BILLA - Review
Sleek masala entertainer, is a genre which Tamil cinema is not much used to. Thanks to bravery of Vishnu and Ajith, you will see more such movies from now on.
To remake a film which was a trendsetter of its times involving someone who was and continues to be the super star, requires sharp skills and is tantamount to walking on thin ice. But where Vishnu Vardhan scores is in his crystal clear vision. He doesn’t want to challenge the original nor change its content. All he wants to do is to repackage it stylishly for today’s trend with some present avant-garde styles in film making. The deliberate attempts by the director not to follow the super star’s style are palpable in every frame which has made Billa stand out tall and high.Ajith as the ruthless David Billa is a revelation. Stylish, menacing and electrifying, he seems to have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and has completely lived up to it. Rajinikanth can definitely be proud of his successor he has chosen for the tough job.
As the simpleton Velu, Ajith is lively and light, combining with Prabhu for some great moments. When asked by Prabhu to don the role of Billa, Velu expresses his dislike saying that Lord Muruga will not approve of this. When Prabhu sights sura samhara as an example, Ajith counters him saying that ‘avarukku aaru thala, aana enakku orey thala’, having his fans simply break into raptures.The introductory scene of Nayantara rocks and is on par with such scenes of any other hero of current times. She looks fit, debonair and effortlessly sizzles. Namitha as CJ and Billa’s lover appears in glamorous outfits and satisfies her fans. Prabhu as DCP, cannot be better. Rahman as Interpol officer has done his job well.Action scenes directed by stunt man William Ong are the highlights. The car chase sequences are first of its kind in Tamil, with Ajith’s racing image adding to the grandeur. Sound effects are perfect and in sync with natural sound and the credit goes to Ayyappan. His efforts come to the fore especially in action sequences.
Yuvan Shankar does it once again. ‘My name is Billa’, though shot differently, lacks the original’s magic. The ‘Vethalayai Pottendi’ number could also have been better.Vishnu doesn’t waste too much time or dialogues on character building. He seems to have depended more on rapid cuts to make the screen play tighter and taut. The two biggest pillars of support for him come from costume department and cinematography section. Kudos to Vishnu’s wife, Anu Vardhan’s hard work and eye for details to get the colors and feel of the costumes perfect. Nirav Shah, the cinematographer’s work is of superlative nature and the result is an absolute visual delight. Seamless editing by Sreekar Prasad adds to the flow of the film.
On the whole, neatly packaged, Billa has lived up to its hype. If you are looking for an enjoyable fantasy ride, you wouldn’t be disappointed.