Starring the likes of Vikram, Dhruv Vikram, and Bobby Simha, Mahaan is the latest Tamil movie that was released this week. Released on February 10th of this year, the father-son drama Mahaan had a satisfying and interesting ending. This movie’s ending is certainly worthy of discussion and also might need some explanation to it. Based around two different generations of families and having liquor mafia as the background of it, the two Vikrams gave captivating performances in the 2-hour movie.
Chiyaan Vikram, or simply Vikram, has been known for brilliant and gritty performances across South Indian Cinema. He is also widely known among Hindi fans too. The movie is available on Amazon Prime Video. You can watch it there. For now, let’s delve deep into the ending of Mahaan as we break down the whole movie as well.
What Happened In The Ending?
While moving towards the conclusion, we have witnessed Dada wiping out 3 of his 4 targets, with Sathya being killed by Gandhi himself. Gandhi was cheated by the evil scheme of Gnaman in which he plotted a scenario where it would seem that he had kidnapped Dada. Then he ordered Gandhi to kill Sathya in order to save his son. The entire scenario played out perfectly, and Sathya was killed at last by the hands of Gandhi. Gandhi, upon realization of being deceived by his son and Gnaman, was left helpless. But Gandhi takes advantage of the fact that his wife and Dada’s mother Naachi were at his residence.
He gets her intoxicated and makes her faint and pretends against Dada that Naachi is, in fact, kidnapped by Gnaman himself. He, by carefully plotting and creating false scenario, gets Gnaman killed by Dada.
Mahaan Ending Explained: What Happens To Dada?
In the final ending scene, Dada killed various officials at Deputy CM’s farmhouse. Gandhi comes clean and decided to donate the entire liquor earnings to various NGOs to support the liquor ban movement.
The deputy CM was, in fact, also a shadow partner. Hence Dada was cheated as he was on the mission of wiping out the liquor empire of his father and his friends. Upon finding the truth, he took his revenge and actually killed the liquor mafia completely.
Although the killing can be justified as justice and in good spirit in the eyes of the general mass, it is, after all, a killing. A murder that too of a government representative (deputy CM himself). So, according to laws, he should be imprisoned. Gandhi, on the other hand, is completely free, and he can do whatever he wants. This seems to be the only plausible explanation. Since it also adds up to create any further storylines, for the sequel, if made. Dada would want revenge because he was deceived in doing what he did.
Otherwise, Dada being free at the end of all sounds nice but does not speak something which would fit nicely for the story aesthetics. The movie has been direct and real in its approach throughout the run time, and this explanation does not do justice to the events of the movie.
Mahaan Movie Breakdown
The movie is much more than it delivers. It is not a typical father-son drama entertainment flick where they fight it out till the end. But the movie’s narrative speaks about the ideological differences and the extremism it offers. Gandhi’s family (including the in-laws) are Gandhians. But it seems like the only Gandhi principle they abide by is liquor consumption.
In the eyes of it, they have high moral standards, and they are against any of such practices, which are a threat to society. But as Gandhi stated in the end, Gandhi once said that freedom of committing mistakes is the freedom itself. The family never forgives him for his one-time mistake. It seems like they are at the end hypocrites, just like any human can be because we are not perfect. But the family is too preoccupied to realize any of this. Also, Dada’s violent streak never would uphold as virtuous in Gandhian principles.
The use of cards has symbolized the very nature of life is just a big gamble. And there is no playing safe, like what Naachi’s family tried to play. But in the end, she was left alone, and Dada never had a father to look after him. Gandhi has an anti hero-esque character in the movie, according to cinematic rules. But it has been emphasized throughout the movie that he is actually the main hero of the movie.
Watching from a further lens, the ending also establishes Gandhi’s arc of life. His one-time mistake cost him his family. And his work with Sathya and establishing the liquor empire all happened because he was not forgiven for his mistake, which looks too vague in the grand scheme of life. In the end, he is free of everything. In his eyes, he got the enemy killed. He got to meet his son, only to find him being a cold-hearted person. In his wife’s eyes, he has left all the businesses that were against the dynasty’s ideology.
The Vikram starrer Tamil language movie is a must-watch movie. Available on Prime Video, the father-son drama is a captivating watch.
Also Read: ‘A Letter To Three Wives’ Ending Explained: Who Ran Off From Their Marriage?
