Chiyaan Vikram's highly-anticipated action drama, Mahaan, also starring his son Dhruv Vikram as the other lead, has released on Amazon Prime Video as a direct OTT release. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, the film has music composed by Santhosh Narayanan. Mahaan is a film that carries a good level of pre-release buzz, thanks to its refreshing combination of actors. How has the film fared? Let's check it out!

STORY:
Gandhi Mahaan (Chiyaan Vikram), frustrated by his monotonous life by following the Gandhian principles, is separated from his wife (Simran) and son, Dada. After their separation, Gandhi Mahaan becomes a billionaire and a liquor baron with the partnership of his friend Sathyavan (Bobby Simhaa). Years later, Dada (Dhruv Vikram) grows up to become a Police officer, who sets out on a mission to curb the liquor business and kill the people involved in the racket. Dada tells Gandhi that he will kill every single person in his gang and stop this liquor business. Gandhi is put in a complicated position where he needs to stand either for his friend who gave him life or for his estranged son. Which side did he take on and what was the result? Watch the film to know! 

SCREENPLAY, DIALOGUES  & DIRECTION: 
Karthik Subbaraj returns to form at a reasonable level with Mahaan after a forgettable outing in Jagame Thandhiram. The premise here offers great scope for drama between the characters and Karthik makes wise use of it. The film is highly engaging although there are a few dips here and there in both halves. There are some well-shot scenes that hold your attention - for example, the church fight sequence where Vikram unleashes himself for the first time, and the first meeting between Vikram & co. and Muthukumar at the Minister's office. Karthik Subbaraj, the director is back in his zone of action that is laced with wackiness and a dark mood. Karthik Subbaraj is someone who has been strong with dialogues and with Mahaan, he puts out some sensible and thought-provoking lines that earn applause. The film takes us by surprise with its emotionally-charged second half and the drama is choreographed in an impressive fashion.

On the downside, the film is a tad too long, especially towards the end. As earlier said, the screenplay is inconsistent at a few junctures and a tighter staging of the plot with more solid moments (in the writing) would have made the film a completely engrossing watch. At times, Mahaan also turns out to be quite predictable. 

CAST: 
Chiyaan Vikram delivers a brilliant performance yet again with a solid role that offers him ample scope to emote. He is a delight to watch, making our movie-watching experience enjoyable with his charismatic screen presence. The majority of Mahaan is actually Vikram's one-man show and he steals it with ease.

On the other hand, Dhruv is in raging form as Dada. After playing a super romantic and charming hero in Adithya Varma, his role in Mahaan is a big shift and he makes use of the space given to him to deliver a convincing performance. Dhruv carries a certain level of charm and swag which if utilized well, will definitely strike a chord with the audience. It is the duo's striking combination that makes Mahaan quite an exhilarating watch.

Simran gets a short role and does her part in a smooth manner. Bobby Simhaa's makeover has been done interestingly and he plays his role as an aging man in a compelling fashion. 

TECHNICAL: 
Santhosh Narayanan's songs don't really pack the punch that a film like Mahaan demands. The background score also works only at places and is a major letdown. Shreyas Krishna's cinematography is top-class, especially the framing and lighting for the scenes. Vivek Harshan's editing is neat and helps with the smooth flow of the film. However, certain scenes could have been trimmed to make the film more gripping.  

SO? 
Mahaan does have its own share of setbacks, but on the larger picture, the film is definitely watchable!