Mari Selvaraj might be just two films old but he has cemented his style of filmmaking with such aplomb that the trailer of his next, Maamannan, feels like a quintessential 'Mari Selvaraj film', with his stamp all over it.
The three-minute-long promo channels an unrestrained rage that goes to discomforting levels, with Fahadh Faasil, who seems to be essaying a bigshot in a rural area, mercilessly hitting a young boy, paying no heed to his pain and pleas. This tiny but effective part, accompanied by Vadivelu's recitation of a poem by Nangamuni, sets an intense tone for the trailer. Maamannan is a makeover for Vadivelu, with the celebrated comic playing a dramatic role, that of Udhyanidhi's father in the film.
Although the trailer doesn't reveal the story, it does paint a fair picture of the central conflict: caste-based discrimination. The trailer features a track in which we see a horde of dogs hunting something with the shots parallely intercut with a young man running away from something. Images from Mari's previous films, Pariyerum Perumal (2018) and Karnan (2022), flash in our minds as the trailer unravels proceedings in a similar territory. Both PP and Karnan used animals as strong metaphors to represent their themes and it looks like Mari is going for it once again.
The trailer, featuring wonderful visuals by Theni Eswar and a seminal score by AR Rahman, does a brilliant job of capturing the mood and emotion of the film. The no-holds-barred trailer, which makes it clear that Maamannan will be high on politics and violence, ends on a tense note with Udhayanidhi and Vadivelu, both sporting bruises all over them, sitting in a house and sharply staring at the door as an agitated mob seems to create ruckus and try to break in. The final shot does raise curiosity.
The film also stars Keerthy Suresh in a prominent role, who makes her presence felt in the trailer. The film is set to release in theatres on June 29.