Vivegam Is All About Ajith’s Stardom

Starring: Ajith Kumar,  Vivek Oberoi,  Kajal Aggarwal

Directed by Siva

Rating: **(2 stars)

Don’t  let the hi-tech outlook fool you. At heart, Vivegam is an traditional status quoist as any Rajinikanth starrer. Except that this time it not Rajini Sir . It is Ajith Sir.

But the tropes and signposts  of superstardom  are identical. Hero-worship is a given in Vivegam. Chants of ‘You are great….the lion has reminded the  zoo’ rent the air whenever Ajith steps in.Every time the leading lady Kajal aggarwal looks at our larger-than-life over-the-top hero her eyes convey  the devotion of a Shiv Bhakt who has just encountered  the true significance of a ling in the life of a devotee.

The songs, so loud you can hear them in Serbia even if you are stuck in Mumbai, glorify Ajit with words about ‘You are the spirit of strength, thr ideal  man,’ etc etc.

Ajit plays  the leader  of the counter-terrorism squad who is betrayed by his own people  and must fight back to save his soul . It is interesting to see that the audience doesn’t expect Ajith to act human.Or even act.  He must remain  a super-hero in the combat arena, kitchen and, ahem , bedroom(here in the love-making moments Ajith remains discreetly clothed and physically distanced  from  Ms Aggarwal who must convey overt suffering and trepidation even during times of unmitigated  stress.

In one sequence the goons composed of Indian and foreign nationals, who are after confidential government  information, are shot down  by bullets from a distant  spot  while Kajal runs helter-skelter in front of the window where her beloved  husband makes targets out of them.

The  action is novel but unfunny. By the time Ajith rips off his  shirt in the climax I was tearing my hair in exasperation.  While it is  a welcome change  to see a Tamil director Siva attempting  a slick hi-tech film with the  character constantly hanging on to the edge of the seat. This slickness is  not enough reason to bear  more than 2 ½ hours of a project designed to glorify one man.

Guess who.