Anyway, as we know, this is one of NTs favourite role. The type that he wished he had done more. This time, I paid more attention to his performance (usually I am blown away by SV Suppiah's Barathi) and noticed those little nuances, tics, body language that, I believe, he learned from his research. I read elsewhere (probably here) that he spoke to those who knew V.U.C and even his own son.

But what is most amazing about this movie is its tenacity to say that even at that early stage, people had forgotten the value of independence and the struggle of freedom fighter. A very downbeat ending. No flag waving, nothing, just an old fighter dying in his bed. Terrible.

In Veera Pandiya Kattabomman, we have a similar hero dying scene, but he dies (killed) when he was at his peak. He died fighting. He was hanged for treason. One mans treason is another man's justified reason. So, when we leave the teatre, we leave with mixed feeling. Sad that the hero died, but elated because he gave one hell of a fight.

In case of KOT, when the movie finishes, we are angry. Why? What happened? Why must he go like that? Kattabomman died a proud man, optimistic that there will thousands like him. But Chidambaram died a very disappointed, lonely man (lonely, though his family was with him, because his fellow fighters were all gone).

I suppose that could be the reason why the film did not do as well as expected. People must have left the theatre feeling guilty as hell.