The Legend: When flaws and bad politics make for an entertaining watch

The Legend, starring Saravanan Arul in the lead role is a film that works only when we do not take it seriously. Not only the film’s politics, but the art as well. It works wonders if one looks at it from the perspective of a spoof and in company of friends. By now, the film has got its tag — So bad that its good — and the audience that continues to throng the theaters to watch this film is the section of audience who enjoy films that end up as fodder for memes. To be honest, there is some great fodder for memes in the film. For one, “Ula,” an exclamation uttered by one of the villains in the film at the creepiest moment is sure to become a part of young people’s lingo. It will join the big list of words in the modern Tamil vocabulary that includes terms such as “pullingo”, Apart from fast cut shots of Saravanan, unbelievable stunt sequences where the film’s hero invariably wins, and cringe-worthy romance montage; there really is nothing that this film offers. It is the over-the-top treatment in the film that takes centerstage. Everything is extra, and that only adds to the experience. For the most part, the film is nothing but an ostentatious attempt. From a bowl full of luxury car keys that receive extra focus in the film, to the verbose advice on different social issues that is force fed to the audience — all of it seems like an advertisement for Saravanan’s eponymous store brand. The saving grace really is the fact that the film stops short of being crass. It is silly, and if one does decide to look at it as a spoof, there is a certain vibe that the film has which helps in entertaining the viewers. Another interesting detail about the film is how it is reminds one of the many iconic Tamil films that have released in the past and has entertained audience. It is a hodge-podge of everything that was best about these films, but when it is stitched together in The Legend, we have nothing but a jarring mess. This is not to say that the film missed out on its basics. The music does its best to elevate scenes that are shot well. Saravanan, if one were to see him as a debut actor, has a long way to go if he is to continue to work in films. Prabhu, Devadarshini, Thambi Ramaiah, and Robo Shankar add credibility to the film with their convincing performance as well. Beyond all this, however, this film is clearly one man’s dream. Or in young people slang, this movie is a flex. It proves that with money one can indeed make a film, one that may not be criticially acclaimed but does wonders when it comes entertaining audience. The film doesn’t come across as thoughtless, but the flaws, unlike in other films seem to add character. This is mainly possible because the audience were never set upon believing the world that Dr Saravanan lived in. These very flaws turned the film into an experience. While calling diabetes a disease that leads to “sweet suicide” might have started a row in other films, here the insensitivity doesn’t even bother people. The male lead asking the female lead — who is lecturer at college with a degree in M.Phil — “what is trigonometry?” She, in turn, responding “That’s an interesting question” would never be accepted in any other film. Things that should have angered viewers, interestingly, have then become the very characteristic that has turned into an USP for the film. Despite the awareness that comes with understanding the flaws in a film such as The Legend, which should ideally push one away from such content, this film bands people together. It bands people together with its cringe, over the top elements and leave them laughing at everything that unfolds in the film. That is how, a film that was fated for nothing but failure managed to entertain a large section of audience. Priyanka Sundar is a film journalist who covers films and series of different languages with special focus on identity and gender politics. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.