Spoilers ahead…
Read the full review on Film Companion, here: http://www.filmcompanion.in/article/sketch-movie-review
So what’s new in Vijay Chandar’s Sketch? The hero’s (Jeeva aka Sketch, played by Vikram) meant-to-be-kewl hand gesture, for one: it resembles how you’d show the number five, except that the ring finger is folded in. (Wait! Could that be a metaphor for his commitment phobia? Nah! This isn’t remotely that kind of movie.) Sketch’s line of work is somewhat new — he seizes vehicles whose owners default on EMI payments. And at least a bit of the plot is new. It takes a long time coming, but someone starts killing Sketch’s friends, and this track is resolved with a twist I didn’t expect.
The rest of the narrative is as old as… at least, say, Gemini? Once again, we have a good-hearted ruffian, whose girlfriend calls him a jackfruit. He’s prickly on the outside; soft and sweet inside. Who’d have guessed that? (Said girlfriend is played by Tamannaah, who goes by the name of… Amuthavalli. Yes, I gulped — but as screen names for blank-faced north Indian actresses go, it’s a little easier to digest than Koperundevi, which is what Tamannaah was called in Veeram.) Usually, we have to suffer romantic tracks in the first half, till the script catches fire. Here, the duets begin to spring up post interval. You may feel like hurling something at the script — say, a jackfruit!
Continued at the link above.
Copyright ©2018 Film Companion.
Baradwaj Rangan 
Dhanda Soru
January 13, 2018
I’m still amazed as to how Vikram’s still considered a proper star, considering the number of duds he’s given. Shouldn’t his stardom be only slightly better than someone like Prasanth’s, considering his box-office record since 2005? A lot of people – including yours truly – have gotten to a point where we have zero expectations from a Vikram movie. Am seriously hoping that Dhruva Natchathiram is a course correction.
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Vivek narain
January 13, 2018
The kind of heels that work as vehicle snatchers can’t be shown publicly, it would disrupt the system.
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Jeeva P
January 13, 2018
‘I’ was a blockbuster. Irumugan was a hit. Deivathirumagal was an above average film. In terms of box office, Vikram is still only next to Suriya.
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myturner
January 13, 2018
It is true. I am sad for Vikram. Such an incredible actor, reduced to this.
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Akhilan
January 13, 2018
@Dhanda Soru
Completely agree… After Deiva Thirumagal, which was somewhat bearable, Vikram has unleashed one atrocity after another with the likes of Rajapattai, Thaandavam, I, 10 Endrathukulla, and Iru Mugan… How his viability has not diminished is beyond me really…
Couldn’t have put it better BR, to see Vikram take up such roles is just sad…
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Amit Joki
January 14, 2018
Akhilan: The general consensus among the youth, if facebook is any indication of their mood, is that, Vikram is a “Hard Worker”. He does something or the other of physical nature, right from Anniyan and that sentiment has stuck onto the audience.
I remember memes about how much he had dedicated himself for I, and that itself deserved a National Award if not more.
And I don’t know if the quote is reliable but it seems like he has said something like, if a scene required me to die (actually), he would make sure that since it will be the last shot, it will be done to perfection, duh.
Audience thinks Vikram puts in so much effort and the director flops up the show. “Vikram kaandi paakalam” is the sentiment echoed in many. That alone is good enough for a star to sustain his market value to some extent.
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shaviswa
January 14, 2018
Never liked Vikram. There is something about him that is irritating. And off late his movies are as bad as Vijay’s or Ajith’s. Better to stay away from these films.
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Dhanda Soru
January 14, 2018
@Jeeva P – That’s just from the last three years. Take a look at his track record from 2005 and you’ll know what I’m talking about. His box office returns range from decent to piss-poor. Even “I” was a success largely due to its marketing campaign and a bumper opening weekend. I don’t think the film made much money in the subsequent weekends.
@Akhilan – I think it plays into what Amit’s said. His “kadinna uzhaippu” image amongst the public is pretty much what keeps him afloat, coupled with the odd box-office success.
@Amit Joki – I’ve never understood this “kadinna uzhaippu” sentiment. Don’t these guys get paid more in a few movies than most of us will ever will in our lifetimes? Isn’t it, oh I don’t know, their fucking job? By all means, praise Vikram for his performances. But don’t forget that he’s just as responsible for the quality (or lack thereof) of his films. He puts in Daniel-Day Lewis levels of effort for films that don’t even warrant Simbu levels of effort. And he’s got no one to blame but himself for that.
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Akhilan
January 14, 2018
@Amit Joki
I think you’re bang on here… I too remember this sentiment gaining momentum when I released… Everyone was going gaga over the amount of work he’d put in to look like a beast and bodybuilder and how he literally starved himself to play a hunchback…
I believe Vikram ending up winning a Filmfare award for it too… (Sigh…)
But if only looking the part was enough…
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Amit Joki
January 14, 2018
@Dhanda Soru – Yeah. I have always believed looking the part is paramount for a character. Though, I wouldn’t equate what Vikram does with what Daniel-Day Lewis. Daniel-Day Lewis makes us buy a character and most of his efforts are into the acting, while what Vikram’s been doing is akin to Christian Bale’s transformations.
One reason why people consider this “kadinna uzhaippu” is, there’s a tendency to equate “get-up changes” as the social media fans like to call it, to “better” or “hard-working” actor. This might be because of what Kamal did. His latter films unlike initial ones had characters where the original Kamal face went into the hiding and a made up Kamal-faced character showed up.
Kamal is a great actor and that I think, started the trend – if you can look different for your characters, you’re a pretty damn good actor; Vikram, I think got carried away by the success of Anniyan and so did the audience. Thankfully, he’s doing Dhruva Natchathiram and he is playing himself. This might finally be the break that we’ve all been long waiting for.
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KayKay
January 14, 2018
“I’m still amazed as to how Vikram’s still considered a proper star, considering the number of duds he’s given”
“How his viability has not diminished is beyond me really…”
Maybe there are fans of his like me, who check out every one of his flicks because while the movie may be woeful, he rarely is. He’s still one of the best working actors in Tamil Cinema today, but unfortunately one who’s talent is rarely complemented by smart script choices.
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KayKay
January 14, 2018
“He puts in Daniel-Day Lewis levels of effort for films that don’t even warrant Simbu levels of effort.
Can’t fault him for that. The mark of a true professional is one who brings his A Game. Every Time. Raja and Rahman gave sublime scores for some pretty woeful duds.
Vikram is to be praised at least for giving the same commitment he’d give a Shankar or Mani flick. If rumors from the sets of AAA are to be believed, Simbu couldn’t even provide Simbu levels of effort 🙂
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Vivek narain
January 14, 2018
And mark of a false messiah is, not to be true to oneself.
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Jeeva P
January 14, 2018
@Dhanda Soru You are right. Vikram’s market has been based mostly on sympathy vote. But the market is pretty much there becos post ‘I’, people watch his films for the hardwork he has been putting in. I am not saying this is a right way of looking at movies. ‘I’ was such a bad movie, that put us Vikram fans into some sort of depression. But look at how his peers like Vijay and Ajith are performing. There is not much difference. Vijay and Ajit and Vikram choose the same kind of movies but the first two have retained and expanded their markets while Vikram has only been able to sustain it that too only after putting so much effort into his movies. But I would say Vikram is a grossly underrated actor. He deserves a longer rope. As Cartoonist Madan once said, VIkram is a gift to Tamil cinema. He is the only person who brings some art-movie sensibility into his masala movie acting which is really great. Similar to Nawazuddin Siddiqui who excelled in a dud like Raees.
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Vidhya M
January 14, 2018
Adding to what Amit mentioned, the fact that Vikram had a decade long struggle before he could find a footing in the industry is also a reason why people (me too) go soft on him.
Even though he was from a pretty affluent background, a Besant Nagar boy with Loyola creds – people still regard his early toils with sympathy – re-telecasts of Kadhalan, Kandukonden Kandukonden (where he dubbed for Prabhu Deva and Abbas) on KTV still remind us of his low ebb.
Clean image, no kisu-kisu, the occasional Facebook viral stories of him shoving away security guards to hug his fan in Kerala or his monetary contribution for a fan’s surgery are enough to stoke the public minds in his favour. Like Vijay Sethupathi – Vikram is happy doing what he does – genuinely –
successful or otherwise.
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Vidhya M
January 14, 2018
Sethu Dhil Dhool Samy Gemini Anniyan Kasi – when you have a streak in your career like this – it gives you enough ammunition to power on for a long long time. Kasi was a hit here in the early noughties when Anbe Sivam Hey Ram flopped – enough said.
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sridharraman
January 14, 2018
Regarding Dhruva Natchathiram, whatever little hope I had after the excellent first teaser has reduced considerably after seeing the second one.
It seems to be the same old, same old, for both Vikram and GVM. The annoying slow motion walk from the plane needs to be banned ASAP.
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Oliver
January 14, 2018
Vikram’s movie selection is very poor. I am not sure who should be faulted for that. “Different acting because of physical change” and “message in movies” work only if the film is good.
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Dhanda Soru
January 15, 2018
@Amit – By Daniel-Day Lewis levels of effort, I meant that he commits fully to his character, even if it’s a character you’ve seen a thousand times before in better films.
@KayKay – I take your point about fandom sustaining his stardom. But even that hasn’t been able to salvage many of his films commercially, which is why his stardom is a tad baffling. As we all know, what ultimately matters is how much kaasu panam dhuttu money money you bring in. And in that regard, Vikram’s had a borderline terrible run post-Anniyan. I recently heard that he’s set to star as the lead in a Hindi film that reportedly costs around 300 crores, and I thought: “Ivaru Tamizh-liye hit-u koodikka kashtapadraru, idhula Hindi-kku poi yenna pannaporaru?”
And about his commitment, fair point. It’s just really frustrating to see him channel said commitment for undeserving films. It’s perhaps tantamount to career-suicide as a mass hero, but if Dhruva Natchathiram doesn’t work (and while I am looking forward to it, there’s a decent chance that it might end up losing money – especially in the C-centres), I hope he takes a sabbatical and does some introspection on what he wants to be going forward.
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Ravi K
January 15, 2018
Amit Joki wrote: “Kamal is a great actor and that I think, started the trend – if you can look different for your characters, you’re a pretty damn good actor”
Even before Kamal we had Sivaji Ganesan doing multiple roles in films like “Navarathiri,” “Thiruvilayadal,” “Bale Pandiya,” etc.
KayKay wrote: “Can’t fault him for that. The mark of a true professional is one who brings his A Game. Every Time. Raja and Rahman gave sublime scores for some pretty woeful duds.”
I don’t watch films for effort. I watch for the RESULT of that effort. And if the result of that effort is a terrible film, I don’t care how much weight the lead actor gained or lost, how he transformed his look, accent, walk, or whatever. It’s strange that people praise the efforts behind a performance in order to dance around the fact that the movie it’s in isn’t worth watching, and perhaps even the performance itself isn’t that good, even though much effort went into it.
In general I don’t like to feel the effort of a performance. I know how hard DDL works, going way beyond many other actors when he prepares for his roles, but when I watch his performances I don’t think about that. He embodies his roles, and I don’t even feel like I’m watching a performance when I watch him on-screen.
“Sketch” seems surprisingly generic, though. Even if most of Vikram’s films in the last few years haven’t been good (whether or not they’ve been financially successful) at least they aren’t so generic. Perhaps this is an effort to get a hit with a film that’s not so out there?
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abishekspeare
January 15, 2018
Now what Vikram’s been doing ever since Anniyan (I don’t know if he got this habit from shankar himself) is one serious film which is physically and mentally draining, and one fun film that’s purely mass masala. The former doesn’t work because behind all the hard work there’s no script in the first place. The latter doesn’t, because, well it’s garbage. The difference between Vikram an aamir Khan is that aamir Khan does a ‘perfect’ film once in two years, Vikram puts the same effort but in Tamil cinema, maybe there’s a conception that you are valid only if you keep making films , unless you are rajini?
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Pavan
January 15, 2018
For his interest in playing varied characters, I doubt why Vikram never came across a film like Vikram Vedha till now. Or is it the pre-conceived notion of filmmakers that Vikram would take up only these “great grand effort needed” kind of roles? I agree that actor’s satisfaction is important cinema wise, but what is the use when that satisfaction isn’t helping the script rise over its limitations?
Many a times, we see certain “experimental” films featuring a star hero as its protagonist turning highly self indulgent because the actor’s satisfaction in playing a challenging role isn’t actually helping the script. It is like arranging those huge and rust free new bolts, not in use, beautifully side by side for no actual reason. They would be free from damage if they lie in a proper box. So that, when used, they would help us in times of necessity. Sill if people say that rusted bolts look great, earthy and charming, I am happy for you…
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Amit Joki
January 15, 2018
Pavan: Directors often have their own judgment of what kind of scripts each actor will be willing to take and this kind of mental typecasting is doing no good to actors like Vikram.
It is sad that while Vikram continues to pump in efforts for rotten films, someone as inferior as Simbu is getting to work with Mani Ratnam. Let that sink in. And what is keeping Simbu afloat, is the general sentiment of “being too talented, but finding no proper script”. It is a strange world where people value perceptions more than what really is.
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Oliver
January 15, 2018
The type of scripts you get could be determined by the pay you expect too.
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GODZ
January 15, 2018
Here the excerpts from an old interview. This can help us see whats going on..
what are the methods you follow in your career?
I am basically a director’s actor. Nobody can rise above the bad script. I need a good director. I need a good character. Once that is there, I always leave the decision to the director. I am confident about my performance. The homework I do is to look different in every role. Apart from the framework for the character that I discuss with the director, I concentrate on Nadai, Udai, Bhavanai (walk, looks and expressions). It is very subtle, I work on that. When I go to the gym, I try a different type of walk. Then I work with the director on my suggestions. Most of the time directors are very happy with the homework I have done. It is not just makeup every time; Losing weight, putting on weight, even that many people are not doing it. That does not make much difference. Finally, it is all the director’s work.
He clearly states he needs a good character and leaves the rest to director without thinking whether the scrip will work or not. He has done Raavanan, I, Sussenthiran, A.L.Vijay and everyone let him down. Shankars I story, Screenplay and dialogue were very amateurish and dated. All big directors let him big time with their average script. But what u cannot find fault is Vikram dedication and performance. He has given his best in all these movies. One cannot simply just say Hard work with Vikram. Point one actor who can transform in any kind of roles next to kamal. At the moment, Its only Vikram. Critics like BR would have easily rejected Vikram if its just for transformation But Vikram is really good at expressing subtle emotions and he can make the character take you by the heart. While Kamal does that Great, Vikiram can do it very very well. Above all, its fun to watch actor like Vikram when he is in his element and play a character like Ambi or remo or anniyan. Its so much fun. You cannot tell the same of Daniel day lewis. He is a boring actor in spite of 3 Oscars under his belt.
Its kind of cynical to compare Prasanth with Vikram and tag it like “Box office perspective”. Yes His movies fail at box office and its been a while he came with a decent hit. Their is no defending their. But Vikram is an actor who came out of the grave. He was an written off actor and to come back and win a national award and sustain this long shows he is class by himself. He has a poor script selecting Sense and i guess its due to too much focus on seeing what his character is rather than looking whether this script will work for the audience.
Having said that to me its not Dhurvuva Nakshataram or saamy 2. Its what he is going to do after these 2 flims. But I guess the entire dynamics will change after Mahavir Karna. But one can only hope that he develops his script selection skills and not leave it to directors after that. Otherwise Mahavir Karna will be his last resurrection.
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Dhanda Soru
January 15, 2018
@Jeeva P –
“I am not saying this is a right way of looking at movies. ‘I’ was such a bad movie, that put us Vikram fans into some sort of depression. But look at how his peers like Vijay and Ajith are performing. There is not much difference.”
Qualitatively? Sure, there’s no difference. Commercially though, the two of them are in a different league altogether. Yes, they both had a dry spell in the late 2000s. But since 2011, they’ve both regained their box-office mojo. The same cannot be said for Vikram.
@Ravi K – Excellent point about how the effort itself isn’t enough. It also has to be channelled into the right places.
@KayKay – Also, while you have admitted to being a Vikram fan, your defence of him is pretty much along the lines of the A for effort argument. It’s one thing if he stars in crappy films every once in a while, but when the last 13 years of his filmography has been almost entirely crap, the A for effort argument just doesn’t hold up.
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Srinivas R
January 17, 2018
Off Topic: Any chance of you reviewing Mukkabaz? you write about Anurag Kashyap movies with a certain understanding that eludes other critics. So hoping to read your view about the movie
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Kaushik Bhattacharya
January 18, 2018
I’m surprised to see so many people think Vikram is actually a good actor. Apart from Ravanan, I can’t think of one performance of his that was even remotely impressive. He’s lucky that he’s in the Tamil film industry with so many other awful actors who are stars (Vijay, Ajith, Simbu, the list goes on) otherwise he’d be rock bottom!
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KayKay
January 18, 2018
” Also, while you have admitted to being a Vikram fan, your defence of him is pretty much along the lines of the A for effort argument.’
Dhanda Soru (gotta work on that name, dude) is that what you got from my comment? What I mentioned was Vikram bringing his “A” Game to every role, NOT that I give him an A for effort, and hence appreciate him which are actually 2 different things.
Simply put, I’ve enjoyed every single Vikram performance, even when in service to scripts which didn’t deserve them.
I think he’s a wonderfully gifted actor when it comes to nailing the essence of his characters (the weight loss muscle gain etc is the icing but not the whole cake). He locates not just Ambi’s innocence but the obsessive pedantry behind him (note his voice , rising to a whine when he’s romantically rejected. His need to know WHY?), he imbues Sedhu’s obsessive love with a genuine savagery where Kamal’s Guna retained his sweetness and Dhanush’s Vinod was just plain creepy (as Dhanush’s unhinged characters tend to be), he unleashed pure ferocity as the Jungle Bandit in Raavanan while locating the humanity within his uncivilized cemetery dweller in Pitha Magan. Terrific performances all, which burrowed beneath the surface to locate genuine nuance. No “Kadina Uzhaippu” A for Effort stuff on my part . Just a pure “tip of the hat” for an actor who’s oil painting while his peers are scribbling with crayons.
That concludes my Vikram Fan Boy Rant
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KayKay
January 18, 2018
Also, there are 2 different points in the comments section that’s getting conflated. Erroneously.
Many here don’t like Vikram as an actor, or think he’s overrated. And that’s absolutely fine with me.
But there’s also a complaint (or surprise?) that Vikram still gets roles in spite of not giving hits which is another point entirely.
I’m no expert on the Business Models, Box Office Numbers or Profitability Ratios of Tamil Films, but I’d wager that the fact he’s getting roles means most of his films must be turning at least a “break even” profit.
Oh, and for those lumping Vikram with Prashanth in terms of not having given hits in a long time….PUH-LEEEZE!
If it weren’t for Jeans, Prashanth would be a long forgotten footnote in Tamil Cinema
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KayKay
January 18, 2018
And the amount of hate “I” seesm to be getting convinces me that when it comes to Shankar movies, I’ll be the guy on the other side of the fence always.
Anniyan remains my Shankar-Vikram combo of choice, but ignore the absurdities ( and there are many, I agree) in the script, and “I” is pretty watchable fun for me.
Besides, how many movies treat you to an Amy Jackson bikini shot one minute, and then ogles at 2 dozen men flexing their oiled pectorals the next?
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praneshp
January 18, 2018
@KayKay: Now I have to watch something to get that image out of my mind. Thanks man, I hope your day goes well.
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Rahul
January 19, 2018
I have only seen Ravanan and David, and he was fantastic in David. I wish his character had a full movie.
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Srinivas R
January 19, 2018
Vikram is a kick-ass masala movie star. I loved Dhil, Dhool and Saamy primarily because of him. Unfortunately for him, his other masala movies have been disasters. He teamed up with lingusamy, who was successful at that time, spent a couple of years and we got a migraine inducing Bheema. With suseendhran it was Rajapattai and of course the mother of all disasters, Kandasamy. I really wish Saamy2 works out well for him. He is far better actor and star than the rest of the crowd, if only he could develop a nose for better scripts…
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Ravi K
January 20, 2018
Kandasamy is a guilty pleasure. It’s so ridiculously shot and edited, like the footage was put in a blender that watching it is an oddly fun experience.
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Vishwa Nath
January 25, 2018
I’m a huge Chiyaan Vikram fan. In Sketch he totally owns the heroic scenes. Cinematography and Thaman’s highly energetic background score and songs are another plus to the film. Also, kudos to the director Vijay Chander for providing the right depth to each actor. To me, after the Movie ‘I’ this is the best movie for Vikram.
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