The Multifaceted Personality ‘Cheran’ has taken yet another Avtar as the Hero in ‘Autograph’. Just as the endearing ‘Autograph’ of our dear old friends remind us a great deal of our most enjoyable & exciting school / college days, Cheran recollects his own fond memories of his youthful days’ experiences in ‘Autograph’.
AUTOGRAPH – The Phases
Film-maker Cheran has lived as ‘Senthil’ and speaks about four different phases of his life in Autograph.
The First Phase shot in Dindukkal goes about with unfolding his immature calf-love with his schoolmate Kamala. Senthil appears as a very unripe school-boy in half-trousers, shyly in love with Kamala and waits to join her everyday on her way to school. His puncturing his cycle to walk with Kamala & discomfited when Kamala’s father chews him out for that, are a nice-to-watch bubbly scenes. Subsequently, his love with Kamala turns out to be just a calf-love and a serious failure.
The Second Phase is quite an interesting watch – Senthil’s father is transferred to Allepey (Kerala) and the cinematography in this phase is if truth be told beyond comprehension. The natural scenic beauty of Kerala is marvelous in the hands of Vijay Milton and Ravi Varman ! In Allepey, Senthil meets the Kerala Beauty Latika (Actress Gopika) and gradually both fall in love with each other. Gopika has been projected as a beautiful, enthusiastic, highly ambitious college girl and her Bharadhanaatiyam dance movements are worth a watch! Ultimately this affair too fails ‘cause of the usual rich background of Latika.
In the Third Phase, Senthil moves away from his parents being deeply depressed and almost mad due to his serious love failure with Gopika (at Allepey). Here, he meets the most self-confident and enthusiastic girl Div-ya (Actress Sneha). Div-ya plays the key role of bringing Senthil back to shape and also helps him to acquire a good job. Senthil & Div-ya become the best of friends and share everything about each other’s life. Div-ya also reveals the flashback of her suicide attempt for her own love failure with an undeserving guy.
The Fourth Phase is Senthil’s wedding with Kanika in which most of his schoolmates and his ex girl friends Kamala, Latika and Div-ya take part and that’s the end of the story.
AUTOGRAPH – It’s Cheran Overall
Cheran has scripted, directed and produced Autograph and with very average looks, taken the risk of playing the Hero of the film as well, but fortunately Cheran has been reciprocated with a grand acclamation for his hardwork ! He has scripted Autograph very differently and has touched almost all our hearts reminding us of our own Calf-loves, the infatuations in our life and our silly childish playful acts during our adolescence ! Any viewer of Autograph would visualize the character ‘Senthil’ either as his ownself or as a very ordinary next door neighbour.
In Scenes where he expresses his shock on seeing his ex-lover Kamala as an obese housewife with three children and when he finds his another ex-lover Latika (Actress Gopika) as a widow, Cheran has acted perfectly well. Frankly speaking, Cheran has not taken too much of efforts to show highly plastic expressions on his face, yet for the kind of role and the different phases of his life, his own minimal expressions have been more than adequate ! Good work … Hat’s Off Senthil Err… Cheran !
From the movie, the ultimate inference anyone would get is the hidden directorial touch in almost all the scenes. Even the simple scene wherein Senthil goes to invite his ex-lover Kamala, who is the mother of three kids, Kamala hurriedly corrects her Bindi and puts on little powder for her face and then appears in front of her ex-lover Senthil, at which moment she forgets being a wife or a mother. The Scene in which he goes to invite Lathika for his wedding, has been shot very carefully with an interrelated surroundings.
Cheran’s idea of not including the irritating commercial masala songs and mind-numbing comedies is yet another factor that has contributed to the grand success of the film.
AUTOGRAPH – The Music
Although Cheran’s (as a Director) other popular movies like Bharati Kannamma, Pandavar Boomi, Porkkalam etc. didn’t have much of a noticeably appealing music, Autograph easily gets a 5-Star with Bharatwaj’s Music !
The Lyrics for the Song “Gnabagam Varuthe….” has been written by Cheran himself for the first time and without any heavy poetic touch, this song shines marvelously with Cheran’s Lyrics and Bharatwaj’s lively music. Every line in this song absolutely touches one’s soul !
“Ov-voru Pookalumey…” is yet another classical inspiring song in the heavenly voice of Chitra and the highly appreciable confident expressions of Sneha. This one is my favourite too !
“Manasukkulae Dhaagam …”, a blend of Tamil and Malayalam, really takes us to heaven with the delightful voices of Harish Raghavendra and Reshmi.
The other songs are also pretty pleasing with simple lyrics and soulful music. Bharatwaj is continuing to prove himself ….. and May God make him more successful in his long musical journey !
AUTOGRAPH – The Artists
Having discussed Cheran already, Sneha has more part to play in Autograph than the other Heroines. Sneha as usual is beautiful and dynamic ! She has performed exceptionally well and the song “Ovvoru Pookalumey…” itself is a classic example of her wonderful expressions. In the scene where a Nun advices her to take her tablets regularly by which Cheran is shocked & enquires Sneha as to what was wrong with her, she coolly bluffs Cheran that she is suffering from Cancer. Seriously, energetically, confidently, hilariously …… Sneha is another Revathy to Gollywood !
Next worth a mention is ‘Gopika’. Being relatively new to the field & known by her ‘Lajjawathiye’ song, Gopika has tried to give out her best in Autograph. Being a dancer, her facial expressions although in a few occasions are too much, in general, she has done well. Her presence in Autograph include dancing, loving Cheran, singing love melodies, crying etc…. like the customary profile of South-Indian Heroines and Gopika has done her part quite satisfactorily.
The other Artists Mallika (Character Kamala) and Kanika do not have much to do in the movie.
Rajesh has acted as Senthil’s Father and the performance of this senior artist is as always good. Senthil’s classmate Subramani although comes in a very few scenes has done his role hilariously. Senthil’s school teacher Illavarasu’s character is also quite catchy.
Cheran has extracted the best of performances from almost every actor in the film.
AUTOGRAPH – The Finale
On the whole, Autograph has a weighty poetic touch in almost every frame and is surely a feast to the Gollywoodies. Without a big hero or a heavy budget which customarily draw a big crowd of audience, Cheran has made a ‘Successful’ Film of Reality which is undoubtedly worth a watch !