3.5 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: KRISHNA VAMSI
ACTOR: PRAKASH RAJ, R. PARTHIPAN
ACTRESS: SOUNDARYA
MUSIC DIRECTOR: ILAYARAJA
STORYLINE:
Here's the storyline -- Soundarya is a girl growing up on the Mauritius Islands and eventually she marries and has a child with a man who says he is also foreign-based. But that's a lie. The truth is Soundarya's husband grew up in a violent town called Anthappuram in India where two factions war with each other constantly. One of the factions is led by Soundarya's father-in-law (Prakash Raj) and the other by his enemy (Mansur Ali Khan.)
Because his mother is sick, Soundarya, her husband, and her son, travel to Anthappuram and get caught up in the insane violence and treachery. Eventually Soundarya's husband is killed.
Prakash Raj, however, wants an heir to his empire, and wants to keep Soundarya's son in India. Soundarya adamantly refuses to let her so grow up in the center of all this violence, and so she tries to run away from the town, but her plans are foiled again and again.
Eventually, Soundarya meets up with a mercenary named "Dubai" Pandi (Parthipan) who agrees to lead her out of town if she'll give him money (American dollars).
The rest of the story tells the tale of how she escapes Anthappuram.
COMMENTS:
It's been a long time since I came out of a movie remembering so many funny lines and haunting images at the same time ("Sethu" would accomplish the same half-a-year later). This movie is POWERFUL, it's BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN, and BEAUTIFULLY ACTED. OK, it wasn't a hit movie, I know that, but it should have been. (The fact that it was dubbed didn't help it at the box office). Let's tick off its good qualities one by one:
PRAKASH RAJ -- my God! brilliant convincing acting. Prakash Raj is certainly one of the few treasures Indian cinema has; his emotions are real, and his guttural choking cough is convincing.
SOUNDARYA -- a lot of actresses nowadays are just all glamor but no skill; Soundarya defies that role by doing very little glamor and ALL acting skill. When she eventually squares off with Prakash Raj, and gets beaten, we feel the beats.
PARTHIPAN -- what can I say about Parthipan? He's as good an actor as Prakash Raj, he can shoot funny lines out of his mouth faster than a bullet from a gun, and he is HILARIOUS. Best of all, his character is very convincing -- instead of just being a "good guy" hero, Parthipan's character is REALLY a mercenary and won't do anything unless it's for money (except at the very end).
The story is epic, and the teaming up of Prakash Raj and Parthipan (who never meet in the storyline) is masterful. We leave the theater thinking "Wow!" from this movie. That's why this movie has WON the Best Picture Award.
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
The only downfall of this movie was the music did not impress as much as it could have. (Simran appears for one song).
RECOMMENDATION:
Definitely definitely watch it in the theater, but if you can't, and see it on video, try and get an uncensored copy. The movie is a lot more powerful WITH all the violence. (Oh, and there's a scene where Jesus Christ is burned in effigy that's very powerful as well.)
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN