One of the biggest turn-offs in several star vehicles is a protagonist who feels the burden of the world on his shoulders, attaching himself so seriously to a cause while pretending to be the panacea for all ills. Jithu Madhavan, the director of Romancham and Aavesham, turns this trope on its head with Scene, his Tamil debut starring an utterly unserious Suriya.
Scene is a cleverly plotted and equally self-aware dark comedy that parodies the police procedural genre, offering a lip-smacking cocktail of self-deprecating humour and action, with a handful of goofball characters thrown into the mix. What could have been a conventional cat-and-mouse thriller involving a reluctant cop and a serial killer on the loose instead turns into a riotous comedy.
Everyone has a story to tell about the maverick cop Premraj (Suriya). He was once a friendly, street-smart officer, but something in him has flipped lately. He shows up to work in shorts and casual T-shirts, relishes dominating his juniors, and has even put in his papers. Until his boss, Stephen (Lal), banks on him to trace the whereabouts of a criminal mimicking the modus operandi of a jailed serial killer.
The young Easwaran (Naslen) is an unusually assured antagonist, going about his murders with a casual pride in his intellect, aided by an unassuming duo comprising a tailor and an auto driver. Even after Premraj is dropped from the case, he takes it upon himself to find answers, with a disinterested assistant, Maya (Nazriya), an alcoholic mother and a slow-witted father by his side.
The first half, while setting the stage for a juicy contest between the two camps, relentlessly puts its characters through a whole lot of embarrassing situations. The screenplay, keen to hold on to your attention, is marked by flashy edits and a restless progression, constantly unveiling different facets of its key characters, driving the plot forward while keeping the humour quotient intact.
Once the pivotal characters and their quirks are introduced, the madness is amplified further. The women get as much scope as the men in solving the case, profiling criminals, taking charge and giving as good as they get when the men cannot. A bonkers proposal scene unfolds in a mortuary, where everything that can go wrong for a love-struck couple does.
Borrowing a leaf out of Karuppu, plenty of meta references to Suriya’s films, ranging from Vaaranam Aayiram to Ghajini, find their way into the narrative without becoming indulgent. Numerous gags are directed at Premraj at every turn, and Suriya takes them all sportingly. His male ego is consistently battered in Maya’s presence. The very absence of any apparent heroism is the film’s primary asset.
Every time the script feels too clever for its own good, it pulls back with a dose of self-mockery. The chaotic rhythm feels original and rooted in its local milieu. The mind games between Premraj and Easwaran are fun to watch as they try to outsmart each other at every turn. There are no lengthy backstories to explain their actions or motives; the film simply accepts that they are wired differently.
The final 30 to 45 minutes make up the film’s finest stretch, with the tonal shifts handled seamlessly. Premraj is pushed to the edge, while Easwaran gives him a tough fight. The rivetingly staged confrontation at the former’s residence is packed with sharp detailing and backed by inventive action choreography. The film respects the viewer’s intelligence without compromising on mass appeal.
While Scene needed a star at the helm for its humour to land the way it does, it is also allowed the luxury of bearing the stamp of the director’s style and sensibilities because Suriya lets him be, both as the lead and as the producer. Suriya, Naslen and Nazriya respond to the film’s demands without overstating their presence.
Suriya adapts to the film’s pitch like a fish to water. That he has appeared effortless in all three of his contrasting outings this year is a testament to his range. Nazriya is placed well within her comfort zone, but the part gives her a lot more spunk to play with. Naslen’s villainy is all the creepier because he prefers to remain invisible within a crowd.
Apart from Anandraj and Lal, there are not many heavyweights in the cast. The decision to rope in lesser-known actors adds to the film’s surprise value. The music, action, editing and snappy dialogue all speak the same cinematic language. That is when you realise that director Jithu Madhavan has done his bit efficiently, steering his talents in precisely the same direction.
Scene is a cool, innovative action comedy that satirises the genre while remaining equally cerebral and funny. Some portions can get overwhelming, which is partly intentional, but the film is always ready to laugh at its own absurdities with the same zest.
(The writer watched the Telugu-dubbed version)
Rating: 3/5
