Director Selvaraghavan is entering the political terrain with NGK, starring Suriya, Sai Pallavi and Rakul Preet.
Political terrain as in the politics of politics, rather than the politics of relationships et al, which he has previously explored through the dark shades of his canvas.
Political satire indeed demands immense focus on the plot and dialogues or monologues, but in Nandha Gopalan Kumaran, or NGK, the plot goes astray.
So when a highly educated youth gives up his vocation to dabble in farming and do good for the society, we are in familiar terrain.
As NGK stumbles upon the stark realities of life through the prism of the common folk's difficulties, realisation dawns that politics is omnipotent.
It can do wonders, NGK realises after an old mate just unlocks a tough scenario in a local government office with just a phone call.
But then his doting mother tries to dissuade him from entering from the din of polity, for it is a demon you ride but you can get out only as a corpse.
NGK overrules his mother and gets the consent of his wife, Sai Pallavi to take the plunge.
Selvaraghavan then attempts a bit too much to unravel the shady corridors of political power, but mostly ends up with dragging scenes and non-too-impressive dialogues.
The first half of NGK gives us more of an impression that the attempt is more about political satire.
There are no mass scenes and not enough colour to carry the plot.
Perhaps realising this, the director plunges into some mass scenes and even unleashes a mix of some glitz, glamour and Rakul Preeth to make Suriya sing and dance to the tune of Yuvan Shankar Raja.
From then on it is commotion and chaos. It is full of emotive fury and the plot wanders to unwarranted terrain.
The message, if any, of NGK, is obvious and hence there is no curiosity factor at play.
Selvaraghavan perhaps tried to mix too much elements in NGK than sticking to his strengths, though there are glimpses of brilliance that come into play. But these are not consistent, as the frames wobble to expose the shallow plot.
Suriya and Sai Pallavi can claim to have attempted to justify the director's innate belief in himself.
NGK is not a booster shot to fans or the connoisseurs.
The attempts to weave in contemporary elements of Dravidian politics are not convincing.
NGK leaves the viewers as conceptually confused as its plot is.
It falls in no man's land though the political message of the movie is redemption, or a new awakening.
