Good Bad Ugly (Tamil; 2025)
Story and Direction: Adhik Ravichandran
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| https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/chennai/good-bad-ugly/ET00431346 |
I remember watching a movie on TV back in the day, under the watchful eyes of Amma. I remember it was a MGR starring Tamil movie. In one of his stereotypical roles, he, the do-gooder who fought against the evil zamindar, goes to jail at the movie's end for killing the villain. In the last scene, he returns home just to be feted with praise, showers of flower petals, and salutations. Amma was quick to interject. "What rubbish! He went to jail, and people are celebrating!"
I thought, "… but Gandhi and Nehru also went to jail, and you have a statue of them in the house and tell us stories of how we should emulate them." Thanks to my better judgment, I decided to keep my opinions to myself.
That was how most Tamil movies used to be. The protagonist was the epitome of goodness. He was usually the exemplary one-dimensional character expected to set the mould for how one should love their life. He would indirectly propagate the virtues of being a teetotaller, speaking the truth, being honest and respecting the elders. The resolution at the show's end would teach the audience that goodness always triumphs over evil. Of course, we know MGR went into a successful political career and remains in the Tamil Nadu psyche.
So that was the time when movies tried to teach good virtues. It was then. Around the late 1970s or early 1980s, circa the launch of Kamal Hassan-starred 'Nayagan' and later Rajnikanth's 'Thalapathy', it suddenly became hip to be bad.
Now, by default, the movie that hit big time at the box office would preach all the antithesis of what their predecessors of the Golden Era of Tamil cinema advocated. Just look at the typical blockbuster these days. It is cool to be a gangster, jobless, showing disrespect to parents, loafing around, getting drunk, indulging in pre- and extramarital trysts and eloping with one's jobless partner against all odds.
In 'Good Bad Ugly', an unashamed reference to Clint Eastwood's successful spaghetti western, we see a repentant big-time gangster who is behind bars, drawn into his old world of thuggery and violence when his teenage son is kidnapped.
The whole movie is indulgence for Ajith Kumar's ardent fans. The outing is especially heartwarming for his fans. Ajith, also called 'Thala' (Leader), was recently conferred 'Padma Bushan', the third highest civilian award the Government of India gave for his philanthropic work. This film also celebrates his 30-plus illustrious years in Tamil cinema. Hints of his previous roles and innuendos of dialogues from his last outings are glaring in the face for his ardent fans to identify and savour. In short, it is a feel-good movie for his fans and does not contribute in any way to the upliftment of society.
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| Darkkey and AK |
This is quite diametrical to what MGR was seen to be spreading. We know his messages were political, but at least he told children not to steal or be sleepy heads and reminded them that the truth will always prevail.
Malaysia's input is also evident in this movie. Darkkey, a Malaysian Indian artist involved in the local Tamil music scene for the past 30 years, appears in a cameo role. He renders his brand of music called Sambarock in the high-decibel song, 'Puli Puli'.
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