2.5 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: S. EZHIL
ACTORS: PRABHU DEVA, SARATH KUMAR
ACTRESS: JELASEEL
MUSIC DIRECTOR: S.A. RAJKUMAR
STORYLINE:
Sunil (Prabhu Deva) is a college student with a rowdy brother (Sarath Kumar). He falls in love with Sunita (Jelaasel). But Sunita has her own problems, with her older sister (Iswarya) being tortured by her husband. In fact, on the spur-of-the-moment, he plans Sunita's wedding without even asking her. Sunita immediately phones Sunil, asks him to come to save her, and he promises he will. Unfortunately, he arrives late, and only Iswarya's suicide prevents the wedding.
Sunita blames Sunil for this, and despises him with every breath she takes. Sunita begins raising Iswarya's daughter as her own.
Sunil eventually becomes one of the top heart surgeons in the country, and when Iswarya's young daughter is taken ill with a heart problem, it is Sunil that must repair her. Can Sunil and Sunita get back together? And why did Sunil arrive late on that day? Answers at the end of the movie.
Vivek, Dhamu, and Vayapuri provide comedic relief.
COMMENTS:
Why a two point five? One word. "Vivek." His comedy steals the show and every single moment he has screen time, the audience is rolling in the aisles laughing. Vivek is the reason this ordinarily stale storyline became an interesting movie, and since there has been a "panjam" of good movies in Tamil cinema lately, S. Ezhil's film comes as a refreshing breath of air. Like Ezhil's first venture "Thullatha Manamum Thullum", this is an uncomplicated storyline made well by good direction and efficient comedy. Ezhil, though not a good story-writer, is a wonderful director. The first fight sequence thrives with fire in the way the stampede sound effect plays the entire time in the background.
Newcomer Jelaasel (from the "Sunrise" ads) acts okay, but she really gets no chances to prove or disprove her talent. Prabhu Deva acts very efficiently, proving himself as 1) a great dancer, 2) a great actor, and 3) an above-average comedian. Prabhu Deva's one of the gems of the movie.
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
S.A. Rajkumar has written some great songs for this movie. I loved "Kannukkullae Unnai Vaithaen" and "Kalloori Vaanil", "Naan Saltu Kottai", and "A Rose is a Rose" are bound to capture the imaginations of youths everywhere. "Rangarajanin" is also well-written. The Hindu movie review criticized Rajkumar for writing his own lyrics for the movie. They said that "Naan Saltu Kottai" proved he had no lyrical talent. I'm sorry, Hindu, but "Naan Saltu Kottai" is not meant to be a serious song; hence, the inane lyrics. Plus, even Vairamuthu has had his "Vaa Munnimmaa" period, so don't blame Rajkumar for what's a pretty good job.
RECOMMENDATION:
Theater for movie buffs; video for casual Tamil audiences.
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN