| There is an old saying in tinsel town: Never try to remake a classic. Rajinikanth's Kuselan is a mixed bag, but director P Vasu has been able to evoke the essence of the original Katha Parayumbol from Malayalam to a certain extent. The film tries desperately to glorify Rajinikanth's larger than life superstardom and create a halo around him as a do-gooder and a saint in real life. It loses its focus and moves away from the gist of the original, which was a simple story about human emotions, based on friendship between an ordinary barber and a superstar. It had none of the dramatic and mostly exaggerated stuff we're used to seeing, Watched Kuselan? Write your review here | All about Kuselan Still, if you are looking for a clean family movie with some comedy, gloss and sentiments, Kuselan makes interesting viewing. Some of the scenes in the film are really amusing. The scene where Vadivel surreptitiously sneaks into a film set to meet the superstar and, after some funny mishaps, comes face-to-face with him is brilliantly worked out. The disbelief on Vadivel's face, his body language and the perfect comic timing of Rajinikanth, is a rocker of a scene. The way the Sunder Rajan character pins down the elusive Rajinikanth and provokes him by needling him with questions on his personal life, Himalayan sojourns, politics and style has been worked out well by the director. The sharp and scathing replies of Rajini are a revelation as he answers all your long-standing queries with a lot of wit and tact. It looked like an edition of "Everything you always wanted to know about Rajinikanth, but were too afraid to ask!" The film tries to work on a new theme Mata Pita Guru Nanban and to eulogise friendship above everything else. The story, written by Sreenivasan, is inspired by the mythological story of friendship between Kuselan and Lord Krishna. Vasu has added commercial elements, like a glamorous Nayanthara playing herself for the songs with the superstar. She has no dialogues in the film and is there just for the glamour quotient and songs! Vadivel and an army of comedians like Santhanam, Livingston, M S Bhaskar, Brahmanandam and Chinni Jayanth are there to keep the laughter pot boiling. Prabhu, plays the role of an irrelevant security guard to the superstar. Meena and her three kids would appeal to women audiences. It is clear that Vasu was trying to make the film palatable to mass audiences. The songs of G.V Prakash are quite hummable, but picturisation of the much hyped Cinema Cinema is disappointing. Aravind Krishna's camera is serviceable though it plays voyeur on Nayanthara. She looks cute in the Chaaral song, but the song sticks out like a sore thumb -- The director has inserted the song, which has absolutely no relevance to the story or situation. Rajinikanth towers above all others, especially in the climax scene where there is a lot of melodrama and the human emotions are well etched out. Pasupathy has a pained expression throughout. Meena just repeats her performance in the Malayalam version. Vadivel has his moments in the film, though at times his scenes with Sona are a bit crass and below-the-belt. Kuselan is quite an enjoyable watch and is different from previous Rajinikanth films. The star appears for roughly 36 minutes on the screen, which may not satisfy his die-hard fans. The film has to be seen from a different perspective and its touching climax will leave a lump in your throat. You're going to hear different reactions to this Rajinikanth movie. Many are going to love it, while for some others, it will inevitably fall short of expectations.
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Pathu Pathu | | Director
Sathyam | | Music
L.V. Ganesan | | Cast
Thalaivasal Vijay, Bose, Venkat, Sanjith, Krishna, Sona, Padma, Sengal Maran, Manimaran |
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  | | | | By Moviebuzz
| | | | It is obvious- engineer turned director Sathyam wanted to construct a sleazy soft porn thriller. Three minutes into the film, enter Sona looking like a heavy weight female WWF wrestler and gyrating to a crass item number. After another 15 minutes you have Padmanarayanan, doing a similar sexy dance number. Post interval you have two girls rubbing their bodies as though they are lesbians to another hot number! Plus there is a steamy seduction scene between Sona a lusty housewife and a young boy staying as a guest in her house. The scene brings memories of the Shakeela films of the 90's. It is obvious that the engineer was more interested in making a soft porn movie to titillate the audiences. The story is about a murder that has taken place at 10.10 PM, and some red herrings thrown in about the suspects. Subbu (`Thalaivaasal' Vijay), a film director going through bad times is killed at 10.10 p.m. His body is found lying in a suit case under a bridge. Subbu a cantankerous guy cannot satisfy the needs of his buxom and sexually frustrated wife Mohini (Sona). A cop (Bose Venkat) starts investigating, piecing together the jigsaw puzzle. One day he finds her in a compromising position with his friend's son and in a trance walks out of the house. He picks a fight with a local goon. His wife tells her young lover that she does not mind killing him. Then there's the thief who accidentally drops in at the site of the murder. The whodunit line is made interesting by the director introducing many characters who look like suspects. There is genuine humour in the scene where the cop runs after the petty thief. Bose Venkat and Thalaivasal Vijay once again prove that they are very good actors. Sona and Padmanarayanan are on a strip tease race. The film is strictly for audiences who are looking at skin show and sleaze.
| Muniyandi Vilangiyal Moonramaandu |
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Muniyandi Vilangiyal Moonramaandu | | Director
Thirumurugan | | Music
Vidyasagar | | Cast
Bharath, Poorna, Ponvannan, Vadivel |
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| | | | Watching soap specialist Thirumurugan's latest Muniyandi Vilangiyal Moonramaandu (Muniyandi, Third Year Zoology), is as tiresome and irritating as watching mega serials continuously for two and-a-half hours! Thirumurugan leaves you exasperated as the story is another episode of his last film (serial?) Emttan Mahan "all about father son relationship". The story is set in a semi rural college campus where there is a caste war going on, ignited by two local goons cum politicians. Muniyandi (Bharath) is a jolly good fellow studying for third year Zoology, and is mad about Madumita (Poorna), studying in the same college and daughter of the local chief and caste leader Ramaiah, who prefers his caste men like Muni's father Muthumani (Ponvannan) to run the college canteen. In the college union election, the opposing caste led by Sivasamy causes havoc and college is closed indefinitely. Meanwhile Madhumita's marriage is arranged by her father and for some strange reasons she tells Muniyandi, that he is only a "friend" and she was never in love with him! The hot blooded Muni slaps her with his slippers and sets her father's coconut grove on fire. A caste war erupts, dark secrets of Ramaiah tumble out, lovers are separated, hero knows the bitter truth that his brother was murdered by the villain, all hell breaks loose. It is a hoary movie plot. Writer, director Thirumurugan completely skewers the brain with his lack of knowledge in commercial film making. Lacking a coherent screenplay, he goes all over, and the film has a dumb climax. Taste this- the hero and his father has survived the "Aruvaal" brigade of the main villain, the heroines dad who is killed by his own henchman. The hero's father suddenly says'- "Let us go and get Madhu (heroine)..", for that happy ending! You end up feeling sorry for actors like Bharath and Ponvannan, both fine actors far superior to the film they are doing. Poorna does her role well, but should be careful not to imitate Asin if she has to create her own constituency. Vadivel as a witch doctor with bells attached to his hair and saffron clothing does the buffoonery effectively. Two of the songs picturisation are cut and paste job. The hero introduction scene and song is a heavily inspired by Madhavan's Run introductory song, and the hero-heroine song in a Zoology lab is a straight lift from the Malayalam film Classmates. Vidyasagar's music is a letdown. By the time the film has strayed into its last scene, you are past caring as it drives you mad. Let us hope Thirumurugan would go back to the small screen, and save us from such embarrassingly bad movies! | | Movie
Subramaniapuram | | Director
Sasi Kumar | | Producer
Sasi Kumar | | Music
James Vasanthan | | Cast
Jay, Swathy, Ganja Karuppu, Sasi Kumar, Samudhirakani |
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 | | | | By Moviebuzz
| | | | Debutant director Sasikumar who has graduated from Bala and Ameer school of film making has come out with the stark realistic Subramaniapuram. It is a gritty and grim look at four youths growing up in Madurai who due to unemployment is forced by circumstances to turn into killers. The film is set in Madurai of the 80’s, and made like a Quentin Tarantino style revenge-and-redemption saga. The background is the bonding between four unemployed poor youths- Azhagar (Jai), Paramar (director Sasikumar), Kasi (Kanja Karuppu) and a handicapped boy living in Subramaniapuram area. They do the odd jobs and strike a rapport with the ex-councilor’ Somu’s brother (Samudrakani), a wheeler –dealer. Azhagar, the romantist falls in love with the Somu’s daughter Thulasi (Swathy). The Azgar- Thulasi romance creates a fissure in the gang. Meanwhile the councilor’s brother uses them to murder a party rival, promising they will be bailed out. Azhagar to probably impress the family, takes the lead in committing the murder. But nobody comes to bail them out, and the guys realize that they have been used by the political family. Now the gang from sheer admiration for the family turns into a revenge spree, which leads to a gory end. Granted that there is not much of a story here but it is the slick way the film unfolds that keeps you riveted to your seats. Sasikumar has paid more attention to slick execution, innovative camera movements including top angle and tight close-up. The art director and costume designer has worked hard to give that feel and look of the Madurai of the 80’s. The buildings, streets, posters, Central theatre screening Rajinikanth’s super hit, old black and white TV’s showing the only channel Doordarshan’s Oliyum Oliyum Ilayaraja music in the background, guys wearing bell bottoms or colourful Shangu mark Lungies and girls still in ‘Dhavani-Pavada’! The music director James Vasanth also deserves a pat on his back for coming out with some retro music. His use of vocal and rhythms has resulted in some sweet melodies, and his background score heightens the tense atmosphere in the film. At times Vasanth has used just silence to convey the feelings of the characters. However the film moves at a lethargic speed, too many friendship establishing scenes are forced into the narration. Another draw back is that the film is too bloody and gory. The scene in an auto where the villain’s head is slowly chopped off, like a butcher cutting the head of a goat has also a sound track of an aruvaal cutting the throat! The actors mostly newcomers are ok, Jai as the romantic killer is the pick of the lot. The handicapped guy, hero’s mother, ex-councilor, temple festival contractor, and Samudrakani as the villain are not only realistic looking but also have made their characters work. Director Sasikumar as Paramar is a bit wooden, while Swathy is refreshing. Sasikumar should be appreciated for making a bold and daring film, whose success will auger well for the industry. Subramaniapuram may be a bit brooding and dark, but still it’s worth taking a look. | | Movie
Ulliyin Osai | | Director
Illavenil | | Music
Ilayaraja | | Cast
Vineeth, Sarath Babu, Keerthi Chawla, Akshaya |
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 | | | | By Moviebuzz
| | | | Debutant director Illavenil's Uliyin Osai with script written by Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi is a well chiseled period drama set in 1005 AD. It is a throwback to the 40's and 50's, when Tamil cinema had very capable script writers who could write in pure unadulterated Tamil. The film is based on Karunanidhi's short story Saarapallam Samundi published in 'Murasoli', and written by him to be performed on stage to popularize the Dravidian movement in its early days. Karunanidhi's script is the real hero of the film. He has made it crisper to suit the taste of today's audiences, as there are no long drawn out dialogues that one associates with early Tamil period dramas. Raja Raja Chozhan (Sarath Babu) and his son Rajendra Chozhan are benevolent rulers of the Chozha dynasty. As a mark of respect to the God's they want to build a temple in Thanjavur. They appoint the master sculptor Iniyan (Vineeth), a handsome young man who is also a good dancer to do the sculpture work for the big temple. But Iniyan finds the palace 'narthaki' (Akshay) not up to the mark and is unable to find the right girl to pose as the model for his sculpture work. Meanwhile he meets a village girl Samundi (Keerthi Chawla) said to be the grand daughter of a shepherd woman (Manorama), who is not only beautiful but has an hour-glass like figure and dances like a dream. Iniyan slowly falls in love with his 'model', and when he expresses his love for her, she spurns it as she is the Queen herself! An absolutely shattered sculptor in a moment of remorse does something which is shocking and the real twist in the tale. The director has mixed the film well with comedy and six beautiful melodies from Ilayaraja. The comedy between Manorama and Kovai Sarala is a delight, while Vineeth as the sculptor has come out with his best ever performance, Keerthi Chawla looks beautiful, while Akshay is just ok. Kalaignar as the script writer has done a neat job of making a period film and that too a love story, strikes a chord with the viewers. And director Illavenil should be commended for not having any blood and gore, or item number thrust in to the film. |
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Ayudham Seivom | | Director
Udhayan | | Producer
Pyramid Saimira Production | | Music
Srikanth Deva | | Cast
Sundar .C, Anjali, Vivek, Napoleon, Nazer, Vijayakumar |
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 | | | | By Moviebuzz
| | | | One of the biggest influence in Indian cinema has been the ‘Munnabhai' phenomenon along with the concept of 'Gandhism', in commercial potboilers. The larger-than-life, action hero turning into a Gandhian following the principals of the 'Mahatma' and theory of 'Ahimsa'. Udhayan's Sundar.C mass masala Ayudham Seivom follows this principal. It is fun to watch till interval, but after that the director loses his plot and the film fizzles out leaving you disappointed. Like in his earlier film Sundar.C is a rowdy character called Saidai Sathya, who does 'goonda giri' for the rich and powerful. His partner who acts as the buffoon is Vivek as traffic constable Kandasamy, but soon they are dragged to the court by a crusading lawyer Udayamoorthy (Vijayakumar). The court passes strictures against the habitual offenders and to reform them they are sent to Gandhi Museum in Madurai. Sathya and Kanthasamy are tamed to a certain extent by the attitude of the caretaker (Nasser) of the Gandhi Museum. Sathya also falls in love with Meenakshi (Anjali), a college student. The caretaker is convinced that they have turned over a new leaf and discharges them. They go back to Chennai and soon a corrupt ex-MLA VBR (Manivanan), asks Sathya to get incriminating documents showing his involvement in the murder of a Collector (Sukanya), in the hands of Udayamoorthy. In a melee when Sathya tries to get the documents, Udayamoorthy is accidentally killed. The government appoints his brother Encounter Ezhimalai (Nepolean) to investigate. Soon due to prick of his conscience Sathya gives himself up and tells Ezhimalai the truth and they turn against the real villains. Sathya influenced by the Gandhian teachings goes on a fast in front of the Gandhi statue in a market place to get justice. The film drags big time in the second half. All commercial ingredients like action, crass comedy, glamour- heroine's towel dropping act while the hero who has entered into her room peeps from under the bed! The famous 'Khaike paan Benares wale.." (Amitabh's 'Don') song has been lifted by Srikanth Deva and picturised on Sundar and item girl Vindhya. Malavika makes a brief appearance while Sundar- Vivek provides great fun as a comedy pair. Anjali has hardly anything to do while Nassar, Manivannan and Nepolean are presented as caricatures. Like all Sundar C films, this one is also strictly aimed at the B & C audiences. It could have been far better if Udhayan had tried to explore the unknown instead of going through the same beaten track. |
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Vallamai Tharayo | | Director
Madhumita | | Music
Bharadwaj | | Cast
Parthiban, Chaya Singh, Anandraj, Karunas |
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 | | | | By Moviebuzz
| | | | Before release there was a lot of hype around debutant director Madhumita’s Vallamai Tharayo. Like every other young debutant trying to bring a fresh whiff of sensibility one hoped that Madhumita, the lady director would come out with some fresh and interesting film. Unfortunately Madhumita has flunked, as she has made her own version of the Mani Ratnam classic Mounaragam from a feminist point of view. The film is weak in narration and execution. The principal characters look plastic and Parthipan has ended up with egg on his face, as the weakest link in Madhumita’s story telling. His character has been badly etched and there will never be such a spineless characterization of a newly married husband who is willing to tolerate the torture heaped on him by his unsympathetic and cruel wife. Any man with some self respect would have given the wife character (Nandita) a piece of his mind and walked out of the marriage! Due to certain situations (largely made up by the writer-director) Nandita (Chaya) is forced to marry Anand (Parthipan) a guy whom her father (Anand Raj) chooses. She is deeply in love with her cousin Sekhar (Srikanth in a one-scene cameo) and all her attempts to contact him and resist the marriage is thwarted by her dad. The wedding takes place and Nandita reaches Chennai with her husband. The couple realizes that they work in the same office (???). Nandita is a stubborn and highly egoistic and just cannot forget Sekhar. She treats Anand like a stranger and they stay in the same house till one day she seeks divorce for a stupid reason. The couple are separated but from here the film becomes boring, characterization goes haywire, comedy scenes sticks out like sore thumb and above all too many songs mars the tempo. We feel sorry for Parthipan who is just wasted as Anand especially post interval. All the respect that we had for him till then turns into irritation and little can we sympathise or even like him after he starts following her and adopts childish measures to lure her. Chaya Singh has a dream role as the film belongs to her. But again her character is so confusing as her love with Sekhar is not established and when he says (on TV) that he is going to get married to another girl, the so-called love story between them turns out to be a laughing matter. And the role of the maid (Devipriya) looks more like a caricature. She walks into Nandita’s house, gives her advice on her personal matters and speaks fluent English which just does not gel. Madhumita’s attempts need to be complimented but somewhere down the lane, her direction turns amateurish. Bharadwaj hasn’t exerted himself much. The heard-before feel in a couple of numbers dampens your enthusiasm. The first song is a rehash of his own Unnodu Vazhathay…, from Amarkalam and picturised so imaginatively on Ajit and Shalini by Saran.
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