1.5 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: VASANTH
ACTOR: PRASANTH
ACTRESS: DEVAYANI
MUSIC DIRECTOR: DEVA
STORYLINE:
Appu (Prashanth) is a taxi driver haunted by his past -- his sister (Eeswari Rao) was killed by a eunuch / pimp (Prakash Raj). He sets out to find and murder the eunuch. In a side story, he helps get together his friend (Vignesh) and his friend's lover (Kaveri). At the same time, Sita (Devayani) is offered into prostitution in Prakash Raj's home. Seeing her in much the same predicament as he saw his sister, Appu immediately sets out to save her at all costs from this strange villain.
They flee Prakash Raj and head into the countryside in which ensuing battle Vignesh and Kaveri are shot dead (and Appu's father figure is killed as well), and eventually, the raging Appu has to resort to violent means to end the story.
COMMENTS:
I actually eagerly expected this movie -- it was a movie in which Prashanth had a "different" kind of role, one in which he might prove his acting prowess, such as Ajit Kumar did in "Amarkalam." But Prashanth's acting is just as dull and lifeless in this role as in anything else. Devayani doesn't act noticeably, either; in fact, the only scene-stealer in this movie is Prakash Raj, whose villain is one of the most memorable ever created.
The comedy is satisfactory, and the only reason the first half of the movie is watchable is because of Ramesh Khanna's and Dhamu's antics.
The screenplay and direction are just plain stupid, copying blatantly from a Hindi film word-for-word, which itself was copied from English movies such as "Lethal Weapon" and "Witness" but not bothering to do them justice.
Vasanth has done better than this. In the end, how Prashanth gets out of a tree is a mystery, and the violent conclusion leaves viewers feeling disgusted rather than satisfied. If violence must end a story, then at least do it well, such as in "Thalapathy."
Like many Prashanth movies, this is a great idea for a movie, just done COMPLETELY wrong.
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
Wonderful music. The "Ambathu Rubaathaan" song is simply superb; the other songs are also very well done. Deva has really outdone himself. Too bad the music is wasted on a bore of a movie (most great music is, don't you think?)
RECOMMENDATION:
Prashanth fans, watch the video. Everyone else us can skip it and consider themselves better off for having done so.
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN