2.5 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: ARUN PRASAD
ACTOR: VIJAY
ACTRESSES: BHOOMIKA, MONAL
MUSIC DIRECTOR: RAMANA GOKULA
STORYLINE:
Badri (Vijay) is a college student who loafs around with his friends and shames his family which consists of his father and elder brother. His elder brother Vetri is a kickboxer, and his father's only dream is that Vetri should become a champion.
Meanwhile, Badri falls for the money-crazy Mammootty (that's a female's name in the film, believe it or not!), played by Simran's younger sister Monal. A childhood friend of his, Janu (Bhoomika), is also secretly in love with him. Badri masquerades as a rich man to win the affections of Mammooty, but when she finds out he's not rich, she dumps him.
Badri's father, having had his share of humiliation from Badri's antics, kicks Badri out of the house.
Meanwhile, Vetri is beaten up by his kickboxing arch-rival, Rohit, and is placed inside a wheelchair, unable to participate in the next match.
It is up to Badri to become the kickboxing champion instead of his brother.
COMMENTS:
Has India found its own Jackie Chan? Vijay plays Badri with aplomb, taking immense amounts of risk for the sake of the role. An "outtakes"-style end credits only ferments the Jackie Chan connection. Seeing Vijay take all these risks during the Karate Kid style "Travelling Soldier" sequence is amazing. (Such as having his hands run over by a car!) Asathittaan! But...
... the movie is not that great. It is incredibly predictable, and there are no surprises. Also think of the first eighty percent of the movie as basically fillers with songs and dance sequences (what would a Vijay movie be without those?), comedy, and the basic love triangle. It's the last twenty percent where the movie really picks up.
Bhoomika acts well while Monal doesn't. Vivek and other artistes perform the comedy, but the only joke I found funny is the one in which Vivek is introduced.
This is a movie for Vijay fans. Vijay fans will love this movie and pledge it to be absolutely fantastic. The rest of us (and I may slowly be becoming a Vijay fan myself) will be entertained throughout, but will not think of it as a great film.
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
New music director Ramana Gokula has scored the music. I found several songs to my liking, such as Kaadhal Solvathu, Angel Vanthaalae, King of Chennai, Travelling Soldier, and Kalakalakkudhu. The other songs are all subpar, though, and Ennodu Laila was especially disappointing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Watch it on video just for the stunts.
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN