A Review of the Movie ‘Election’: A commendable portrayal of grassroots politics

I gotta say, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the main character in ‘Election’, Natarasan, is like a grown-up version of Kumaresan, the kid from director Thamizh’s first film, ‘Seththumaan’. Remember how Kumaresan helplessly watched his grandpa die in a drunken fight between two caste Hindus? Poor kid didn’t even understand what was happening. Well, in ‘Election’, Natarasan voices that same confusion when he says, “I don’t get this whole politics thing,” more than once in the movie.

Natarasan’s father, played by George Maryan, is someone who romanticizes his grassroots position in a political party. But he gets sidelined when he asks for a ticket from the party’s district secretary in Vellore. Heartbroken by this and other incidents, Natarasan, who’s actually an engineer, decides to run as an independent candidate in an upcoming election. The film starts off as a son’s journey to restore his father’s pride. But let me tell you, my friend, ‘Election’ is much more than just that.

Keep an eye out for some outstanding performances from Vijay Kumar, Dileepan, Pavel Navageethan, and George Maryan. The writing by ‘Thamizh’ and ‘Azhagiya Periyavan’ makes up for any lackluster acting. I couldn’t spot a single bad performance, even if I looked closely. The storytelling could have been a confusing mess if it wasn’t handled with care. But the tangled family ties between multiple families have been woven into the drama surrounding the election quite skillfully. Familiar themes like friends turning into foes and vice versa, betrayal, changing alliances, shifting party loyalties, and gaining or losing trust all make a lot more sense with the rich history and personal connections that the characters share.

You know, there are so many side stories in this film that explore the relationships between characters, and sometimes they can distract us from the main plot. But the cool thing is, whenever a character in the movie loves, hates, trusts, kills, or saves someone, they do it for political survival. Every action they take is driven by the need to protect their political career, and that keeps us hooked too.

What sets ‘Election’ apart from other serious election thrillers is that its protagonist isn’t a virtuous but helpless man trying to turn the tables through the ballot. No, this guy enters politics without any principles or knowledge. He’s a flawed candidate who believes that bribing voters will help him win. There’s a constant reminder that he doesn’t really fit into politics, not because he’s evil, but because he’s naive and can’t think beyond his family’s well-being.

Breaking the stereotype of the all-perfect hero in Tamil cinema, Natarasan’s journey of learning about politics throughout the movie makes his character more relatable and adds an interesting character arc. The character arcs of Navageethan and George Maryan are also quite intriguing. And that scene where George Maryan lets go of his prestigious ‘katchi thundu’ (political party flag) is perfectly placed.

Unlike other films in this genre, ‘Election’ doesn’t rely on one final do-or-die election that determines everything. Instead, it shows us the behind-the-scenes ‘understanding’ between seemingly rival factions or parties, giving us a glimpse into how politicians trivialize elections. This realistic portrayal of politics is a refreshing departure from other films in this genre. However, I do agree that the director could have paid more attention to the level of detail in depicting the local body election proceedings.

Apart from a few scenes showing the campaign, the film doesn’t effectively convey the intricacies of the election process. But overall, ‘Election’ is still a captivating film that offers a unique perspective on politics.