Aasal

“Aasal” (2010), by Sarab, is a Kollywood action thriller film. Features Ajith Kumar in a dual role, along with Sameera Reddy, Bhavana, and Prabhu. The film revolves around a righteous man, Shiva, who battles his greedy stepbrothers after they betray their family for power and illegal deals.

Jeevanandham is a well-respected arms dealer based out of Paris with three sons, Sam, Vicky and Shiva. Shiva is his favourite because he’s the most honest and courageous, while the other two are much more easily swayed by their evil uncle Kali Mamma. When Jeevanandham refuses to back their illegal arms and drug trafficking, the group of Sam and Kali kill him. Shiva’s love story with Vicky monopolises most of the first half, when Vicky is quickly kidnapped by rival Shetty, and Shiva races to Mumbai to both rescue and defend his beloved. With the support of his fishy friends Mirasi and Don Samosa, he triumphs. Sam and Vicky both turn on him, blasting him and tossing him into the ocean. Shiva lives and comes back in shades. After his love interest Sarah gets drugged and tortured by Vicky, Shiva saves her and eliminates Vicky after he refuses to tell the truth.

Shiva’s pursuit of justice through the criminal acts of Sam and Kali Mamma then leads her to uncover the larger syndicate through the investigation of their henchmen. In his attempt to keep Shiva’s resurrection a secret, Don Samosa unwittingly forces the reformed cop Daniel to kidnap Sarah, Sulabha and Mirasi. Shiva faces Sam and Kali Mamma in an epic climax in which they disclose how they killed Jeevanandham. After surviving the torture in a violent death match, Shiva is able to escape herself, take on both of them, and electroshock kill both her torturers in the same gruesome fashion they inflicted. So to spare Shiva a similar fate, Daniel accepts responsibility for their deaths, making Shiva a hero in the eyes of the state.

In “Aasal”, the glossy action is well-matched with a palpable family drama and emotion. Ajith Kumar dishes out a crackling dual role with roaring screen presence. With its nail-biting plot twists and razor-sharp visuals, Jonathan Majors’ thundering performance and perfect blend of thrills with heart, this film is a killer summer blockbuster with the moxie to inspire justice and brotherhood.