Starring: Kishore, Kalaiarasan, Antony, Sheela Rajkumar, Velaramamoorthy, Balahaasan, Lovelin, Pattabi, Sathish, Goutham, Orniyam Prabhu, and others
Director: La. Rajkumar
Producer: Vetrimaaran
Music Director: Santosh Narayanan
Jallikattu is a recently released Tamil series produced by popular director Vetrimaaran, which has been dubbed into Telugu and is now streaming on Aha Telugu. The series is based on the traditional Tamil sport of bull-chasing, also known as Jallikattu. The show has been directed by La. Rajkumar and stars Kishore, Kalaiarasan, Antony, Sheela Rajkumar, Velaramamoorthy, Balahaasan, Lovelin, Pattabi, Sathish, Goutham, Orniyam Prabhu, and others. Let’s take a closer look at the show and see how it fares.
Story: The series is set in the village of Mullaiyoor in Tamil Nadu, where the story begins with a dispute between the landlords of the area and the agricultural laborers. The laborers request a portion of the land from the landlords, but their request is denied, leading to a huge clash between the two groups. As a result, the laborers refuse to catch the bulls of the upper caste in the Jallikattu sport. Years later, a man named Paandi (Kalaiarasan) tames a bull belonging to Zamindar Selva Sekharan (Velaramamurthy) during the Jallikattu event, which once again sparks a feud between the upper and lower castes. What happens next forms the crux of the story.
Plus Points: The series effectively showcases the traditional sport of Jallikattu in a captivating manner, which is no small feat. It is evident that the actors underwent extensive training for their roles, and their efforts are commendable. The details of the sport have been beautifully presented, and the scenes related to Jallikattu are visually stunning. The camera work during the sport is impressive, and the initial episodes set the tone for the story.
All the actors have given their best performances, but Antony, Kishore, and Sheela stand out with their impactful performances. The series also sheds light on caste discrimination, which is portrayed realistically. The inclusion of a comedy track in the fifth episode provides a much-needed break from the seriousness of the story.
Minus Points: While the series revolves around Jallikattu, it attempts to weave in various other elements, not all of which work well. Some of the subplots are not fleshed out properly, leading to a lack of impact. Although some aspects are engaging, they do not tie together cohesively.
The show moves at a sluggish pace for the most part, with some episodes feeling tedious, and the narration lacking in excitement. The series becomes interesting only during the sport-related scenes, which are followed by underwhelming scenes. The story becomes highly predictable as it progresses, and the final episode feels rushed and overly cinematic. The series could have been much better if it were wrapped up in 6-7 episodes.
Verdict: Jallikattu showcases various themes like love, revenge, and the hunger for power, but the attempt to tie these elements to the Jallikattu sport feels disjointed. While some episodes are engaging, others are dull, and the sluggish narration is a significant drawback. If you enjoy rural dramas, Jallikattu is an okay watch for the weekend, but it falls short of being a must-watch series.
Rating : 4/5