Amaran ticks all the boxes of a typical army movie. As viewers you know where the film is headed still the tight writing coupled with the performances make it an engaging watch. Sai Pallavi as Indu Rebecca Varghese adds an emotional depth to her mostly one note character

• Starcast: Sivakarthikeyan, Sai Pallavi, Bhuvan Arora, Rahul Bose, Geetha Kailasam and others
• Direction and screenplay: Rajkumar Periyaswamy
• Additional screenplay: Stefan Richer
• Based on: India’s Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes
• Producers: Kamal Haasan, R Mahendran and Vivek Krishnani
• Production Companies: Raaj Kamal Films International and Sony Pictures Films India
• Cinematography: CH Sai
• Music: GV Prakash Kumar
• Running time: 2 hours and 49 minutes

Rajkumar Periyaswamy’s Amaran follows a certain template particularly the beats of Adavi Sesh’s Major. Just like the protagonist of Major here too the hero Mukund decides at an early age that he will join the army. Unlike both parents who are not happy with their son’s decision in Major, here the father is quite supportive. The mother though prays to God that he should fail the army test which of course doesn’t happen. There is also the angle of the future in laws who are dead against their daughter marrying an army man. The death of Major Mukund while battling a deadly enemy is also something that the viewers can see from a mile. In spite of the predictable scenarios Amaran touches an emotional chord particularly for those coming from army families. Even if you aren’t a fan of movies with army background Amaran is still enjoyable.

Amaran is told from the perspective of Major Mukund’s wife Indu Rebecca Varghese (an excellent Sai Pallavi). How love blossomed between them in Madras Christian college. Indhu has a major stage fear which Mukund helps her overcome. The movie plays like a series of flashbacks showing the different facets of Mukund as a son, lover, husband, father alongside his various roles in the army.

The heart of Amaran is the love story and the director has done a wonderful job in showcasing the various stages of the relationship. The tender moments between Mukund and Indhu make the viewers wish that the real-life story had panned out differently. A couple of scenes worth mentioning here are the one where Mukund leans on Indhu’s shoulder saying that he didn’t think military training would be this tough and wants to sleep on her shoulders for a while. Similarly, there is an adorable video call where Mukund calms down Indhu’s tensions making her temporarily forget the kilometers of distance between them.

Mention must also be made of the dynamics between Indhu and Geeta Kailasam’s Geetha Varadarajan. Initially Geeta is dead against their marriage and even tries to sabotage the relationship but soon they become thick friends. The commonality between them is the pain of separation and the underlying love for Mukund.

A major portion of Mukund’s military life is set amidst the backdrop of political insurgency in Kashmir. The numerous battles of CRPF in dealing with the militant outfits has been well documented. There are scenes of Indian army working closely with the camps of ex militants wanting to start a fresh life. A few members of the Kashmiri youth are also seen working in the Indian army which doesn’t go down well with a certain community.

There are lines hinting on how the tension filled atmosphere is due to the people sitting in the government. The film also gives a brief glimpse into the emotional turmoil of the militant families. However, the presentation of Kashmir conflict needed greater depth. At the end of day Rajkumar Periyaswamy reduces the decades long upheaval to a superficial good versus bad saga. For example, the scenes of stone pelting are shown to be an act of terrorism ignoring the fact that it is also a form of protest. In its quest to honor Mukund’s bravery the political complexity of the issue is sidetracked.

Talking about the fights the movie has some well-choreographed combat sequences like the scene where Mukund’s fellow army man cum friend leaps on to a grenade with only a wooden board as a shield. Even the pre climax of Mukund battling with the enemy in a confined space is thrilling. Cinematographer CH Sai deserves distinction marks for a job very well done. He does a wonderful job in capturing both the scenic beauty of Kashmir and also the ambush sequences. GV Prakash Kumar’s background score is another asset for the movie particularly in the action sequences. The songs are quite melodious.

The role of major Mukund is truly a game changer for Sivakarthikeyan. It is vastly different from what he usually does, he springs a very pleasant surprise transforming from a boy next door in the initial portions to a brave army man. The best part of Sivakarthikeyan’s performance is how he manages to convey a certain sense of vulnerability and humanness underneath the tough exterior. For example, there is a scene in the second half where he tears up pleading with the senior officer by Rahul Bose. Sai Pallavi as already mentioned plays a mostly one note character a constant cheerleader for the husband however adverse the circumstances are. In the hands of a weak actor Indhu would have been annoying but given Sai Pallavi’s acting prowess she adds a lot of emotional depth with her nuanced act. She is particularly good in the breakdown scene post Mukund’s death.

The supporting cast comprises of actors in small yet significant parts. Geeta Kailasam as the mother makes a striking impact. Among the actors playing Mukund’s colleagues Bhuvan Arora does a wonderful job. Rahul Bose as the senior officer brings in the required authority and a sense of empathy. Talking about Mukund’s scenes with the colleagues a mention must be made of the portion where Mukund and his fellow men discuss about movies with references to Thuppakki and Fahadh Fassil. The camaraderie has come out well.

To sum it up Amaran makes for a satisfying war drama in spite of some glitches.