In 2012, when popular author and journalist Vaasanthi was all set to release her book, Jayalalithaa: A Portrait, published by Penguin, the then chief minister went to court and got an injunction order against the book. The book was permanently banned from release after the court order. Imagine if Jayalalithaa had been alive to watch Ramya Krishnan in the web series Queen, streaming on MX Player. She was an enigma. A strong woman admired by everyone around her even for her authoritative attitude.
And now after her death, through Queen, directors Gautham Vasudev Menon and Prasath Murugesan retell the story of a strong woman who broke the glass ceiling in a man’s world. Though it comes with the strong disclaimer that it is purely fictional, much can be read between the lines. Queen tells the fascinating journey of a resilient woman Sakthi Seshadri—from being a bright young student who finds herself forced into the film industry, only to fight odds in life and later transform into a politician.
Unfortunately, Queen narrates the anecdotal tales that have been often told and retold in Tamil Nadu politics. With 11 episodes, each running to maximum 50 minutes, the story takes the viewer through every bit of Sakthi's personal life. Each episode has titles explaining her journey right from being a bright school student (essayed by Anikha Surendran) who wants to pursue a law degree, to an actress (Anjana Jayaprakash) who gets caught in mood swings with nightmares about her own life, and finally to a strong woman (Krishnan)who emerges to succeed the men who pull her down.
ALSO READ: Didn't refer to Jayalalithaa's life: Ramya Krishnan on role in 'Queen'
The series begins with a television anchor interviewing the chief minister of the state. Reminiscent of the famous Simi Garewal interview with Jayalalithaa, the complete 11-episode-series is narrated by an emotional Krishnan as Sakthi. Centered around the interview and a free-wheeling chat between host Lillete Dubey and Krishnan, the story brings to light the troubled life of the actress-turned-politician. Based on Anita Sivakumaran’s book, The Queen, the series at times bores you with frustrating preachy dialogues.
As the young girl who wants to top her school, Anikha—the young actress who was noted for her performance in Viswasam—brims with immense potential. Not only is she a spirited girl who looks forward to a bright future, she also yearns to be cared by her mother Ranganayaki, essayed by Sonia Agarwal. The first few episodes talk about the rocky relationship between the mother and the daughter who does not want to pursue a career in films and who is unprepared for the ups and downs in a celebrity's life. The mother character is later played by Thulasi. As the young actor, Anjana breathes life into Sakthi in her early 20s. Anger, romance, and the longing to be part of a family is evident in her eyes and body language. Her romantic scenes with director Chaitanya Reddy played by Vamsi Krishna, have the classic Gautham Menon touch, but fail to hold the audience as they run in a slow pace on the most expected lines. Ramya Krishnan is awesome as the bold and decisive political leader, giving an autobiographical feel to the web series.
Actor Indrajith Sukumaran plays politician GMR, quite understandably modelled on MGR. But Indrajith doesn’t do full justice as the actor-politician who was the heartthrob of millions in Tamil Nadu. And of course every character we know in Jayalalithaa’s life, be it Sasikala or MGR’s secretary, are all present in the series.
Slow-paced with a soft narration every now and then, it is after all the same story that everyone knows. And except the character of Sakhti Seshadri, no other character is strongly built, only to make the audience connect it to the real-life characters. Again, most of the series revolves around tales that Tamil Nadu has talked about several times again and again. Queen is of course not the untold story; but a story retold.
