform. The first half also lacks a strong antagonist and it is only when Varalaxmi’s daughter enters the fray that the stakes are raised.
AR Rahman’s songs are decent and Girish’s frames are stylish. The film could’ve at least been trimmed by 15 minutes, avoiding a song or two to make it a taut watch. The underlying message and a strong performance delivered by Vijay are what make Sarkar a smart, yet stretched-out watch.
