Maharaja (2024) – 8.5/10 – Thrilling experience leaves you reeling with twists
‘Maharaja’ is a South Indian suspenseful thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat. A kind, soft-spoken barber named Maharaja goes to the police, pleading with them to locate his stolen trash can before his daughter returns from a school trip. The police dismiss him, mocking him as a crazy person obsessed with a mundane dustbin. But Maharaja, a towering gentle giant with magnificent strength, refuses to leave the police station. Though not very smart, he holds respect and integrity in the highest regard. When the police forcibly attempt to toss him out, he grabs hold of a building pipe. Chaos ensues as 5-6 cops try to pull him off, but he is relentless in his grip. The police finally give in once he offers to pay them 500,000 rupees for the stolen dustbin and investigate the circumstances. I can’t say anything more about the plot without spoiling it. The beginning of this film intentionally tries to confuse you, but once you latch on, the story sucks you in.
‘Maharaja’ had my eyes glued to the TV screen with its masterful action and drama. It’s fresh, and the non-linear storytelling amazed me. I would say hats off to the director team and editors. Each cast member delivers a convincing performance. The captivating pacing, cinematography, and music build an emotional and intriguing atmosphere. The story presentation, while slightly confusing, juxtaposes two distinct points in time out of sequence using an editing technique called nonlinear intercutting (a style I found interesting enough to read up on). It’s a technique that builds suspense by cutting back and forth between two (or more) separate but interconnected plotlines, while also jumping between different points in time. I have rarely seen it. I can’t say it’s perfectly done here, such as in The Godfather 2 or Pulp Fiction, but it works. In an attempt to mess with your mind, they leave a couple of minor logic holes—my guess is they couldn’t solve it without tearing the suspense apart, so they left it in. It may sound complicated, but it all makes sense as you watch and get closer to the end. I can’t say anything further about it or the characters’ roles because it would ruin the feel that develops within that confusion. I figured out how the ending would unfold based on the hints given along the way, so there’s a predictability factor. This film explores themes including morality, the love for family, and the steps a father would take for his family. You cheer for Maharaja to do whatever it takes, regardless of the law. I don’t believe violence is the answer in 99.9% of the cases, but there have been that 0.1% of people throughout history who deserve nothing but death. Watch this film to understand why.
Would I recommend this? Yes, it’s a memorable film. While I don’t think it’s a family-friendly film because of the brutal violence and the themes involved, it’s a film I enjoyed. It’s also in Tamil, so not everyone likes subtitles (I had no issues with the subtitles). I wonder how a director like Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, might have redone this story if he were alive.
