GOES FOR THE KILL, SETTLES FOR FAR LESS

WRITERS are an imaginative lot, and sometimes, this can lead to the delusion of grandeur. Some can believe that their personal failures as a creator are a conspiracy designed by the world around them to silence their voices. The same world that should thank its lucky stars to have them in its midst.

- AVINASH RAMACHANDRAN

Delusional or not, creative license isn’t just relegated to the art, but sometimes, to the artist, too. And that is why director Praveen K’s Aaryan is a fascinating case study about a writer who believes he is the best, but finds himself at the receiving end of neglect, insults, and disdain. Now, what does a writer like this do? Put his head down and write more? Resign to his fate and accept his failure? Or... start killing people in the hopes of creating the perfect crime that will be the premise of his tour de force book?

Aaryan is all about writer Alagar (Selvaraghavan), who decides to go on a serial killing spree to prove to the world that a perfect crime is possible. Police officer Arivudai Nambi (Vishnu Vishal) wants to put an end to this madness. Journalist Nayana (Shraddha Srinath) aims to reveal the method behind this madness to her audience. However, all of this is similar to the books Alagar has written: perfect in his head, but doesn’t translate into being bought by his audience.

But what truly works for the film is its fantastical premise. It sets up Alagar as a smart alec, who announces his serial killing plans to the world even before enforcing his first kill. He charts out the entire blueprint of his murder spree. It is a clear challenge to the police to catch him if they can, and that is where Nambi comes in. While the premise is terrific, the film falters in the way these two worlds collide. For the longest time, the cops in