I assure you, I do like Bharathi Raja. I must have seen ?Mudhal Mariyadai? about 8 times and each time I marvel at the way he brings out the best performance out of each artist.
After all, isn?t it true, that it?s the director is the success behind an artist?s performance?
(Comparison:
Billa Rajini ? Mullum Malarum Rajini
Meera Vikram ? Sethu Vikram
Nerukku Ner Soorya ? Pithamagan Surya
Minsara Kanna Vijay ? Ghilli Vijay)
So when I saw the movie trailer of KANGALAL KAITHU SEI, I had high expectations, though a small voice asked me ? ?Bharathi Raja?s niche is directing mellow movies set in strong village plots ? what?s he doing in Switzerland chapels with cutie-pie newcomers??
But I shrugged aside the doubts. I just finished my architecture degree and our class met once a month for a movie and brunch. So one fine Sunday, we emptied our wallet and sat in Satyam Theater to watch KANGALAL KAITHU SEI.
And after the movie ended, I just wanted to ask Bharathiraja ONE question - Why did he make this movie?
Did he -
- want to show that he can master the art of thriller movies as well as vernacular offering?
*I don’t think so. Sigappu Rojakkal had two superstars in its lead and the time - 80s - was exactly right for dhik-dhik thriller movies.
- Did he think that new lead pair would be the talk of the town.
*I don?t think so. More like laugh of the town.
- He wanted to show the neglect of parental behaviour and its consequences?
*I don?t think so. All Vaseegaran’s dad did was to enroll his son into a number of classes and absented himself from his life. He DID NOT physically, sexually or emotionally HURT or ABUSE Vaseegaran. Vaseegaran had EVERY COMFORT in his life, except for parental attention and that makes him a psychopath? Then 90% Indians must be psychopaths!
- He procured some catchy tunes from A.R. Rehman and wanted to make a catchy movie to go with it?
*I DO think so. This, by far, is the most logical reason.
MINUSES:
Appalling acting ? the lead pair c.a.n.n.o.t act. And I blame the Director for choosing them or failing to make them act.
Appalling dialogue ? En Iniya Thamizh makkale. Bharathi Raja?s immortal words uttered in his husky, mesmerizing voice. All a big joke, butchered by actors talking Tamil in insanely-irritating, pseudo-American accent
Appalling direction ? again, I am asking ? Why waste time, energy and resource in making such a bland movie and torturing us audience??
PLUSES:
Nothing. Nada. Z.i.l.c.h. Except, may be, A. R. Rehman?s songs, which you can buy as a soundtrack.
BOTTOM LINE
I?m not going to waste my time (and yours too) by describing the plot, which, by the way, is incomplete, higgledy-piggledy and absurd. The initial idea is actually good ? the portrayal of love from the angle of a kleptomaniac millionaire, but because of some really bad plot development, bad acting and lackluster directing, a good story was presented as a bad movie. Where KAADHAL KONDEIN triumphed, KKS flopped.
RECOMMENDED
Never, not even to my worst enemy.