Carbon
investigative thriller
the director: Srinuvasani
starring: Vidarth, Dhanya B, Marimuthu and Munar Ramesh
Director Srinuvasan’s ‘Carbon’ is a refreshingly refreshing investigative thriller that keeps you hooked from start to finish, thanks to an innovative plot that has some really interesting twists till the end.
The story of the film revolves around Shankar (Vidarth), a normal policeman, who takes up a job in a private firm due to a quarrel with his father (played by Marimuthu).
Shankar has a strange gift. He often has dreams and more importantly his dreams come true.
One night, the man dreams that his father is colliding with a black SUV. The nightmare haunts him. He wakes up in a sweat and begins to find his father only to realize that he has had an accident just as he had dreamed.
Shankar takes his unconscious father to the hospital, where the doctors tell him that it is imperative that they undergo a surgery that will cost him a fortune. The only way out for Shankar would be to find the person responsible for the accident and claim the sum insured.
With the police making no serious effort to find the driver of the vehicle, Shankar learns that he has to investigate himself.
It is at this point that one night, sitting by his father’s bedside, he passes out from extreme exhaustion. That’s when he has a dream in which he sees the SUV causing the accident. The door of the SUV opens and as the driver has to exit, Shankar is woken up by the lady cleaning the hospital ward.
In the desperate hope that the same dream might reappear if he did all the things he did on that particular day, Shankar tries to repeat the next day.
Things don’t work out initially and the dream doesn’t appear. While waiting for the dream to recur, Shankar realized with the help of his sharp observation that it was not just a matter of hit-and-run; It was actually an attempt to assassinate her father. Who would want to kill their father and why would they want to do it? Does Shankar find the culprit? And does he save his father? ‘Carbon’ gives you the answer.
The film is a gripping thriller and full marks for director Srinuvasan who has told the story in a clean and compact manner. Half the credit for the film being tough and entertaining should go to editor KL Praveen for his scintillating cuts. There are no unnecessary scenes and the story moves at a brisk pace from the word ‘go’ itself.
Within the first 10 minutes of the film, the director showcases the strong bond of love between father and son, who care deeply for each other, despite not talking to each other. And within the same period, he also reveals everything about Shankar’s dreams and their tendency to come true.
Sam CS’ background score provides ample support to the director who wants to narrate a gripping thriller. His score captures the mood and elevates it, ensuring that the audience has no trouble understanding the emotion the director wants to convey.
Vidarth as Shankar is just outstanding in the film, which incidentally is his 25th film. He plays the role to perfection and wins your heart.
Dhanya B, who appears in the film just before the intermission, is perfect for the role and delivers a commendable performance. The reason the second half is as intense as the first is mainly due to Dhanya’s characterization and contribution.
Marimuthu makes a commendable performance as Vidartha’s father. The care and concern he shows while being tough towards his son is just adorable.
Director Srinuvasan, describing it as a thrilling entertainer, actually also highlights the fact that Tamil cinema has often chosen to misinterpret. It sets the record straight with regard to father-son relationship and highlights that for every son his father is the hero. And that always, sons love their father as much as their mother, if not more.
Some of the dialogues in the film are deep and hit the nail on the head. For example, there is the scene in which the heroine asks the protagonist, “Sons should be closer to their mothers. You look different.” To this the Nayak replies, “When a man’s mother dies, his place is filled by his wife. But when a man’s father dies, the place remains vacant. That is why That sons miss their father much more than their mother. The place that a father holds in a son’s life is special.”
Not that there is no problem with the film. There are some flaws in the logic at the end of the movie. Also, the way the cops are depicted in the film overshadows the realism to some extent. But these are small mistakes that can be forgiven.
Overall, ‘Carbon’ is a good, clean, engaging investigative thriller that is definitely worth your time.
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