Thuppaki – shot dead

Please read disclaimer before reading this post – if you haven’t already.

Thuppaakki is the story of a Tamil speaking army man on a holiday saving Mumbai from Islamic terrorists from the north west of India (while he also is looking to be married).

Army > Police

For comic value or otherwise, the film talks more times than can be ignored about the greatness of the army over the police. In jest by Sathyan or in all seriousness by the villain who says ‘the only place we don’t have a sleeper cell in the country is the Indian army’. Subtly too, the 12 men on a holiday from the army, shoot out 12 sleeper cell terrorists in some of the most popular places in Mumbai. The state police are able to only find out that all the men shot are terrorists (because they all had explosives) and have no clue who shot them. The film ends with “army thaan da perusu” like that was meant to be the moral of the story.

Army can do whatever they want

Some army men come into the city, possess guns, torture people (terrorists apparently) by chopping off their fingers, shoot people down in some of the most crowded areas, make plastic bombs with the explosives admittedly brought to the city through influence, attempt to conduct suicide missions, blow up ships and all sorts of such things. The point here is not the logic of any of this, mind you, but the blind portrayal of almost criminal activity by military men as acceptable – in fact sacrificial. That whole sequence with Jayaram in it: The lesser said about it, the better.

Modern, physically strong, outspoken women are now desirable

There is a love track – the hero chasing the heroine and her chasing him in return. She is first seen as the ideal Tamil girl – long hair, short smile, politeness and all that. The hero ‘rejects’ her because he wants a modern, outspoken girl. Turns out she is a boxer (who is hurt punching a two-wheeler mirror – but that’s a different story), wears micro minis, goes partying and slaps her father (since when is the opposite of ‘adakkam’?). When the hero finds her out, he falls in love.

Now she ‘rejects’ him. Then she looks at her very-good-looking-during-college-days-friend marry a bald man and decides that she should cling on to Jagadish (Vijay of course) because he is both handsome and successful – because that’s how love happens for women? Anyway, when they do go out, none of her modern-ness or boxing skills help save the city from terrorism. So basically, she could have been done away with.

In essence

As @rathna_k was saying on Twitter, this is just 7 Aum Arivu with terrorists from the north west wearing scarves around their heads, reading urdu scripts, praying before killing, have names such a Mohammad/ Arif/ Ali etc. The same rhetoric of sacrifice, fighting (violently) for the country (which is now India because the hero lives in Mumbai), black and white of right and wrong etc. There is also nokkuvarmam – if only as a mention in a song.

16 responses

  1. poovarasan Avatar
    poovarasan

    bull shit..the person who reviewed this made me get irritated..is he a james Cameron? thinking that whatever he writes is acceptable..

  2. *abusive language*. First see the film and then give review. Exceptionally fantastic film.

  3. Am hurt; @renganv too is. 66A is coming for you.

  4. Movie was good, better than most of other ‘mass’ movies.

    Agree with all your points and to add, I will not be surprised if the movie create some Hindu sleeper cells in the country 🙂

  5. I think your observations and commentary is accurate. I liked the movie but it had all the short comings you noted. I am sure many Vijay fans, who want their star to have a big hit, are seeing this as redeeming movie. Normally after the hero does the saving the police arrive, here the army man hero does the same but the police never arrive even to wrap up the goondas.

    1. Thanks saar. The police never arrive at all. They are shown as if they are happy that the army is coming around to do their job. It was funny indeed.

      1. Tamil cinema la police correct time ku vantha namma kalacharam enna aagum.. ippadi poruppu illama pesana eppadi?

  6. If u want 100% logic in a film , then i doubt if u should be seeing films at all . And would like to know which film u ever liked

    1. Hi! Even im the blog post, I mention that it isn’t about logic. It is about rhetoric. I am not sure you catch my point. 🙁

      However, if you are really interested in the films I liked, please feel free to go through the blog. Archives might give you a good idea. Thank you.

  7. Good Review.. Then are guys who like Soft Spoken, Coyly smiling Tamil Girls and then there are Guys who like the Hard Hitting Mini Skirt Sportive Types… This movie is for the latter Niche Audience!!!

  8. Thala Fan Avatar
    Thala Fan

    Thalarockzzz!

  9. Not sure you read the review on ibnlive.com – “Vijay’s character has traits of Sherlock Holmes-style detective skills” it seems….Shabbaa!!!

    1. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! *literally rolling on the floor laughing*

    2. visai tottaly wasted,thuppakki dont have a successful future to a actor

  10. the army > police should totally be Vijay’s idea i guess.. he already did a cop film.
    Jayaram sequence i guess is in the screenplay just for the Google google song.. else, the song placement would be so inappropriate. (also budgeting issues is evident in choice of cast for Vijay’s parents).

    poorly constructed second half n climax.. for a tamil ‘crime’ film, the plot techniques n few ideas were good for Vijay film in first half, but i guess Murugadoss’ asst directors quit during interval.
    total misuse of santosh sivan’s brilliance.. technicians dont appease Vijay’s fans like how it does for MR 🙂

  11. I personally like this frank review..

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