The Grand Master Movie Review
Aparnathi plays a lead role in this film, which is directed by Vetri Sezhiyan. She works as a sanitation worker cleaning city streets, a job her husband also performs. She has a keen interest in chess and has achieved success by participating in numerous tournaments. This does not sit well with individuals holding a dominant-caste mindset; nevertheless, she continues to excel in the sport, overcoming various forms of harassment.
Against this backdrop, Aparnathi prepares to face the daughter of Suresh Menon—a very wealthy man—in a game of chess. Suresh Menon insults them, calling them sanitation workers. He issues a challenge: "If I win this match, you must come to my area and do sanitation work. But if I lose and your daughter wins, I will come to your house and clean it."
Suresh Menon accepts the challenge. Aparnathi wins the competition. Left with no other choice, Suresh Menon climbs into the sewer to clean it. Unable to bear this humiliation, Suresh Menon kills Aparnathi's husband and threatens her, warning her never to play chess again. Ten years later, Aparnathi's son develops an interest in chess.
Fearing that Suresh Menon would kill her son if he found out, Aparnathi secretly enters the boy into various chess tournaments. Eventually, Suresh Menon discovers that the young chess prodigy is actually Aparnathi's son and invites the boy to play for his organization, but Aparnathi refuses. Suresh Menon then attempts to kill the boy. The film *Grandmaster* reveals what happens in the end.
The Story...
In the majority of Tamil films centered on sports competitions released so far, the male protagonist is usually the one facing adversity; ultimately, he clashes with the villains and triumphs in the sport. In this film, however, it is the heroine who takes on the challenge. She battles against wealthy, powerful figures for the sake of her son. We must first commend the director for crafting a story that places a woman at the forefront.
Screenplay...
The film moves at a brisk pace right from the start. It is engaging to watch Aparnathi intelligently counter and foil Suresh Menon's plot. The film's ending is also unique and unexpected.
Scenes...
The scenes in the film are excellent. The sequence where a challenge is issued—"Try living as a garbage collector for a day"—and the scene where Suresh Menon steps into the sewer to clean it are written with great finesse. The climax, where the young boy triumphs while enduring the humiliation of being a sanitation worker's son, is truly heart-warming and memorable.
The words spoken by actual sanitation workers linger in one's mind long after the film ends. The scene where they speak—mentioning how people dump garbage on them and remarking, "Isn't it your job to clear the trash?" while describing the unbearable stench that makes it impossible to even eat—makes one reluctant to leave the seat even after the movie is over.
Acting...
Aparnathi has previously starred as a female lead in several films. In this movie, she delivers a fine performance as the mother of a ten-year-old boy—a role she is undertaking for the first time. She brilliantly conveys the emotions a sanitation worker experiences when subjected to humiliation, delivering a performance that blends sorrow with steely resolve. Suresh Menon impresses as a corporate villain.
Music...
The songs composed by Dinesh Anthony are delightful to listen to, and the background score is appropriately balanced. The film conveys an unspoken pain; as you watch it, you come to realize the need to look beyond society's perception of sanitation workers—and the stigma their children face—to understand the struggle these individuals must overcome to succeed in the public sphere.
The director earns acclaim for staying true to the film's core theme right up to the conclusion. *The Grandmaster* is a film that pays tribute to all those who have triumphed despite starting from the margins of society. It raises a pertinent question: is it enough merely to rename city cleaners as "sanitation workers" or "frontline workers"? Shouldn't there be a fundamental shift in mindsets and within society itself?
Viewers will realize that *The Grandmaster* is a significant film that powerfully portrays the struggles of marginalized communities and the genuine hardships faced by sanitation workers, using the game of chess as a compelling narrative device.
Verdict : The Grand Master Chequemate.
Rating : 3.5/5
- NithyaSana
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