National Film Awards 2017: The tiger won the first National Award for action, not Mohanlal, not Peter Hien

However, Pulimurugan was not inspired by Tamil films, for the action sequences seemed like something straight out of a movie shot in Hong Kong. No, there was no Jet Li or Chow Yun Fat to take on Mohanlal’s mouche twirling, lungi swirling action scenes. But Peter Hien’s thinking was clearly what you would have expected while going to watch a Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Though Mohanlal, the middle-aged star that he is, chose to do all his stunts himself, the award would not have come for that. The star of the movie was clearly the computer generated tiger which gave a tough fight to Mohanlal, paw for paw. There was also a parade of international stunt actors in the climax, making a beeline only to be overpowered by the animal-like agility of Lal.

While Baahubali too had some stunning action sequences, there was no award last year for action director and stunt choreographer. Pulimurugan’s achievement can surely push Bollywood’s dishum–dishum industry to think of more than Ajay Devgn doing splits on 100cc bikes.

Also read | 1971 Beyond Borders movie review: This Mohanlal film is ill-conceived, powerless

While it is still hard to find clips of the final scenes of this blockbuster movie, there is a good reason for you to go and see the movie, maybe just for the fight sequence. Only if you can, no fight.