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There is something to be said about watching the first show on the first day of a Rajinikanth release, with an audience that has many fans. I'm not sure any Indian superstar gets the kind of long wolf whistles when his name appears on the screen, which reaches a crescendo when the fans get their first glimpse of Rajini in Kochadaiiyaan - their revered star's first movie after Robot in 2010.
Like any Rajini film, Kochadaiiyaan too has a lot of hype riding on it, apart from the presence of the screen legend himself. The movie is his daughter, Soundarya Rajinikanth's, directorial debut and is also the first Indian motion-capture, photorealistic 3D animation film. That long list of terms means that one walks into the cinema expecting to be blown away by the animation but unfortunately, that does not quite happen. Even though Rajinikanth (in a much younger, six-pack version), Deepika Padukone, Sarath Kumar and others appear to be in credible avatars, the animation leaves you unimpressed, possibly because we have also been exposed to cutting-edge technology from Hollywood. Even the lip-sync falters a couple of times in the Tamil version, and the Hindi release might be worse off. The producer has mentioned in interviews that at Rs 125 crore, Kochadaiiyaan was made at a fraction of the cost of Hollywood films using the same motion-capture technology such as Avatar and Tintin, but for the viewer, that is not much of a consolation.
Coming to the story, the period film recounts the rivalry between two kingdoms, Kottaipattanam and Kalingapura. A young Rana is swept into a waterfall one stormy day and resurfaces in Kalingapura, where after he grows up, he is appointed the king's and prince's lieutenant. So trusted is he that they listen to his advice and use slaves captured from Kottaipattanam in their battle against that kingdom but on the battlefield Rana does a volte-face (gotcha, suckers!), embraces the prince of Kottaipattanam, and announces that he was setting his fellow-citizens free because he, of course, does not really belong to Kalingapura.
The ruler of Kottaipattanam is not, however, overenthused by Rana's return and though we get some hints, the history is revealed only in the second half, when the actual Kochadaiiyaan, Rana's father, is introduced. Rajini fans might be happy to note that their megastar appears not in one, but in three roles in the film. Padukone, the princess, is for the most part confined to looking pretty and dancing around her lover but she proves that she can also pack a mean punch (and kick) when she chases her mysterious assailant who had broken into the palace to assassinate her father. Shobana, who plays the wife of Kochadaiiyaan (senior), is similarly in a domestic role, except for a stirring speech to the crowds who have gathered to see her husband being punished.
For those expecting some killer Rajini stunts, even if it is a medieval equivalent of throwing sunglasses with panache into the air, there aren't that many, actually. Kochadaiiyaan emerging out of the ocean on a dolphin does not quite cut it, though Rana's entry on a horse does have the crowd hooting. And it is only towards the climax that you get glimpses of the uber cool I-don't-give-a-damn-because-I'm-Rajini dialogues and postures. AR Rahman's music, though, does not disappoint and is lyrical, rousing and haunting by turns.
While the storyline might not be exceptional, it is unlikely that you would have expected it to be. But what could have saved the film was better animation, since that is what the film is supposed to hinge on, apart from Rajinikanth's aura. It might still be a decent summer-holiday option for children but fans might feel the legend could have been harnessed more. For, when the lights start to come on after the last scene (which leaves room for a sequel), there is no thundering applause or loud whistles.
