Vikas Yadav
This Mani Ratnam movie is packed with visually exciting and symmetrical moments that even if you are lost in its intricacies of power, you can immerse yourself in the images.
When Nandini first meets Vallavaraiyan, her face is slightly covered by her palanquin's curtain. This tells us that she is hiding something dark beneath her shiny exterior.
If the characters are plotting something, the frame is shrouded in wickedness (the meeting between the ministers is infused with dim, dark lights and colors as if they are giving birth to corruption).
If the characters are flirting, a sense of liveliness emanates from the scene. The dialogues elevate this quality.
These scenes have a highly charged atmosphere, and the director brings out the primal rage of men fighting these battles. The women, too, cross swords, but they do so with their tongues.
Thank you for reading!