Duniya Vijay has beaten the sophomore slump with Bheema. <\/i>By repeating the hit formula of his directorial debut Salaga, <\/i>and unabashedly catering to his target audience, Vijay has resurrected his two-decade-long career with his new actor-director role.<\/p>\n Bheema, <\/i>just like Salaga, <\/i>is a crime drama. The film, which talks about the dangerous consequences of youth substance abuse, is set in the slums of Bengaluru. Unlike a run-of-the-mill commercial outing that shows people, especially men, from poverty-stricken areas as generic villains, Bheema <\/i>features some very Working with 60 new actors, Vijay builds a world that sharply reflects the lifestyle of people from such localities. \u201cWhen you set a film in a particular environment, it\u2019s very important to depict the realities that exist there,\u201d says Vijay.<\/p>\n Young film-goers, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds and lower middle class, are Vijay\u2019s biggest fans. The actor became a star after Duniya, <\/i>the 2007 blockbuster, in which he played a labourer in a stone quarry who struggled to build a tombstone for his mother\u2019s grave. Perhaps, since then, the actor\u2019s portrayals of a marginalised man\u2019s fight for justice have earned him a young fan base who relate to the adversities faced by his characters.<\/p>\n Filmmaker Suri, who launched Vijay as a star with Duniya, <\/i>takes a dialogue from the film as an example to explain Vijay\u2019s journey in the film industry. \u201c\u2018Just because someone is dark and poor, he or she isn\u2019t a thief or a corrupt person\u2018. Vijay wants to tell his fans that in real life, a hero can be one among them,\u201d says Suri.<\/p>\n In the lead-up to his two directorials, Vijay grabbed the attention of his fans through Charan Raj\u2019s highly irresistible and funky songs, and even worked with singers from the Siddi community and Jenu Kurubas; his experiments paid off.<\/p>\n \nA still from \u2018Bheema\u2019. <\/div>\n This association with the marginalised community, combined with Vijay\u2019s vocal support for Ambedkarism, has caught the attention of industry insiders and fans. \u201cWhen you talk about Ambedkar, people associate him with one community. However, Ambedkar, for me, is someone who advocates for equality irrespective of any group. I will continue to idolise Ambedkar. If you see in Bheema, <\/i>I don\u2019t show the plight of the poor. Even children from rich families get affected by drug addiction in the film,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Several slum quarters in Bengaluru house people from the Tamil-speaking population, who identify themselves as \u201cTamil-speaking Kannadigas.\u201d Vijay hasn\u2019t failed to address this crowd in both Salaga and Bheema.<\/i><\/p>\n In fact, in Bheema<\/i>, In the film, the death of a prominent character is observed through song and dance, even as the protagonist is seen drinking. The entire procession with these activities is a custom witnessed in these neighbourhoods. It\u2019s their way of paying respect to the dead. Even in Salaga, <\/i>Tamil folk singer Anthony Daasan sang the funeral song \u2018Suri Anna\u2019.\u2019<\/i><\/p>\n However, even though Vijay\u2019s films convey a message, they falter in the representation of issues prevailing in society. Bheema <\/i>attempts to draw a picture of the harmful effects of violence, drugs, and drinking on youngsters. But while doing so, the film\u2019s focus is more on the detrimental acts than on their consequences, so much so that some scenes border on glorification.<\/p>\n In contrast, Suri\u2019s films, such as Jackie <\/i>(2010) \u201cMy style of representing a society comes from my learnings and mentors. I have worked with Jayanth Kaikini and Surendranath, and they have shaped my thinking. My work is influenced by what I read as well. Vijay will learn as well; he has just made his second film,\u201d Suri says.<\/p>\n Vijay also defends his ideas in Bheema. \u201c<\/i>If you notice, a young boy blames the hero for smoking and drinking and dares him to lead by example. That\u2019s a moment of realisation for the hero, leading him to quit his addictions. At the same time, some of my choices are driven by the demands of commercial cinema. A \u2018mass\u2019 crime thriller is like serving a dish to so many people. I need to please them all,\u201d he reasons.<\/p>\n The content aside, Suri attributes Bheema\u2019s <\/i>success to Vijay\u2019s \u201chard work.\u201d Vijay\u2019s efforts in reaching the film to a large section of the audience were evident in his promotional strategies.<\/p>\n \u201cBe it setting up an interview in the most unexpected place like a graveyard or collaborating with actor Ganesh (his contemporary) to talk about each other\u2019s upcoming films in a video interview, Vijay is extremely inventive about marketing his film,\u201d notes film critic Kairam Vaashi.<\/p>\n \u201cHe gets his hands dirty and sets up the entire interview himself,\u00a0right from deciding on the venue to choosing the equipment. He treats it like shooting a film,\u201d he adds.\u00a0Vijay was also smart enough to capitalise on the film\u2019s post-release buzz with relentless promotion, adds Kairam.<\/p>\n While sticking to a particular formula has helped Vijay establish himself as a director, one hopes he surprises his audiences by serving them something new to stay relevant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/th-i.thgim.com\/public\/entertainment\/movies\/hhvcad\/article68505432.ece\/alternates\/SQUARE_80\/Bheema.jpeg\")
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\nSpecial Arrangement\n<\/p>\nThe Tamil connection<\/h4>\n
Successful, but not perfect films<\/h4>\n
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