A bold experiment powered by one man’s extraordinary effort
“One Man”
– Review
‘One Man’ is an unusual Tamil filmmaking experiment that stands apart from conventional cinema. Written and created by Sankagiri Rajkumar, the film attempts to turn the idea of a one-person production into its biggest attraction.
The story begins with five exceptionally talented individuals who are selected for an award. Their journey takes an unexpected turn when their car breaks down and they venture into a forest, where they discover a mysterious laboratory. A mobile phone found inside reveals a startling proposition: completing an experiment could leave the world without any other living beings for ten days. What follows forms the central conflict of the film.
The most striking aspect of ‘One Man’ is Sankagiri Rajkumar’s enormous involvement behind the camera. He has taken responsibility for more than 24 departments, including acting, direction, production, cinematography, editing, music, sound, makeup and graphics.
That scale of involvement gives the film its unique identity. The movie even features sequences in which the same performer appears as hundreds of different characters within a single frame, creating some of its most visually intriguing moments. The film also attempts to create an expansive visual world despite its unusual production model.
However, the film’s biggest strength is also its central limitation. The sheer effort behind making ‘One Man’ is sometimes more fascinating than the cinematic experience itself. The unusual premise and technical ambition are interesting, but the execution does not always match the scale of the idea.
The making footage shown towards the end, however, adds considerable perspective. Seeing the amount of work involved makes the audience appreciate the determination behind the project and provides context for what the filmmaker has attempted.
Overall, ‘One Man’ may not deliver the most polished conventional movie experience, but it succeeds as an ambitious experiment in independent filmmaking. Its greatest achievement lies not merely in the story on screen, but in the remarkable amount of work one filmmaker has undertaken to bring that vision to life.
Rating: 4/5
