The first half of Dhanush's new movie Asuran is bloody good, marrying the intensity and visceral edge of a Bala movie with a more commercial edge (and not in the schizophrenic rudderless manner Bala himself did in Avan Ivan). The second half loses that sharpness and drives into bog standard 80's rural potboiler area, and even the caste angle appears to be played in a very superficial hero-glorifying manner (especially jarring is the token social message about education being the upliftment of the exploited masses). These are disappointing shortcomings especially since the film has some genuine strengths, mainly in the unvarnished setting (no item numbers, no out-of-place gloss) and a genuine regard for the great Indian masala drama. Also, Dhanush gives the role his all - with his body language and mannerisms he is able to convey a much older character and in a more subtle and nuanced manner than Vikram would have done.
