Veeram is probably the most royal treatment an Indian filmmaker has given to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In fact, director Jayaraj suggests that it is a coincidence that even before Shakespeare wrote his timeless tragedy, the rise and fall of a warrior called Chandu Chekavar was already a part of the folklore, literature and songs of northern Malabar. Another important aspect of the film is Kerala’s traditional martial art Kalaripayattu. The scenes involving salutation, sword fights, and training are a treat to watch.
In the first half of the movie, Jayaraj has filled the storyline with scenes showing Chandu's valour, his love for Unniyarcha and Kuttimani and how both women poison his mind for the impending betrayal.The battle scenes during Chandu's first fight and Aromal's victory over Aringondan commander are brilliant. Divinaa Thackur as the vengeful Kuttimani plays her part well. However, the movie has its flaws due to more poor acting skills and lip-sync. Davina Thackur and Himarsha Venkatsamy's acting is so amateurish. It's obvious as director tries to avoid face shots of these actors. Shivajith Nambiar and Aaran were comparatively better.
The film’s dialogues are in the North Malabar slang and the movie itself is rooted in the area’s tradition with Jayaraj using Kalaripayattu, Theyyam and the oracles as elements while adapting Macbeth. The costume department also gets a thumbs up for the colourful attires in the movie. The background scoring was made excellently and the editing part is apt. Location managers deserve a special mention as they have chosen aesthetically convincing locations. S.Kumar's visuals show the richness of the movie.
Mollywood's filmmaker Jayaraj's 'Veeram' has been one of the most anticipated projects to release this year for the massive budget and the protagonist role was played by Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor. With the film making the list of films considered for Oscar nominations, the excitement of fans has only heightened. As Jayaraj had mentioned before the release, the film is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth and the making was made to satisfy the needs of his fans to a greater extent.
