Ten seconds into the teaser of Mersal is all you need to put the film on the top of your watch list for the year. Thalapathy Vijay announces his arrival with a deep dialogue slowly recited, which just might be the idea behind the film. After the coin spin from Bairavaa gets replaced with a marble here, things get classy with a lot of confidence and excitement coming your way in the next 60 seconds.
Director Atlee has clearly conceived the teaser with only one person in mind – Vijay. The whole teaser showcases the actor in various fashion, ranging from the retro Vijay to the magician to the third character, which is the hardest to spot. The retro Vijay (father figure) comes across as a whiff of fresh air, with both his look and mannerisms being different. While the picture has previously been of he being a Jallikattu player, he is seen here beating pulp in the mud wrestling scene. The milieu of the proceedings also seem to be in northern state, with the dancers and local aesthetics in place. On the other hand, the magician Vijay is set in Europe, with a plethora of tricks up his sleeve. Cards, doves, props and much more are seen in the mix, along with the catch line ‘Peace bro’, something that’s going to be on the lips of one and all in the coming days.
Looking deeper into the teaser, we meet with an presumably important scene in the film, where one of the Vijays come down to address a gathering of international personalities dressed in a veshti-sattai. At the end of the teaser, we see the same Vijay jump out of the venue which ideally is the lead to an action sequence. There’s also another reveal to an action sequence where one of the Vijays is getting beaten up, while the other comes in to save him.
The teaser does not provide space to any of the other members of the cast, be it the heroines, comedians, villains etc. However, Nithya Menon is seen cheering for the elder Vijay in one of the scenes. A blink and you will miss moment.
DOP Vishnu needs to be lauded for his outstanding work, which does not feel like a debutant at all. Editor Ruben, after giving Vijay his career best trailer in Theri, has done a great job in putting together the best shots from the film for this wonderful concoction. AR Rahman’s background tune lies on the banks of his Aalaporaan Tamizhan, with a gibberish mix sounding superb.
All in all, the teaser of Mersal promises a perfect festival entertainer for the whole family. With less than a month to go for the release, the buzz is surely reaching an all new high.