1 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: FAZIL
ACTOR: VIJAY
ACTRESS: SHALINI, KAVERI
MUSIC DIRECTOR: ILAYARAJA
STORYLINE:
Vijay plays an insane man who comes to Pondicherry looking for a girl named "Gayathri," and here he meets Hema (Shalini) and her friends (Charlie, Dhamu, the usual suspects). At first they clash, but then on the insistence of Hema, they decide to help him locate Gayathri. It is then discovered that she is not in Pondicherry.
In a flashback (using hypnosis, no less!), it is discovered that Gayathri was murdered in a small town by three men (led by 'Thalaivaasal' Vijay) who hailed from Pondicherry and when Vijay had tried to stop them, they'd beat his brain with a stick, rendering him insane.
But Raguvaran, playing Shalini's father and a psychiatrist, preps up the psychology idiotic babble about how if Vijay remembers the past and is cured of his insanity, he will somehow get more insane and try to kill 'Thalaivaasal' Vijay.
Vijay remembers the past and lo and behold he becomes a stark raving murderer.
COMMENTS:
Hello! Fassil! You can't just MAKE UP psychology! I mean, c'mon, can psychology get any stupider? In the middle of the movie, Vijay stops being insane and starts being -- well, insane! Is he a "pythiam" or isn't he? Makes no sense. In the middle of the movie, a man across the theater said it best: "Ithu thelunja pythiamaa illa thelliyatha pythiamaa?"
Fassil is known for making family-oriented movies of high cailbre (think "Varusham 16," "Poove Poochudavaa," more recently, "Kadhalukku Mariyathai") but this time he screwed up.
And Vijay-- god! This movie proves he has absolutely no acting talent beyond his usual "romantic hero" role. He overacts and makes us dislike his character with intensity.
All I can say is poor Shalini. They're always making her love rowdies and madmen.
The Hindu said this movie was of "high calibre" and is definitely a "comeback vehicle" for Vijay. I beg to differ. This is definitely, for Vijay, a "go-back vehicle."
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
The music has been written well. "Roja Poonthottam is hummable and melodious, "Nilavu Paattu" shows off some serious dance choreography, and I really liked "Iravu Pagalai Thaeda". It's unfortunate for Ilayaraja as he has not composed music for a good movie in quite a while (was the last one "Kadhal Kavithai"?)
NOTE ON THE COMEDY:
The only redeeming quality of this movie is the comedy. The first ten minutes of the movie are laugh-out-loud hilarious, and even though we've seen the ghost house before, Fassil manages to make it look fresh as well.
RECOMMENDATION:
Definitely skip it. Or if you must, rent the video, watch the first ten minutes, then shut it off.
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN