Tamil Cinema News

‘Raththa Charithiram - Review

2010-12-04T01:16:00.000-08:00

ratacharitram,rakthachrichtriam,rathachritram,raththacheaithiram,chearithram,

Ram Gopal Varma is a pet child of controversies. Some of his biopics in the past invited the wrath of many. So is ‘Raththa Charithiram’, which created waves in Andhra Pradesh even before its release.

The movie on the life of AP politician Paritala Ravi makes one sit sraight and watch. Ramu seems to have done intense research to render an film movie which is strikingly different from run of the mill stuffs.Thanks to a stellar performance by Suriya and intense show by Priyamani and Vivek Oberoi, ‘Raththa Charithiram’ makes it count. Add to it Shatrughan Sinha’s role, the movie leaves one spellbound.

Suriya lives as Suriyanarayanan, who is baying for the blood of his enemy. His subtle emotions, body language and dialogue delivery gives meaning to the movie. Suriya is right there giving one of his best performances as angry young man.Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi), who goes on a killing spree in Annathapuram to avenge the killers of his father, settles down to become a politician. He wins the Assembly election from Ananthapuram thanks to the blessings of actor-turned-Chief Minister (Shatrughan Sinha).

He bumps off all his enemies and their relatives and paints the town red. When everything goes well, an attempt on his life creates kerfuffle.He comes to know that it was Suryanarayana (Suriya), who was waiting for an opportunity to avenge the deaths of his relatives, who got killed in the hands of Pratap.

DCP Mohan Prasadh (Sudeep) identifies the culprit as Suriya. He threatens Suriya to surrender to police holding his wife Bhavani (Priyamani) as captive. Soon, Suriya surrenders to police and goes to jail.

Ravi decides to bump off Suryia in jail but his attempts fail. Meanwhile, leaders of the opposition party, to settle scores with Ravi, volunteers to help Suriya. They decide to clip the wings of Ravi by making Bhavani as candidate in the elections in Ananthapuram.

Ravi now decides to kill Bhavani. Eventually Suriya hatches a plan and decides to execute it at a party meet convened by Ravi. Comes Suriya in disguise to realise his mission. Does he or not forms the climax.

Awesome is one word to describe Suriya's performance. His eyes emote well and in many scenes Ramu has zeroed in on his eyes to make one understand the scene. His diction and body language ooze revenge.

Priyamani is adequate. Vivek Oberoi matches Suriya in performance. However it’s Suriya who walks away with all honours.Technically, it’s one of RGV's best. The slick editing, different colour tones used by cinematographer Amol Rathod adds to the momentum. Especially he has captured the stunt sequences really well.

But there is no denying that the movie oozes blood and gore. There are crude violent scenes. Bullets fly around. On the whole, it is a tight rope walk, but RGV manages to walk with ease.

Thanks to Suriya's performance and RGV's slick narration, ‘Raththa Charithiram’ is a movie that strikes a chord.

Chikku Bhukku - review

2010-12-04T01:07:00.000-08:00

Romance never fails to entertain audience. Since the early days of cinema till now, it has been served in different flavours and whenever it is presented with perfection, it appealed to all sections of the movie-buffs.

From MKT to STR, it’s the stories that are loaded with romance that struck a chord with the masses. Joining the list is Arya, whose ‘Chikku Bhukku’ is an attempt at making a full-fledged love movie.

Manikandan, a former associate of cinematographer-director Jeeva, has ensured that the film oozes with romance all through. It draws comparison of love between 1980s and the present day.

More like Bollywoood’s ‘Love Aaj Kal’, the movie has two love stories woven in one.Also some traces of ‘Varanam Aayiram’ cannot be missed while watching ‘Chikku Bhukku’.

The film begins in London where Arjun (Arya), a disco Jockey, leads a happy life. Also there is Anu (Shriya), who completes her MBA. One day, Arjun is forced to come to his native village in Karaikudi to ensure that his ancestral property is not sold.

Also Anu too is forced to come to Madurai to meet her father who gets hurt in a mishap. The two strangers come together in a train. There begins their journey towards their respective destinations.

Meanwhile, a diary of Arjun's father pops out from his bag. He browses through it to understand his dad's love life. In flashback, the movie goes back to 1985. It is revealed that Sekar (Arya) returns to his village after getting selected as a Police.

He falls in love with Meenal (Preeta Rao). But when their romance comes to light, Sekar's family resists as caste comes in between. A dejected Sekar leaves to Police Training.

There he gets acquainted with Ammaiappan (Anoop), an innocent youth who is his colleague. He comes to know that Ammayappan is in love with his uncle's daughter. Sequence of events reveals that both love the same girl Meenal.

Meanwhile cut to present, Arjun and Anu after crossing several hurdles in their journey reach their respective houses. Now they realise that they have fallen for each other. Meanwhile a twist in the form of Anu’s father ensures all well end's well.

Arya is cool and casual. As father he is more sedate and cool, while the son is vibrant and bubbly. He is impressive in both acts, while Shriya plays her role with charm. Shriya, the beauty with brains, has delivered a commendable performance. Her expressions are noteworthy and in song sequences, her steps are something which leaves us in awe.

Preeta Rao passes the muster. Santhanam who appears in a separate comedy track is little disappointing.

Though Colonial Cousins Hariharan and Leslie have disappointed with their songs but for a couple of numbers, Pravin Mani's background makes it up. Cinematography has presented the modern London and the traditional Karaikudi in their typical style.

Costumes and art work are the two other highlights of the film. It seems the costumer and the art director worked with perfect understanding to give the feel of London and Karaikudi with their works.

Manikandan has tried to ensure that the movie has no dull moments. However at many places the scenes provides one a deja vu feel. Thanks to Arya's breezy performance, ‘Chikku Bhukku’ is cool to watch.

VA QUARTER CUTTING - Review

2010-11-05T19:08:00.002-07:00

starring: Shiva, Lekha Washington, SPB Charan.
Direction: Pushkar-Gayatri
Music: GV Prakash Kumar
Production: Sashikanth Sivaji

Director duo Pushkar and Gayatri’s style of film making has evoked interest among film buffs and is being discussed for its cult nature. After auto race in Oram Po, in Va-quarter cutting, it is the run for a ‘cutting’ that takes the audience through a bumpy fun ride for two hours and 15 minutes. The title of the film had kindled much interest and

the fun quotient was only upped by its cast and music as revealed through the promos.

Sura, (shortened for Sundarrajan) an ardent fan of Vijay played by Shiva lands in Chennai from Coimbatore and is on his way to Saudi Arabia for greener pastures. In Chennai, he is being taken care of by his to-be brother-in-law Marthandam (SP Charan), a veterinary doctor. Sura’s (mis)adventure through one night in Chennai and his vigorous pursuit of liquor on hearing that alcohol is forbidden in Saudi Arabia is the frivolous theme of Va-QC which the directors have handled in their own inimitable brand of narration accompanied by a zeitgeistcal crew.

The opening scene with numerous characters almost tests your memory power. However, as the film unfolds, you realize that they have been deftly interspersed through the warp and weft of the storyline in an impressive manner. Intelligent humor woven with satirical work runs through out Va-QC. Although the first half is not homogenously engaging, the second half gains momentum as it cruises through to the climax. Interestingly, the film opens with the lorry sequence and ends in a lorry sequence.

Dialogues augment the fun component, the notable ones being ‘grape’ for group rape, the ‘muttakose’ analogy to intelligence and Shiva asking Lekha for her name. There are umpteen such enjoyable examples in the film.

Credible characterization is one of the USPs of Va-QC with Shiva, Charan and John Vijay taking the honors. Shiva’s and Charan’s body language and their moronic countenance are in perfect sync with the storyline. John Vijay is a revelation in double roles. Lekha Washington as the girl with ‘self suicidal’ instincts does a neat job. There are many small characters like Abhinayasri, Amarendran, Kalyan as part of supporting cast.

The technical team has delivered what is needed for the film in right proportion. Nirav Shah is the major plus for the film and he does it again with his lens which captures the moods of the night with the appropriate usage of lighting and colors (greens and reds predominantly). Effective choreography in all departments marks the car chase sequence. Editor Anthony’s deft work with scissors is noteworthy. G V Prakashkumar’s music is already well received and is in line with the mood of the film. Thediye Thediye number comes alive for its music and visuals.

Directors Pushkar and Gayatri should be credited for respecting their audience’s intelligence and for delivering a ‘different film’ which could in many ways be an avant-garde work. However, will the different genre of comedy appeal to every segment of the audience is something that needs to be waited and watched. All the same, at a time when the term ‘nativity’ in film industry is being used in a privileged context relating only to village based themes, here is Va-QC which brings out the nativity of Chennai and its night life in its own style.

There could be an argument and doubt if someone could go to such an extent for a ‘quarter cutting’.However the psyche of some minds travelling to any length for a trivial matter also cannot be ruled out, with the term triviality itself being relative. Va-QC could work well for population that is casual and sporty.

Myna - Review

2010-11-05T19:08:00.001-07:00

Starring: Vidharth, Amala Paul.
Direction: Prabhu Solomon
Music: D Imman
Production: John Max

Action adventure romances, set in jungle, are a rarity in Tamil cinema. Although nothing short of a love story, Myna comes alive luminously as it traverses through the unexplored jungles of Munnar. Myna is largely the story of jinxed lovers but it’s also about how destiny plays hide and seek with human emotions when people are thrown together by way of sheer circumstances and how it forces them to take stands.

Vidharth (Suruli) and Amala Paul (Myna) are childhood friends. Suruli is attracted to Myna and it doesn’t take long enough for him to recognize that feeling as love. They are play mates, when there is power outage and when Myna has to study in the night Suruli pedals the bicycle - with the stand on - lighting up the dynamo and shedding light in the girl’s text books. Without getting sloppy, director Prabhu Solomon’s script has such little gems, written with heart slowly building up the viewer’s expectations towards the story.

Soon enough, when Myna’s mother realizes that her little girl is in love with a mucky waster she decides to marry her off to a man with better prospects. She also lodges a complaint in the police station against Suruli for attempting to murder her and Suruli is imprisoned. As the wedding arrangements progress, Suruli jailbreaks his way to the village to claim Myna.

As the cops, Thambi Ramayya and Sethu, arrive in that far-flung mountain village to arrest Suruli, the action sets in motion many unlikely incidents. Myna, for fear of marrying the other man, decides to use that opportunity to elope with Suruli in the ensuing commotion.

With that, the movie takes the course of a speeding jet, trekking through the thickets of the jungles of Munnar encountering one humungous hurdle after the other; their jeep meets with an accident, they get chased by elephants and they lose their way in the jungle (before you question, no our cops are not equipped with that magical device called GPS as yet). In the process, the cops unsuccessfully battle with their emotions and eventually fall in love with the couple feeling for their plight. Throw in another twist of emotional imbalance in the Sethu character; it’s his thala deepavali and he has to be home before that.

As they make their way through the jungle, numerous questions arise, as to; will they make it to the civilization alive and if they did will the lovers be united, so on and so forth.

Amala Paul shows immense talent; the guileless tenderness when she puts her love on show, her strong willed conviction when she decides to choose Suruli over the arranged marriage and as a result when she is put through one hardship after the other in the hardest of terrains. Amala, as Myna, scores in every instance. Or it could be her eyes, we are not sure. It’s very easy to fall for that character and the sensible writing of Myna’s character manipulates the viewer’s emotions. So does the unpredictable climax.

The other three characters, of that of Suruli and the cops Thambi Ramayya and Sethu ebb and flow with the movie. The cast has been shown no mercy as they are roughed up by natural calamities and accidents inside the jungle. Another highlight is that the movie’s pace has been maintained throughout the running time. The narrative is blended with comical elements so as to engage the viewer and it works too. Prabhu also touches upon human right violations by the cops when they are handcuffed with suspects that restrict their actions at the will of the cops.

There are moments for Imman’s music when it impeccably complements the movie’s narrative. And it’s another benefit that his songs do not mar the flow of the narrative.

As much as it’s an intense love story, Myna is an adventure film of sorts; sometimes the adventure part outweighing the love and longing of the lovers to be together. Prabhu and cinematographer Sukumar’s conviction of using natural lighting in the cinematography is sparkling in parts. Kudos to the director – producer – distributor team for uncompromisingly believing in the movie.

Myna might not go down in the history of Tamil cinema as a love story or a story of jilted lovers. But it will, by all means, (pardon the cliché here) be remembered as a story with its heart in the right place.

UTHAMA PUTHIRAN - Review !

2010-11-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

Starring: Dhanush, Genelia, Vivek.
Direction: Mithran R. Jawahar
Music: Vijay Antony
Production: Mohan Appa Rao

Uthamaputhiran – literally translates to ‘the ideal son’. Well, this Diwali, if you are searching for the ideal entertainer, then chances are that you will have your gaze firmly fixed on Uthamaputhiran, the only star driven release of this festive season. Does Uthamaputhiran stand true to its title?

Uthamaputhiran is all about love, family,

relationships, fun and laughter. It begins by portraying Siva @ Dhandapani (watch the movie to find the reason behind the second name) as a boy who does not have too many talents or positives except for an uncanny knack of getting into trouble and sticking his neck out for others when they need him the most. One such sojourn of his goes horribly wrong and he is stranded on the highway with Pooja in complete bridal attire and a band of goons hot on their heels. You think that the film is all set to get into a ‘road race’ mode with fights, chases, isolated locations and songs. But, the director introduces us to a large joint family headed by the inimitable Bhagyaraj. It is all fun, chatter and laughter from then on in the first half until a twist ushers the interval in. Post-interval we shift focus to two other families; completely contrasting to the one we have seen so far. They are loud, obnoxious, garrulous (takes a bit of getting used to)and gullible all at the same time. But, the humor and fun continue undiluted here too, pepped up even more by the arrival of ‘Emoshonal Ekambaram’ (Vivek). The fun goes a notch higher with the introduction of ‘Washington Vettrivel’ and ‘Chicago Shakthivel’. The role play keeps you amused and enthralled right down to the wire. The finer details of the plot, the connection between the three families and the reason behind names such as ‘Washington Vettrivel’ will be best understood in theaters.

If a clean family fare, full of fun and humor (clean, no double entendres), no ‘supermanism’, no glamour, little bit of sentiments and a slightly melodramatic climax is your idea of a good entertainer, then you certainly have found the ‘Uthama’ entertainer for Diwali. Right from the outset the director makes it clear that his aim is to entertain the audience. There are not many moments in the movie where the proceedings get excessively serious or somber. That is not to say that the central plot is weak or trivial; far from that. But, the director has presented it all in a fun and frolic manner which keeps us amused throughout. The credit here definitely goes to the script; humor has been cleverly woven into the proceedings, both by means of dialogues and situations. It is only in the latter part of the first half that romance takes a slight precedence over fun. But, of course, that is necessary to set the pace for what is to come in the second half. The second half rockets off to a great start with the introduction of Emoshonal Ekambaram (the name being slightly reminiscent of Vadivelu’s Encounter Ekambaram character). Dhanush and Vivek rock together, each complementing the other with superb timing. Vivek’s stunned and bemused look after the introduction of the ‘Vettrivel-Shakthivel’ brothers will have you in splits; so will his wordplay with ‘subconscious memory’ which becomes ‘sami dhadile fire’. With all the comedy and role play, romance does take a backseat in the second half.

Scripting and direction really show their maturity with the pacing of the movie. A consistent tempo is maintained right through and there aren’t any portions that elicit yawns. Also, the conscious decision to cut down on high-flying fights (there are just two very brief stunt sequences) and foreign location dances (only one, ‘Ussume Laresay’ has come out well) makes the movie a refreshing experience. The songs too, just 4 in number, have been seamlessly placed into the narrative, which is great. The director also deserves a round of applause for character establishment and maintaining a consistent graph for all players involved. Even the smallest of roles (like Mayilsaamy’s ‘Santhosh Khan’) have been carefully constructed.

Looking at the performances in Uthamaputhiran will require a long time because of the sheer size of the cast. But, to start with Dhanush; we have grown used to the kinds of films and roles that Dhanush chooses for himself, the gangly, no airs guy. Uthamaputhiran is perhaps testimony to the fact that Dhanush has identified his strengths and is firmly playing by them, not making too many mistakes. The role of Siva fits him to a T; it is difficult to imagine anyone else as this character. Credit is due to Dhanush for agreeing to do away with many commercial elements like the intro song and appearing as just a simpleton. Genelia is her usual sprightly self. The huge supporting cast has worked wonders for the movie. Listing them all here will be an exercise in itself; Bhagyaraj, Ambika, Rekha, Ashish Vidhyarthi etc.. all showcase their experience. The comedy brigade lead by Vivek is irrepressible; Mayilsaamy plays a delightful part while Dhanush’s group of friends also liven up the screen; it is only Karunas who gets very little to do. Shriya plays a cameo right at the start.

Camera, by Balasubramaniam, has ensured that the screen is always bright and cheerful, suiting the mood of the film. Vijay Anthony’s music has been used well by the director; the composer deserves special mention for the BGM; especially the ‘nadaswaram’ tone for Vivek and the ‘Shanty Shanty’ refrain for Mayilsamy. Editing is crisp.

Finding faults with Uthamaputhiran will be difficult. One feels that with the given plot, premise and resources, Mithran Jawahar has delivered the best possible results. Yes, there is a feeling that 3 hours is a tad too long; that the climax is a bit sugar coated, that certain portions could have been avoided (like the Spiderman bit) and such minor things. But, the final product stands above all these glitches.

Of course, it is not the kind of ground breaking attempt that will change Tamil cinema overnight. But, it is a clean ‘family entertainer’, that can be enjoyed by all age groups, made with very honest and earnest intentions. It is clean, its fun and its feel good. Go for ‘Uthamaputhiran’. Chances are that you won’t be disappointed; we have been needing this kind of a family flick for some time now.

Endiran chennai BO report !

2010-10-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Endhiran is Shankar’s version of science fiction, where Robots acquire feelings and start stalking pretty women to establish families with human beings. The world class movie is executed impeccably with the help of the best of technicians from Hollywood and India alike.

Trade Talk:
Still going strong in all the screened centers with weekends registering full houses.

Public Talk:
There’s a sudden lull, what with the public and media having exhausted all news updates on the movie.

No. Weeks Completed: 3
No. Shows in Chennai over this weekend: 499
Average Theatre Occupancy over this weekend: 89%
Collection over this weekend in Chennai:Rs.1,11,00,523
Total collections in Chennai: Rs. 12.72 Crore

Thanks: B.Woods

Endhiran Trailer !!!!

2010-09-11T03:11:00.000-07:00

WOW.. AWOSOME thats the expressions from all who saw this .....

Watch superstar.. as THE ROBOT.. Tamil endhiran will follow soon..

Endiran,endran,robo, robo trailer, the robot, ROBO, endiran,endhiran,endiran trilor,endhiran trailer..

NAAN MAHAAN ALLA - REVIEW

2010-08-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Director Suseendiran proved his prowess as a fine director handling a not so popular sport like Kabbadi in his very first outing Vennilla Kabbadi Kuzhu with village milieu. He does a complete volte face in Naan Mahaan Alla with an urban subject which makes you laugh your heart out in the first half and pushes you to the edge of the seat in the second half.

Karthi (Jeeva) is a happy go lucky young man waiting for a job, not that he is serious about it. He is fun loving exuding positivity always and is popular in his circle. He has a doting family; dad (Jayaprakash) a call taxi driver, a house wife mother (Lakshmi Ramakrishnan), and a younger sister. Jeeva’s life revolves around his family and friends. He meets Priya (Kajal Agarwal) in his friend Sudha’s (a neat portrayal from Neelima) wedding and falls for her. He expresses himself to her in an interesting manner and the ways of wooing are lively and enjoyable.

When he seeks Priya’s hand in marriage, her father (Ravi Prakash) does not approve of this and averts to a local dada to dissuade Jeeva. The ensuing events are the most unexpected ones for Priya’s dad and for the audience. When life seems to go on a straight track for Jeeva, in comes a thud in the form of his dad’s scripted accident and the unhappy turn of events from that point which leads and culminates into a riveting climax.

It is Karthi, Karthi and Karthi all the way who monopolizes the film in every frame. The growth of this young actor is palpable in every shot. The mischievous twitch in the lips and a twinkle in the eye when trying to woo the heroine are a few examples. Bhaskar Sakthi’s realistic one liners and retorts come in handy and color the film in bright hue. In Paiyaa we saw Karthi getting out of the garb of Paruthi Veeran. In NMA he is just the adorable live wire boy next door who floors you with his optimism, bonhomie and comic timing in right proportion.

Kajal Agarwal does not have much to perform but does her part adequately. Jayaprakash as Karthi’s dad is efficient and the subtle gestures suggesting his love and understanding of his son are a treat to watch. The Royapuram dada makes a noticeable performance. The boy with big eyes in the villain gang is quite menacing with his aggressive demeanor.

The conversation between Karthi and Kajal over phone and their subsequent meeting clearly indicate the lively contemporary times between lovers. Same goes for Karthi’s interaction with his friends. The scene involving his boss at the liquor shop is one more example of Karthi scoring in comedy department.

Suseendiran has dichotomized the mood of the film clearly and a touch of levity runs through the first half while seriousness pervades the second half. Credible characterization and a fairly neat screenplay are the positive components in NMA. He has not veered from the subject and if at all something slows down the momentum, it is the Deivam Illai number in the second half. The bringing in of villains and fusing them at the right place is interesting. A few sequences could have been pruned which could have given a complete feel to the film.

Yuvan does a neat job in the music department and Iragai Pole’s picturization is appreciable. Vaa Vaa Nilavai Pidichu has Karthi trying out a few dance steps. In the second half, Yuvan’s RR work dominates and steers the film ahead. Rajeevan’s art work is hardly visible which only goes on to reiterate his success in his job. Interestingly he appears in a small cameo. Madhie behind the camera conveys the mood of the film through his apt lighting. The climax fight choreographed by Anal Arasu gels with the characterization of the subjects.

Although there are a few slow patches, Suseendiran should be appreciated for coalescing the energy and entertainment of a mainstream film with a sensitivity of a realistic one. He has the wholesome attention of the audience in most parts.

Thanks:B.Woods

Raavanan - Review !

2010-06-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

Starring: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Priyamani, Prithviraj, Prabhu, Karthik, Munna, Ranjitha.
Direction: Mani Ratnam
Music: A R Rahman
Production: Madras Talkies

Let’s get this straight. Raavanan is not Mani Ratnam’s attempt to venerate the epic villain whose name the movie is titled after. It’s not also a study on complex human relationships weighed down by trust, conviction or quandary. It’s a pure cinematic retreat spanning across the dense jungles of Southern and Central India with exceptional cinematography (Santosh Sivan and
Manikandan), by-now cult songs (A R Rahman) and interesting performances by its lead actors. And the significance of the movie appears in the same order mentioned above.

Mani’s conviction of illustrating an unachievable love story between the two leads (Aishwarya Rai and Vikram) is palpable from the very start of the movie. However, the blossoming of love doesn’t quite form the back bone of Raavanan so much. The movie digresses into other aspects - a man hunt, flash backs, revenge drama and so on and so forth. The man hunts lack dexterity, the revenge drama that is triggered by the death of Vikram’s sister seems engineered and Prithviraj often comes across as stiff – showing unnecessary tautness in the character that is probably designed to defy emotions (may be because he is in his Khakis?

But all that is absolved, as the movie stunningly unfolds often drenching itself in the monsoonal deluge making you feel rain-soaked. If you have any doubt about Mani’s eternal love affair with rain, Raavanan stands as a remarkable testimony. It rains in the song sequences, in encounters and in emotional scenes. And at other instances, the sky is constantly downcast as if threatening to pour down. And the cinematography captures it all in delightful exuberance.

For the most part, Vikram owns the movie seizing it magnificently even from Mani’s own hands. His love blooms out of astonishment at the outwardly courage displayed by Aishwarya Rai and he makes those scenes persuasive for the viewer. He infuses life into the character and shows no jaggedness, falling for a married woman thus replicating, probably the characters of Raavanan. Suhasini’s profound dialogues come in handy in many places and the viewer is made to read between lines quite often.Aishwarya Rai’s semblance of the late Padmini is unmistakable, it could be her dialogues or the way she manages her composure attentively even in the hardest of terrains the character puts her through. The lady sure has attempted to reach on par with Vikram in performance in many sequences. Kudos to Mani for a dignified portrayal of his lead woman. There is a refreshing strength in Ragini’s character brought out well by Aishwarya.

Prithvi plays a toughie police officer and somehow his character portrayal leaves a few questions unanswered: for instance, his love for Aishwarya Rai is weighed down by his commitment and that singular fact does not come across convincingly.Priyamani plays the ill-fated Vennila and leaves a lump in your throat. Karthik in his second innings steals the show. Prabhu and Munna play support roles that ebb and flow with the movie.

Cinematography by Santosh Sivan is brilliant and has rendered the perfect support for Mani. His probing lens takes the audience through the thick jungles, the mighty waterfalls and the rough terrains of India. Music and art direction play equally momentous role in Raavanan as its lead actors. If not for Rahman’s songs and background score, Vikram’s unrequited love wouldn’t have been so painful for us. The songs have already been much debated about and leave no scope for further discussion. One word though: it’s not for nothing “Usure Pogude…” has achieved a cult status. You tend to try hard not to fall in love but fail with the song as Vikram heaves a sigh of relief, having seen Aishwarya Rai breathing and alive after a steep fall.

Sameer Chanda’s art direction complements the ruggedness and splendid beauty of the nature in the jungles so well you refuse to believe anything is man-made.A major drawback is the lack of ‘Tamil’ feel in the film and its music; it more appears for the audience north of Vindhyas in many places. What Mani loses out is the pace over the later part of the first half; he gains it back with a major twist in the climax. Although you have a few questions about the incidents leading to the finale, those are done away with - thanks to the elegiac climax.

GOA - review !

2010-02-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

After courting many legal battles, Goa, the maiden production venture of Soundarya Rajnikanth is finally out. The two back to back success stints at the box office with Chennai-28 and Saroja has upped the expectation levels on Venkat Prabhu and his team and the young director raises only partially to the bar he has previously set in.

Goa implies pleasurable holiday spot and when there is a young team like Venkat Prabhu’s at work, it is easy to place the genre of the film. Jai, Premji and Vaibhav are three naughty friends in a village whose antics lead the village naattamai to impose ban on their communication and interaction with each other. Not withstanding this, the friends escape to Madurai where they see Jai’s mediocre friend happily settled in marital bliss with a white woman. This sets them off on a trip to Goa to seek a life like Jai’s friend. The events that follow their escapade form the rest of the film.

The birth of Premji as God’s gift is shown as a spoof from many old Tamil films. His frolics are enjoyable especially in the scene where he mimics Vettaikaran Vijay. The song ‘puli urumudu’ as a backdrop when he fights with the

baddies and when he imitates Baba Rajnikanth increase the comedy quotient and bring the roof down. On his part Vaibhav with his weakness for women but suffering at the hands of Sneha has done well. Similarly Jai trying to speak in his broken English tickle funny bones. It is a laugh riot sans logical reasoning in these sequences.

Simbu, Prasanna and Nayanthara share a scene each. Pia is adequate. Sampath and Arvind Akash as gay couple (first for a Tamil film?) have performed well. Sampath is brilliant and gathers all the accolades. The scene where he clarifies his relationship with Premji to Arvind Akash moves the audience but the acceptance of their relationship by Tamil audience is uncertain. The issues and the ensuing dialogues when Premji comes in between this relationship have been stretched and blown out of proportion which could have been avoided. Perhaps the title of the film has let the director take such liberties!?

Venkat Prabhu’s screen play appears to be bewildered at times whether to travel on the comedy track or the serious one. The audience is left to judge for themselves. Adequate care in this department would have made a huge positive difference to the film. There is some respite when it comes to the characterization of Sneha as there is a suspense element tagged with it.

Songs by Yuvan Shankar Raja have been picturised well and re-recording is just fine. Sakthi Saravanan’s cinematography works in tandem with the mood of the film. Venkat Prabhu seems to have lost his Midas touch and misses his hat trick!

ASAL review !!

2010-02-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

The Ajith-Saran combination is at it again. Asal is in theaters and it is celebration time for all Ajith fans. The stakes are bigger this time with Asal being Ajith’s 49th film and it is also special because the titles of the film name Ajith as co-director of the movie. He is also credited for the story, screenplay and dialogues along with Saran and Yuhi Sethu. So, has the additional responsibility and control for Ajith worked well for Asal?

Asal is a story of feud between three brothers over property; two brothers (Sampath Kumar and Rajeev Krishna) on one side with their avarice for all the wealth with the righteous third trying to stop the family from breaking down. No marks for guessing who is the righteous one, who else but Ajith Kumar?! The feud that exists as an undercurrent in the presence of their father (Ajith again) turns ugly and personal after he passes away. It grows bigger with the two brothers joining in to elbow out Ajith. He graciously steps aside, only wanting to keep cordial relations. But, the two brothers are just not able to handle the huge wealth and the responsibility that it brings. Their wealth attracts trouble and it is up to Ajith to come back and save his brothers. Do things end there or does

the feud continue, does wealth disintegrate the family and how does Ajith conquer all the odds? Watch Asal to find out.

The first and most important thing about Asal is that it is an out and out Ajith movie. Not that anyone needs to be told this, it is an obvious fact. But, Asal is a full length celebration of Ajith’s persona, something his fans will absolutely adore. But, the film does have its weak points too. It is indeed sad that such a potential team ended up shooting a rather weak script. The main defect here is the characters sketch of the villains. They just don’t seem menacing or threatening enough to stand up to Ajith. It robs the excitement out of the confrontations making it look like cakewalks for Ajith. The only strong negative character (Kelly Dorji) is finished off prematurely which also stunts the growth of Ajith’s character. It is also pretty dampening that the much expected Ajith double act is only there for the first few minutes in the film. It should also be said that the opening sequences of the film do leave you a bit disappointed; the intros just don’t pack a punch. But, on the brighter side, the script does manage to throw a few surprises when you least expect them, like the one at the interval point. Saran has been successful in keeping the viewer guessing about certain things right until the end. The climax portions however should have been better. The finish looks literally forced into the script, with a fight inside a warehouse. There is not much room for romance. But, whatever little is there looks good. The silent tussle between Sameera and Bhavana over who gets Ajith is cute and Saran could have extended it a bit. One thing about the movie that could have been much better is the placement of songs; most of them look like appendages hanging loosely out of the main narrative.

As said above, this movie is all about Ajith and his persona. It would not be wrong to say that at many points it seems as if Ajith, the star, has been given more importance than the script itself. Trust Ajith to carry off a larger than life role with ease. He strides the screen with ease, having a presence that few others can boast of. He looks stylish in every frame; the hairstyle, the sideburns and the cigar sit well on him. In fact, Ajith’s presence is one of the main factors that stops one from getting bored. Sampath, Rajeev Krishna and Pradeep Rawat do their jobs as villains without too great an impact. As said above, their characters look like weak adversaries for Ajith. Sameera Reddy has a role of consequence in the movie and does pretty well, but there is no huge scope for performance. Bhavana looks cute in a role that demands only as much. She however impresses with her dance moves in the first part of the Dushyantha song. Yuhi Sethu tries hard to provide a few comic moments, succeeding partially on the rare occasion; his side kicks trying hard with a few gimmicks as well. Prabhu is a dignified presence.

The fact that this is a film made under Sivaji Productions can be sensed in the way the film has shaped up. The producer has left no stone unturned to make the film look rich, slick and sophisticated throughout. Be it the sets, the interiors, the locations or costumes, no expense has been spared. The story is set mainly in France, with a portion happening in Mumbai. The richness of the streets France has been transferred beautifully onto screen by Prashanth’s camera. The camerawork keeps the viewer visually pleased, partially compensating for flaws in the script. Action should have been better. Only the fight between Ajith and Kelly close to the interval stirs up excitement, it is plain on all other occasions. Music by Bharadwaj does not lend any strength to the movie, except Dushyantha and the BGM looks pretty unimaginative. Dialogues focus mostly on the word ‘Thala’ and the different ways in which it can be used. Imaginative for sure, but it could have been toned down a bit. Nevertheless, it does provide fans with an opportunity to cheer loudly.

Asal is a complete Ajith centric entertainer with lots of style and sophistication. Yes, the script is weak and there are other flaws too, but the movie does not leave you bored or exasperated. Ajith satisfies his fans, but Saran disappoints a bit with the way he has handled such a great team, better results were definitely on. Visually pleasing with about 2.5 hours of running time, Asal is will not have you yawning, nor will it have you asking for more.

Avatar - review

2009-12-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

‘Avatar’, Oscar winner James Cameron’s next feature after ‘Titanic’ is a dazzling spectacular treat in technical terms but on content wise it’s another smartly woven Bollywoodish romantic heart beat.

Its no surprise by now that the English adapt the soap-opearish known and accepted Bollywood (or rather say human emotions) and come out dazzling as winners, the reason they do it with technical finesse and don’t go overboard like many of film makers or call it film fakers do.

If ‘Titanic’ was a western pyjama worn over Bollywood ‘rich gal, poor guy’ love t-shirt with a calamity thrown in to bring an uplifting desired effect. Then ‘Avatar’ is spectacularly symbolic, captivating and immense film themed on a very Indian belief known as re-birth or re-incarnation.

Even the last year academy sweeper and the sensation at major international awards ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ was a smartly restructured Manmohan Desai’s ‘Bhai Bhai’ thingie with an element of destiny thrown in.

Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ comes in large scale, this contemporary action adventure mingled with sci fi genes and spiritual and ecological themes is more mighty and bigger as a visual epic then his previous ‘Titanic’.

On the drama and emotional front however its fails to match the ‘Titanic’ scales and this may be the reason why its tries to sway you by its visual delights by offering it in 2D or 3D. Cameron holds the vision together creating a spectacular world filled with both the familiar floras and fountains (amazingly striking) and the exotic species in this anything is possible digital world.

Cameron marshals his forces well making it dazzlingly spectacular enough for us to sit through over two and a half hours and feel satisfied.

The Story Paraplegic war veteran Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), is sent to the exotic planet Pandora, replacing his brother, who was killed. Although he's part of the military under the command of Col. Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), the human presence is driven by a corporation mining a unique mineral alongside a scientific probe directed by Dr Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver).

Humans cannot breathe Pandoran air, so they genetically engineer human/Na'vi hybrids known as Avatars. The indigenous Na'vi are resentful - but Princess Neytiri (Zoë Saldana) befriends him and becomes his guide and protector on the strange planet. Jake is soon caught in the middle of the conflict between the Na'vi and the human military machine raping their world.

The Highs: The action sequences are superbly created by a digital army of compositors and FX engineers - including a brigade of motion capture specialists - and the seamless visual effects render the tall, blue Na'vi entirely credible. Some of the natural wonders are blended with imaginary beauty in Pandora's astonishing forests, floating mountains, spectacular plants and tremendous trees - the latter playing a key role as spiritual guardians.

Sam Worthington is perfect for the character, Jake. Stephen Lang as the military brute offers valuable support. Sigourney Weaver is terrific as the frustrated scientist. Zoë Saldana is fascinating as the princess of the Na'vis (who all seem to have recognizably human traits and personas. They hunt with bows and arrows, and speak a fantasy language).

The scale is extraordinary as is the bewitching world of ‘Avatar’ that James Cameron has created with jaw- dropping technology, stunning production design and exotic golden eyed, blue-skinned aliens whose passions are as tangible as the giant flying dragons on which they fly. This huge ambitious project which took many years in the planning earns ‘Avatar’ 4 out of five for the above mentioned reasons.

The Lows: While visually fantastic, however emotionally it struggles to be at par and the length 2hrs 43 minutes makes the spectacular delight a bit monotonous.

Verdict: You can’t afford to miss it.

Vettaikaran - Review !!

2009-12-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

The sparkling stunts, the fiery punch lines, the signature lighter moments and some foot tapping numbers, everything that makes a Vijay film worth your time in theaters are there in his latest offering Vettaikaran. But then, every film of Ilaya Thalapathi has all these things, you might ask. Yes, but it is the execution that makes each one different from the other and the question as you enter theaters to watch this movie is whether newcomer Babu Sivan has managed to pull the formulaic one man army theme out of the rut that it has recently fallen into.

The storyline is very familiar to anyone who follows Vijay movies. A small town do-gooder (Vijay) idolizes an honest super cop of his town. The cop is merciless against all evil forces, an encounter specialist who doesn’t believe in arrests and judicial procedures; he just guns down the perpetrators. The small town do-gooder wants to emulate this cop. But, the only problem facing him is that to become an IPS officer, one must first pass out of school and then get a graduate degree. His failure at academics is an irritant to his father, quite understandably. Keeping his eventual dream in mind, he somehow gets over the hurdle and heads to the big metropolis (Chennai) to seek
Vettaikaran

his graduation and the IPS dream. Chennai, expectedly, greets to him a) good college education b)part time employment and c)a heinous goon whose crime rate is like no one that he has seen before. The rest is all about the mission to eradicate evil. How does he do it? Does he become an IPS officer and bring them to law or does he become a force on his own, hunting them down like the title of the movie suggests? Find out in theaters. And yes, there is a love story in the midst of all this which you are bound to notice because of the songs.

After hearing the synopsis one might be excused for branding this another stereotype fair. But, this one is better than that. Yes, it is undeniably a full fledged commercial flick with a lot of heroism and related stuff, but there is also a certain level of finesse in the execution. The first half is a whole lot of fun. Vijay puts on a jolly and youthful demeanor which has worked very well. Along with Sathyan, they create many an enjoyable moment. The scenes on the train journey, where Vijay meets Anushka for the first time, have really come out well. It is the second half where the predictability starts to set in. A few clichés later, like the hero’s transformation in the duration of a song, you almost know where the film is heading. The script, which remained alright for most parts, looks unduly stretched during the final portions, the end could definitely have been crisper.

The film, in spite of its flaws and stereotypes, is bound to click with Vijay fans. The main reason for that is the seemingly rejuvenated Vijay on screen. He looks refreshed, energetic and lends zing to the proceedings on screen. His dance moves have not lost any of their sheen, the opening number ‘Naan Adicha’ is a cracker that will surely be lapped up by his fans. Junior Vijay’s act towards the end of this number is very likeable. The ‘karigalan’ song too looks and sounds very good while ‘Puli Urumuthu’ is the typical one that catalyses the transformation of the protagonist. Besides these, the other songs don’t gel well into the narrative which is a drawback. The highly anticipated Vijay-Anushka chemistry does not provide any spark on screen which disappoints. Surprisingly, Anushka does not look as ravishing as usual and she also does not get much footage in the film other than songs. It is a bit of downer for the actress after the Arundhathi high.

Other performances live up to the requirements of the script. Sathyan, along with Vijay, makes the first half work with his comic acts. Saleem Ghouse is the typical bad man while VMC Haneefa leaves a mark in his small role. Sukumari shows her experience in the portions given to her and Sayaji Shinde is in full form as a cop loyal to the evil master.

Babu Sivan must be commended on a good effort, thought not without its flaws. He has handled the dialogue department with care and come out with good results. Action is a regular Vijay style and will cater to his fans.

Vettaikaran is an out and out Vijay film, straight to his fans who are bound to be happy with the outcome, considering the last two offerings which did not please many. A fun first half and an action packed but predictable and a bit jaded second make a pretty reasonable final product for all those who don’t mind commercial mass masala without caring for things such as reason or logic.

Ganja Karuppu finds his life partner!

2009-12-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

Funny man Ganja Karuppu will exchange marriage vows with Sangeetha in January. Karuppu revealed his wedding plans to the media recently adding that his bride is a physiotherapist. The star wedding will take place in Nattarasankottai in the presence of both the families, said the actor.

The wedding is an arranged one with the consent of both the families and the engagement ceremony was held in Sivaganga recently. Ganja’s ticket to stardom came with Ameer’s Ram and he became one of the sought after comedians after the success of Paruthi Veeran.

Swathi’s secret wedding

2009-12-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

Swathi, who entered Kollywood with the Vijay-starrer Deva, went to work in several films including Selva, Vasantha Vasal and Vanmathi. Her latest venture is Ameer’s Yogi.

The actress entered wedlock with a US-based engineer in Hyderabad on November 22nd. On her sudden and secret wedding, Swathi says that it was an arranged marriage and only close family was invited for the wedding. She adds that the limited time frame set for the marriage made it impossible for her to invite her colleagues in the film industry.

Swathi also disclosed that Yogi would be her last film and she intends to settle down in the US.

PAZHASSI RAJA review !!

2009-11-22T17:21:00.000-08:00

Starring: Mammootty, Sarath Kumar, Manoj K Jayan, Kanika Subramaniam, Padmapriya, Thilakan, Jagathi, Sreekumar, Suresh Krishna, Suman, Linda Arsenio
Direction: T. Hariharan
Music: Ilayaraja
Production: Gokulam Gopalan

Heroes of the Indian freedom struggle; the theme has never lost its appeal and probably never will. Pazhassi Raja presents an account of the life, times and struggles of one of India’s earliest heroes. The Malayalam original was released over a month back in Kerala and has broken almost every box office record without showing any sign of slowing down. It is with quite huge expectations that the dubbed version releases in Tamil.

First, the theme itself makes the film worth more than just a look. Set in Wayanad (the northern part of Kerala) in the late 18th century, the movie traces the path of Pazhassi Raja (Mammootty) who showed the courage to defy the powerful colonial forces that were threatening to take over his motherland. While kingdoms around him were making hurried alliances with the foreign forces to avoid war, and bending to every wish and whim and rule laid down by them, Pazhassi Raja felt it unacceptable that people who were allowed into the country for trade should begin to dictate terms. His defiance obviously doesn’t go down too

well with the forces and a clash is inevitable. The colonial forces, armed with guns and cannons expect to overrun the sword and spear-wielding army of the Raja. The Raja does suffer losses, and is eventually forced to seek refuge in the thick jungles of north Kerala about which the British don’t have a clue. But, this is not before the very core of the British forces has been shaken by the valiant resistance that was put up, when they were expecting a meek surrender in an unevenly matched battle. In the jungle, with his faithful followers consisting of his trusted lieutenant Edachena Kunkan (Sarath Kumar), Pazhassi Raja gathers his forces for a powerful retaliation. He finds willing and able allies in the Tribals, led by Thalakkathu Chanthu (Manoj K Jayan), who know the jungles like no one else does. They devise a hitherto untried plan to counter the firepower of the British, guerilla warfare. In the thick cover of the jungle, the plan is perfect as the foreign forces don’t have a clue about who is hitting them and from where. It looks as if bow and arrow might ultimately get the better of the gun. But, treason lurks and it turns the course of events. But, the fight is not over yet. The Raja’s men shall not drop arms until none of them stands. That is what Pazhassi Raja is all about, a tale of martyrdom.

As said above, the theme itself makes the film worth more than just a look. To go nit picking the faults of such a movie could amount to a disservice to the sacrifices that sparked off the struggles that ultimately earned us our freedom. Yet, from a very objective point of view it can be said that the movie is perhaps a trifle too long. There are places where one feels that the screenplay (M.T. Vasudevan Nair) could have been a bit tighter, though it is flawless for most parts. The climax makes one feel patriotic with the Raja and his men making the ultimate sacrifice. The dialogues adapted to Tamil by Jayamohan convey the right emotions most of the time. The dubbing from Malayalam to Tamil has been done without many noticeable glitches which are commendable considering that the original uses the more classical, pure Malayalam of North Kerala in the 18th century which has very little Tamil influence.

Everyone in the cast has given their heart to the role. It is not always that an actor gets such an opportunity. Mammootty lives the role of Pazhassi Raja. Majestic and commanding, one of his best performances. The points when he has to try hard to summon courage and resilience even in the face of heavy losses to motivate his forces bring out the best in the actor. Sarath Kumar is excellent as Edachena Kunkan. His confrontation with another regional king and final act of sacrifice makes a great impression. Manoj K Jayan too has delivered with distinction. Padmapriya makes her presence felt in a challenging role while Kanika is a constant presence throughout the movie without getting much of a chance to perform. Senior performers like Nedumudi Venu, Thilakan and Jagathi Sreekumar leave their stamp behind in small but important roles.

Music by Ilayaraja carries the Maestro mark as usual. Resool Pookutty contributes with a fine effort, sounds come alive. The camera effectively captures the green terrain of Kerala. The film has been made with lots of effort and planning. One can see it in the number of extras that have been used in every scene. The efforts taken by the cast in the fight sequences impresses. On the flip side, the nativity factor goes missing in the Tamil version which is expected. The costumes, the architecture and everything are very much characteristic of Kerala and hearing Tamil dialogues in this setting takes a bit of getting used to.

Pazhassi Raja is a film that reminds us of the price at which freedom came. It is one great effort and definitely needs to be received with an open mind. A few shortcomings notwithstanding, it is an opportunity: for those who know about these heroes to remember them once again and for those young people who are yet to hear these names to get to know about them and their sacrifices. We would love to see more movies like these.

KANDEN KADHALAI REVIEW

2009-11-01T04:53:00.000-08:00

They have met again! The ‘Jab We Met’ remake is in town and love is in the air. Will the magic work? After the critically acclaimed Poo, Moser Baer ventures into commercial cinema successfully with Kanden Kadhalai. With a story that has already proved its worth up north and a universally accepted emotion as its basic theme; the odds are definitely in favor of Kanden Kadhalai. The team behind the remake is relatively young but highly promising. Kannan is trying to follow up his impressive debut (Jeyamkondaan) with a hit, Bharath is returning to the lover boy role after a few commercial trysts and Tamanna gets a gem of an opportunity to prove her worth as an actress who can carry off all kinds of emotions. Put all this together and we get ‘Kanden Kadhalai’, a youthful romantic drama which takes a fresh perspective on love and relationships.

Shakthi (Bharath) is down in the dumps! The big business establishment that his father has built is falling apart, the board of directors is going insane with arguments and to top it all there are allegations that his mother is having an affair with the company’s auditor. Not able to take any more of the misery he walks out of the board meeting. The day after he goes missing, everyone wonders where he is gone. In fact, even he has no idea of where he wants to go.

He just wants to escape from everything, even from himself. Without a ticket in hand or a destination in mind he boards a train. Aboard he comes across Anjali (Tamanna) who is poles opposite to him in character. She just can’t stop talking, most of which is about herself. As we discover later, the person she loves most in the world is herself. In a weird twist of events, brought about by Shakthi’s pointless sauntering and Anjali’s insuppressible energy, they find themselves together, stranded in the middle of nowhere with no means of transport for the night. They get to know each other over the period that they are together. Travelling across Tamil Nadu to get to Anjali’s home, Shakthi starts feeling lighter and better. He starts learning a lot about taking it easy. Meanwhile Anjali has plans of her own, love is on her mind. But the man is not Shakthi. However she wants Shakthi’s help to reach her lover. She runs away from home and Shakthi goes back to resurrect his business. Everyone believes that they are together, somewhere. It takes some time for Shakthi to realize that everyone believes in something that is not exactly true. So, he sets out to prove that Anjali has actually found love and life with another person. Does he find her? What is she doing? This time the tables turn. Anjali is somber and Shakthi can’t stop talking. Does love happen?

At the outset, it is important to understand that this film is not only about love or romance. It also shows at places about how life and all its ups and downs have to be dealt with. The story defends love and lovers under all circumstance. Some people might find certain thoughts a bit difficult to agree with, but that doesn’t hinder the film much. The chemistry of the lead pair which is the moving force of the film has worked well. Both Tamanna and Bharath look fresh and different in their roles. Bharath is neat and sophisticated in his role. Tamanna looks good especially in the half saree. As for her performance, she is really good while bringing out different facets of the character. It is a commendable effort. She has proved her ability to pull off a wide range of roles. The high point of the movie is Santhanam’s whacky comic act. Appearing as the bridegroom chosen by Anjali, his dialogues infuse life into the movie. The audience loves him, except when he goes into double entendre mode. This could have been avoided as it spoils the clean family entertainer status that the movie could have had. The major drawback of Kanden Kadhalai is its lack of continuity at places. There are also places where the events seem a bit artificial. The music, which is an important part of any romantic flick, has not worked too well. Only ‘Suttudhu Suttudhu’ makes an impression. Other songs don’t stick to your mind; their placement too is not apt. Camerawork is colorful and well suited to the mood of the film.

Kanden Kadhalai is a film for the youth. People with romance in their hearts are bound to enjoy the theme and the subtle hints that the movie gives about love. It seems to be giving out the idea that failing in love or work once does not mean that the world has ended, there is always tomorrow. However, a few glitches in continuity take a toll on the film. Kannan has made a not too bad follow up to Jeyamkondaan. But with his proven credentials and a young cast, the remake of a Hindi superhit should ideally yield better results. Nevertheless, Kanden Kadhalai is quite an enjoyable fare for those who love romantic flicks.

Verdict: Youth and love special

Aadavan - Review !!

2009-10-17T04:22:00.000-07:00

Starring: Suriya, Nayanthara, Ramesh Kanna, Vadivelu.
Direction: K.S.Ravikumar
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Production: Red Giant Movies

The biggest of this festival season is here and it comes with great expectations. Suriya is targeting a hat trick of hits while KSR is all set to follow up the Dasavatharam phenomenon with another big grosser. Have no doubts when you enter theaters, this is a trademark KS Ravikumar product, no holds barred entertainment with elements for just about everyone in the family. But, it does also come with its share of pitfalls and flaws.

A professional assassin, sharp shooter, jet setter, high flyer – that’s how Aadhavan (Suriya) is introduced to the audience. The customary introduction song does not actually set a racy tempo, but is still foot tapping. He never misses his aim and that brings him a big assignment, one that promises crores. A judge all set to report his findings on a sensational case is the target and Aadhavan is ready to shoot. The bullet misses, the judge survives, Aadhavan fails. With crores and a huge reputation to protect, Aadhavan vows to complete the unfinished job. How, when, where? Watch Aadhavan to find out.

The basic premise of an assassin and the target must lead you to think of a suspense filled, tense and intense plot. But what you get in the first half is exactly the opposite .

You are introduced to a large joint family, Saroja Devi (on screen after 12 years) is the eldest member and Nayanthara as Thara is her granddaughter. Vadivelu is the domestic help and at the helm is the Late Murali who wields the whip and a stentorian tone. Suriya joins the mix and you are in for a hilarious one and a half hours. Trust KSR the script writer to blend and infuse comedy into any story, he does it with finesse here and executes it to near perfection as a director. Ramesh Khanna joins in later to add to the humor quotient. While the main plot does keep moving throughout the first half, it is only close to the interval that it takes a decisive twist. Post interval you are told the details of an unknown identity, a flashback narrates a few family relations and the reasons for an old wound, before we cut back to present to resume the main plot. By now, the pace has slackened a bit. A little bit of romance is slipped in, but it has been kept in check which helps the main plot maintain its course. The last half an hour is perhaps the weakest portion of the movie. Even though the events unfold at a pretty steady pace it fails to engage the viewer. The climax, in an isolated yard with a crane, fully filled petrol tank and a pond nearby are typically Kollywood masala fare. It definitely could have been better.

In the bid for uninhibited entertainment, logic and reason have taken a beating at places. Though that is not uncommon in cinema, those instances do leave you searching for explanations. The most prominent is the scene where Aadhavan opens up about his identity to Thara- How Madhavan became Aadhavan? Later, when it is opened in front of the whole family, everyone seems to swallow whatever has been said without even a shadow of doubt. But, KSR has managed to a large extent to cover up for the lack of clarity at places with his racy direction. In fact, you might find yourself asking questions about the logic behind many incidents well after you have left the theater, not while you are still watching the film. Other dampeners include the placement of songs, especially in the first half. The ‘Dekho Dekho’ number seems unnecessary and extraneous to the script. ‘Yaeno Panithulli’ and ‘Hasili Fisili’ captivate with the visuals and exotic locations.

Technically, Aadhavan has got few things to boast about, presenting Suriya as a 4 feet something tall 10 year old boy must be a first in Tamil cinema. Though one can clearly make out that it is graphic patchwork at quite a few instances, overall it is a job very neatly done, great effort. Camerawork by R Ganesh is adequate. It is only in the above mentioned songs that he gets to translate a rich feel onto screen. Harris Jeyaraj’s music which is already a hit could have been placed and used better, the songs would have served as a bigger strength to the film that way.

Suriya walks through a role that does not challenge him much. The effort and risks taken in the fight sequences, especially the first chase through Kolkata where he can be seen jumping over rooftops etc.., tell a lot about commitment. He looks stylish, angry, cunning and innocent while bringing out different shades of the character that he portrays; a well crafted performance. Nayanthara escapes the glamour trap after a long time and looks fresh. Saroja Devi brings in some old world charm to the proceedings while Murali is authoritative in what is sadly his last film. Sayaji Shinde, Rahul Dev, Riyaz Khan and others do a fairly neat job. Anandh Babu belies the years to shake a leg in the opening song and passes off quite well in a limited but significant role. Vadivelu brings the house down with his comic act. He breathes life into the proceedings every time he is on screen and his antics keep the first half brimming with positive humor; his character adds to the overall Aadhavan experience.

On the whole, Aadhavan is trademark KSR cinema. It has action, comedy, sentiment, romance, music and masala, not to forget his special appearance at the end. There are flaws, missing pieces, loose ends and a stereotyped climax that might put you off, but commercial cinema is always prone to such errors. If you are not a stickler for logic or substance, there are quite a few positives to sit back and enjoy.

PERAANMAI - Review !

2009-10-17T04:20:00.000-07:00

Starring: Jayam Ravi, Dhanushika, Liyashree, Saranya, Varsha, Vasundhara, Roland Kickinger, Vadivelu, Ponvannan, Oorvasi.
Direction: SP Jananathan
Music: Vidyasagar
Production: Ayngaran International

This Diwali’s first release Peraanmai directed by S P Jananathan deals with an entirely different theme but strikes a low key especially in the reliability segment.

Jayam Ravi is the forest officer who is appointed to his post thanks to the quota system of the government but a deserved one at that. His superior Ponvannan belonging to an upper caste does not let any opportunity pass by in insulting him. Tolerating his insinuations and invectives, Ravi performs his job well. In addition to training NCC cadets, in his spare time, he educates the children and adults of the forests. Jananathan has used this as a platform to convey communist thoughts through out the film. While some are sharp, many are muted by the censor.

During the process of training 5 NCC girl cadets in the dense jungles, Ravi’s team stumbles upon a shocking discovery which could be dangerous to the nation. How the team counters the enemy and protects the nation from foreign hands forms the rest of the story.

The trials and tribulations of a lower caste person working under an upper caste boss are well etched out. When Ravi’s marks are compared with that of the cadets in a derogatory fashion, his expressions speak a million. The actor looks smart having shed oodles of weight.

Director’s brilliance shines in the sequences depicting the girl’s pranks and tomfooleries which come across as very natural and enjoyable. All the girls have done their part well. The slow pace of first half which is allocated to the girls hating Jayam Ravi picks up momentum in the second half after spotting foreigners in the Indian forests and the action sequences that follow. Jayam Ravi’s climax sequence is power packed and is praiseworthy

On the flip side, though the theme is something new, Peraanmai lacks in the department of credibility. Ordinary NCC cadets, handling sophisticated machinery is too hard to believe. It is also not explained how Ravi handles the latest missiles. Can Ponvannan not hear the noise when he comes in search of Ravi in the forest? Perhaps Jananathan must have thought that the audience will oversee all these errors when it comes to their motherland.

Verdict: Peraanmai – A low key affair

Arumugam - review

2009-09-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

Director Suresh Krissna returns. The erstwhile hit maker is trying to regain the magic touch that he so famously possessed in the 90s. Apparently, he still seems to believe in the 90s style of film making when Tamil cinema has actually evolved far ahead. That is how one feels about Aarumugam, a story that could have found its takers in the 90s. Striking similarities to Suresh Krissna’s big hits of the 90s at many places cannot escape your notice, even though the story, screenplay and dialogues have been handled by Rashid Premji.

Aarumugam is about how one young lad is keen to fulfill his mother’s last wish. It also talks about friendship that transcends societal barriers. Bharath plays Aarumugam, the young man who owns a roadside eatery, lives with the sole aim of realizing his mother’s dream. He has a very close friend from a very unlikely background, the younger brother of a millionaire. However, this difference does not seem to hamper their friendship in any way. But the status conscious millionaire (Ramya Krishnan) is getting sleepless nights after knowing that her brother is socializing in places which could be quite damaging to her high flying image. She tries to intervene between the Arumugamfriends, but that does not work. So, the next thing to do, in a commercial movie, is to send goons who smash up all that the poor guy owns. On the street with nothing to lose, the poor young man’s fire in the belly burns hotter and brighter. The rest is easy to guess for anyone who regularly watched commercial potboilers of the 90s.

A story that has been tried, tested, done and dusted gives the film very little chance of impressing us. It is the director who has to infuse life into proceedings. But, with the kind of script at hand it is a hard job to do, considering that audience these days are increasingly searching for plausibility and logic in even the smallest of things in the movie. There are many big holes in this respect which will irk people who have been treated to some sensible cinema off late. Moving legal processes in a matter of hours and earning millions over a few months are no longer fun to watch.

Bharath has given an honest and earnest performance. In a role that comprises of fully playing to the galleries, he shows complete faith in the director. He has put up a good show in almost all the departments and worked hard in the fights. Ramya Krishnan in a role that was touted to be a la Neelambari delivers what is required. However, this one does not even nip at the skirts of Neelambari. Karthik and Abhinay pass muster in supporting roles. Priyamani is peripheral to the story and is present only for songs and glamour.

Deva’s music has a feeble impact; only ‘Yamini’ seems interesting. Pa. Vijay’s lyrics in most songs are of pretty commendable standards, but the tunes let down the lines. Perarasu has written the opening song which also appears in the background many times.

Aarumugam is an outdated story taken in a manner that would have worked in the mid 90s. But, Tamil audiences have outgrown this genre of cinema. There is no doubt as to which section of audiences this movie has targeted. But, even the front benchers have becoming discerning nowadays. Aarumugam will have a hard time convincing audiences. It may however find some takers who still love escapist masala.

Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru - Review

2009-09-29T07:38:00.001-07:00

Starring: Ajmal, Rupa Manjari, Mouli.
Direction: Nandhini
Music: Mani Sharmaa
Production: Sathyam Cinemas, Real Image.

A missing mother, an abruptly orphaned kid in the hands of a waywardly advertising executive and the mystery surrounding the kid - debutant director Nandhini has had a promising fast paced script when she jotted it down on paper. Sadly, not every promising script transpires into a good movie, for it takes a lot more than just a nice script for a good movie: for starters, neat execution tricks and a tightly packed screenplay with comic and romantic interludes, especially if the movie is a light-hearted comedy.

Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru starts promisingly with a lively star cast and an equally exuberant setting but fizzles down gradually due to the lack of inventiveness in dialogues that gets tedious after a point of time, screenplay that has less or absolutely no drive and music that is strictly so-so.

Desperate to meet the deadlines, an over-enthusiastic advertising executive (Ajmal) hires a kid by the side of the road from a vagrant mother. The mother slips into coma immediately after a freak accident leaving the kid in Ajmal’s custody. The reluctant Ajmal takes up the kid
Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru

under his custody and to his dismay, the mother disappears from the hospital she’s admitted in.
Ajmal and his cop friend embark on a search to find the whereabouts of the mother while keeping the child in custody.Nandhini’s efforts pay off in the last 20 minutes and the movie flies off in a jiffy during that time. It’s hard not to wish the entire movie is packed that way. The wild goose chase intensifies as the movie inches towards the climax and tries desperately to make up for the nondescript fare offered so far.Ajmal and Rupa Manjari play the ‘battle of sexes’ game that is neither new nor interesting. Ajmal has added another movie to his CV and Rupa has kick started her account. She shows potential, however, in whatever little she was obliged to do. Mouli still retains his brand humor that flows quite naturally.

On the whole, Nandhini’s Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru falls into the ‘could have been better’ category. Only if you are willing to while away the huge part of the movie for the final 20 minutes which is absolute fun, give it a try.

Unnaipol Oruvan - Review

2009-09-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

A focused thriller on the travails of terrorism in our daily life is not a regular thing in Tamil cinema. But Kamal Haasan, the man of experiments, has gathered the guts to remake Hindi hit ‘A Wednesday’ that speaks on the effects of extremism on men in streets.What if a common man becomes a threat to the government and its institution forms the core of the film. An individual’s anger against terrorism and the ineffectiveness of the institution to nip it is what the film boasts about.

Films carrying such themes tend to be preachy as the past suggest. But ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’, a whiff of fresh air in Tamil cinema, is a movie with a purpose. It is neither tacky nor artificial but a straight and simple one that scores.If watching Kamal Haasan performing a serious role is a delight, so it is to see a seasoned campaigner like Mohanlal sharing the screen with them. Both have done roles that demand not just an outburst of emotions in a subtle manner, but also immense involvement.

Kamal in his walk, body language and dialogue resembles the man living in your next door. Mohanlal should be appreciated for the maturity with which he had played the role. His emotional encounter with Kamal Haasan towards the climax is one among the many scenes that deserve applause.

The movie begins with a middle-aged man (Kamal Haasan) leaving bags at pivotal points in city. He takes up position at the top of a half-constructed building and opens his gizmos. Now begins his mission.He uses different sim cards in his mobile (obtained on fake names) and calls up the Police Commissioner Raghavan Maraar (Mohanlal) informing him that he has planted bombs that would explode before the evening.

Taking him serious after finding out that explosives were left in a police station itself by him, Raghavan comes for negotiation. The man on the phone demands the release of four dreaded militants (including three Islamic ultras and a Hindu involved in weapon sale) languishing in various prisons.Maraar entrusts the job to his trusted lieutenants who take them to Sholavaram aerodrome. In between, the caller alerts a television journalist Natasha Rajkumar (Anuja Iyer) and keeps track of the developments thanks to their news scroll on the channel.

Now an unexpected thing happens there. Our common man teaches terrorists a lesson and proves the government that an eye for an eye will usher justice. He tells that the agony and frustration of a common man can lead to a disaster.Director Chakri Toleti seems to have had an easy time, for the trump card was already in his hands in the form of ‘A Wednesday’. But the way in which he has visualized the script needs mention. Shruti’s musical score adds pep to the movie while Manoj Soni’s camera work is the eyes of the common man.

Produced by Raaj Kamal and UTV, ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’ is a film that deals on harsh realities the country faces today and suggests a harsher remedy for it.

Eeram - Review !!

2009-09-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

The producer in director Shankar is known for spotting the right talent. In ‘Eeram’, he has brought out the filmmaker in his former-associate Arivazhagan. S Pictures, which has made a name for churning out movies on different genre, has dared to deliver an eerie thriller, which is a rarity in Tamil cinema.

Arivazhagan, quiet like his mentor, has come out with a movie that has gripping screenplay coupled with good use of technology. What starts as a crime thriller takes twists and turns to end up as a horror show.The debutant director has been assisted by a young brigade of technicians and lesser known star cast. ‘Eeram’ lives up to its theme- all is wet and watery in the film from the first frame till the last.

Making a seat-edge thriller on super-natural elements is no easy task. It has to be logical. The young filmmaker takes the responsibility on his shoulder and lives up to the reputation entrusted on him by his mentor.The movie revolves around Ramya (Sindhu Menon). She is found dead in a bathtub at her posh apartment. Vasu (Aadhi), a top cop takes the responsibility of investigating the death. He suspects foul play in the incident.

He enquires Bala (Nandaa), Ramya’s husband and several other neighbours. However, he is yet to make progress in the case. An interesting flashback reveals that Vasu and Ramya were lovers in Trichy.

They estrange after Ramya’s father (Rajasekar) refuses for their marriage. Meanwhile, four murders take place in the apartment complex where Ramya lived. Vasu gets the shock of his life during the investigation. Revealing more on the story would take away the suspense element. Watch the movie to know what happened next.

Aadhi, who played a rustic youth in ‘Mirugam’, plays a suave cop. With the image makeover, he fits the bill well. Reminding a blend of Suriya of ‘Kaakha Kaakha’ and Vikram in ‘Sami’, Aadhi promises a lot.Sindhu Menon plays a timid wife. She lends credibility to her role with expressive eyes and neat portrayal. Nandaa, who hitherto played a romantic youth, dons a different role. He deserves appreciation for taking the guts to do it.

The rest of the cast including actor-director Srinath, Saranya Mohan and Lakshmi Ramakrishnan have performed well. The young music composer Thaman (introduced as an actor in Shankar’s ‘Boys’), has come up with soul-stirring music. Visual effects are the USP in the film and it manages to create an element of suspense among the audience.

The scene-stealer however is cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa, who does his lens do all the talking. He has captured the whole movie on a different colour tone as water finds a place in almost all the sequences, quiet appropriate to the title.

Arivazhagan seems to have begun a journey which would go long and long. However, the second-half seems to be a bit draggy needing immediate chopping of few scenes. Shankar has once again proved that all hopes are not lost in Tamil cinema. Cheers to ‘Eeram’ team.

NINAITHALE INIKKUM - REVIEW

2009-09-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

Debutant director G N R Kumarvelu’s ‘Ninaithale Inikkum’, a remake of Malayalam hit ‘Classmates’, is a campus crackle that speaks of fun, joy and camaraderie among friends in a college campus.With a young brigade including Prithviraj, Shakthi and Priyamani at the scheme of things, the movie does manage to take one to their college days – the revelry, romance and of course revenge.

Prithviraj hogs all limelight playing a young student Siva, who has a purpose to achieve. So is Shakthi, who plays his best friend in the college. Priyamani as Prithvi’s lover adds to the play.Of course with a host of characters around, debutant director Kumaravel has managed to have come out with a script that has a lighter side before settling down for a touchy climax.Kumaravel is assisted by Vijay Antony’s music, which has a right mix of peppy and soft numbers. Unlike his earlier films, Vijay Antony has allowed lyrics to dominate his music. Equally impressive is Balasubramaniam’s soft lens. The cinematographer captures the life in a college hostel in a different tone.

Siva (Prithvi) looks back at his college days as he returns from Mumbai to attend his college reunion (almost after eight years). The flashback unfolds. Siva, who has an immediate concern for the welfare of others, leads a happy life in the campus along with friends including Shakthi (Shakthi).

Siva’s rising popularity in the college irks Vasu (Karthik Kumar). He sets out to seek revenge on him. Enters Meera (Priyamani), daughter of a local MLA, who studies in the same college. She falls in love with Siva after the latter saves her from a police charge.

Vasu plays a trick and succeeds in making Meera contest against Siva in the college union elections. Friction develops in their affair. But greater things unfold as election begins. Shakthi is found dead in the hostel.A heart-broken Siva informs none and leaves to Mumbai. A series of events unfold during the college reunion that forms the climax and it ends on a touchy note.

If Prithviraj and Priyamaani lends solidity to their roles, Shakthi walks away with all honours with his breezy and cool performance. Priyamani has no major role to play, yet she kind of leaves an impression in that role.K Bhagiyaraj as Shakthi’s father impresses while the rest of the cast including Ilavarasu, ‘Goodluck’ Lakshmanan and Manobala are adequate. ‘Ninaithale Inikkum’ is a movie for the youngsters. Though it is far from the magic of the original.

Ninaithale Inikkum – Campus crackle

SUN buys Vettaikkaran !!

2009-08-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

In a move which would bring cheers among Vijay fans, Sun Pictures has acquired the release rights of ‘Vettaikkaran’ from AVM Balasubramanian and B Gurunath Meiyappan of AVM Productions.At a time when the actor is implicitly making his political intentions clear (his recent meeting with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is an example), the purchase of his forthcoming film by Sun Pictures, a part of the all-powerful media group Sun TV Network, is expected to give him immense publicity mileage.

Directed by Babu Sivan, a former associate of Dharani, Tollywood heroine Anushka is making her comeback in Kollywood with ‘Vettaikkaran’.The debutant director, who promises that ‘Vettaikkaran’ will be a completely commercial film, with great songs, action sequences and a message, says: “I am really excited. It is such an honour to work for an AVM production starring Vijay as hero. His appeal and reach are just amazing.”

Vijay Anthony, who is scoring music for the first time for a Vijay movie, says “Usually, people say my compositions are full of energy. But, when they combine with Vijay’s energetic steps, the effect is bound to be something else.