3.5 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: K. BALA
ACTOR: VIKRAM
ACTRESS: ABITHA
MUSIC DIRECTOR: ILAYARAJA
STORYLINE:
Vikram plays Sethu -- also known as Chiyann -- a rowdy college student. He is elected as class President, tortures first-year students, and gets into the usual trouble. His brother, played neatly by Sivakumar, is very reproving of his actions. As usual, Sethu falls for a girl -- wide-eyed newcomer Abitha in this case. He finally convinces her to love him back as well when the unthinkable happens: Sethu's enemies beat him up and slam his head into a rock, rendering him insane.
As Sethu lies insane in an ayurvedic center, hoping for a cure, everyone else convinces Abitha to marry her 'morra mappillai.' Relunctantly, she agrees.
Sethu is cured. He comes back, escaping from the ayurvedic center, his heart full of love, only to find -- well, a surprise ending.
Bharathi plays Sivakumar's wife. Rajashri plays a poor dumb girl whose iconic presence touches the soul. Mohan Vaidya is Ambi. But Sreeman, playing as Vikram's friend, steals the show and nearly all the laughs. Not only can he make you laugh, he can dance, too!
COMMENTS:
I almost gave it a four out of four, but some inconsistencies within the plot-line made that score impossible. Let me give you the bad news first. It doesn't make sense for Abitha's sister to end up in a brothel because she needs money. Nor does it make sense for Sethu to be cured and have no one believe him for so long. It's also impossible for a person who has suffered a severe hit on the head to be cured with the brain just popping back out into original position.
But now for the good news.
Excellent excellent laugh-out-loud comedy. Beautiful acting. A fairly strong storyline. A non-masala ending. A haunting score. And a point that is excellently made.
GOOD movie, much more so than the other three stars ("Thullatha Manamum Thullum" and such). This is a POWERFUL POWERFUL story delivered in such a way we never expect it. We cringe when Sethu is hurt; we believe his pain; we care for the characters. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie where I actually cared what was going to happen to the main character.
Kudos, Bala.
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
I love all the songs in this film except for two -- Kaana Kuruvigalae and Sethuvukku. The other tracks are all exceptional. My favorites are Maalai Yen Vaethanai, Engae Sellum Intha Paathai, Vaarthai Thavari Vittaay, and Ninachu Ninachu.
RECOMMENDATION:
Definitely watch it in the theater; no two ways about it.
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN