Karungali Movie Review

Karungali - Crude is the word

Director Kalanjiyam of  'Poomani' fame has landed on a controversial knot in his comeback film 'Karungali', in which he wields the megaphone besides playing the lead role. He has chosen the grey shades of Chennai for this venture that is set in a theme with the likes of Anjali and Sunitha Verma among others playing the lead roles.

Ravi called as Pottalam Ravi (Kalanjiyam) is an orphan, who grows with a group of children in a Chennai slum. He is forced to take up the sale of drugs and falls into all illegal activities.

While escaping from the clutches of cops, he comes across Kanimozhi, a doctor (Sunitha Verma) who is injured in an accident. He saves her and Kanimozhi immediately decides to marry her 'saviour'.

Knowing about Ravi's bad past that he was a drug seller and had killed his own lover, Kanimozhi still thinks that she can change his heart, and marries him. But Ravi acts innocent and waits for an opportunity to show his colours.

Coming to know from Kanimozhi about Amudhanila (Anjali), one of her patients, who is desperate to have a child, Ravi decides to play dirty tricks with her. Does Ravi exploit Amudhanila? Does the doctor and Amudhanila's husband find out about Ravi?

A movie that begins on narrating the sufferings of slum children goes haywire as it progresses. It touches upon lust, cheat, and mistrust in a crude way. Impotency is portrayed as disease. Many a dialogue and scene are vulgar.

Songs by Srikanth Deva alone stand out. Anjali, Sunitha Verma, Srinivas and Asmitha seem to have done a good job in the film. Anjali deserves special credits for she has given a matured performance as a perplexed girl.

Kalanjiyam tries to fit in the shoes of a man, who everybody would love to hate. Unfortunately, his film too is quite typical for his character in it. 

Bodinayakanur Ganesan Movie Review

Bodinayakanur Ganesan - Treading a familiar path

After 'Madurai Sambavam', Harikumar is back with a movie that is again set against rural milieu and loaded with commercial elements to appease front-benchers. There is action, humour, romance and emotions in �Bodinayakanur Ganesan'.

Director O Gnanam has penned the script keeping in mind the 'emotions' of a rural youth and he is heavily inspired by 'Paruthiveeran' in the characterization of Harikumar, who has comedian Soori giving him company all through.

Harikumar plays the lead role of Ganesan, around whom the whole movie revolves. Arundhathi of 'Veluthukattu' fame plays the heroine and unlike contemporary cinema where an actress appears and disappears, she has a meaty role to play in 'Bodinayakanur Ganesan'.

Ganesan (Harikumar) and his friend Gilaki (Soori) incur the wrath of everyone in the village for they sell arrack and ganja. They work under a local goon Thiruvachi (Sai Ravi). Frequent jail birds, Ganesan and Jilaki spend their leisure in a mentally-challenged home in the village where Ganesan's brother is admitted.

Enters a nurse Saraswathi (Arundhathi) in Ganesan's life and it is love at first sight for him. But knowing about Ganesan, she stays away from him. She urges Ganesan to reform and then come to her.

Twist in the tale is that Thiruvachi, the bad man in the town, too decides to marry Saraswathi. Ganesan takes on Thiruvachi. A flashback reveals that Thiruvachi and Ganesan have lots of issues to settle between them since their childhood. The battle culminates with the fight to hold Saraswathi's hands. Who emerges the winner forms the climax.

Harikumar does his part well, playing to the gallery. His punch lines are passable. A choreographer-turned-actor, he excels in dance sequences. At places, he seems to speak loud.

Soori comes all through the film quite like what Saravanan did in 'Paruthiveeran'. Watch out for Sai Ravi, the baddie who speaks from his stomach. He oozes violence in his words.

Prabhakar's camera captures Bodinayakanur lush green locales in a beautiful way. The fish catching festival has been shot well. Thyagu's sets compliment the camera work. Anal Arasu's stunt sequences form the backbone for the film.

John Peter's music reminds songs of yesteryear Ilayaraja. A couple of numbers are catchy while the racy stuff 'Vanchira Meenu...' is hummable. Gnanam, who has directed the film, seems to have made it a commercial cocktail. But a sense of deja vu prevails as we watch 'Bodinayakanur Ganesan'. 

Veppam Movie Review

Can a female filmmaker handle an action-thriller with conviction? Can she portray the darker shades of underworld in an effective manner? Yes seems to be the answer for Anjali Ali Khan has proved it through 'Veppam'. The debutant filmmaker, who is a former associate of Gautham Vasudev Menon, has come out with a riveting action tale in 'Veppam'.

The movie seems to have carried a lot of hype for it is released by Gautham Vasudev Menon's own banner Photon Kathas. 'Veppam' promises aplenty and lives up to the hype in most parts. For, the script about friendship and deceit is loaded with thrills and spills to entertain the masses.

The director seems to have won the battle thanks to an excellent technical crew coming to her aid. Om Prakash's cinematography and Antony's razor-sharp editing are the movie's flesh and blood while Joshua Sridhar with his seven catchy numbers forms the soul of this film.

The whole film unfolds in a slum in Chennai. Balaji (Muthukumar), after his mother's death and his father Jothi (Shimmore), a drunkard, leaves him on streets, works hard and ensures a decent living for his younger brother Karthik (Nani).

Karthik, who studies in an engineering college, spends all his time with his friend Vishnu (Evam Karthik), who is also brought up in the locality. There is Revathy (Nithya Menen) in the neighbourhood, who loves Karthik desperately.

Meanwhile Jothi takes to illegal ways and makes money working for a woman drug peddler Ammaji (Jennifer). Knowing that Vishnu is in love with Viji (Bindhu Madhavi), a call girl in the locality, Jothi decides to exploit him for his selfish gain.

He gives him an assignment - to transport drugs to Pondicherry, promising to give him Viji if he completes the work. Vishnu takes the help of Karthik and goes to Pondy. However sensing that something is fishy, Vishnu returns to Chennai.

What follows next is the story of 'Veppam'.

Technically it's a brilliant film. Awesome cinematography and good background score besides songs by Joshua Sridhar make it count. The script is racy and the first half with some breezy moments passes off quickly. The twists and surprising turns in the story are enjoyable.

Muthukumar with his subtle performance walks away with honours, while Nani and Karthik play their part well. Bindhu Madhavai has limited scope while Nithya Menen hogs limelight with her character. Gautham Menon has dubbed for Muthukumar in the movie...

The film may have its flaws. There may be logical lapses. But all can be set aside for Anjana's honest work in her debut venture. Watch this racy story for its worth your money...

Doo Movie Review

Expectations on each other are high among couples in love these days and there is absolute lack of compromise. This forms the underlying theme of 'Doo', churned out by debutant filmmaker Sriram Padmanabhan.

Credits to the director for not making a preachy film for the theme would have tempted him to do so. He sticks to the commercial format and the movie is loaded with humour, romance and action. More in the shades of 'Siva Manasula Sakthi', 'Doo' ends up a jolly-go-ride for youngsters.

Sriram Padmanabhan seems to have done his home work well, for the film is more like a mirror capturing the routine of youngsters who are in love these days. The dialogues are extremely casual but very realistic.

The lead pair of Sanjay and Naksthatra reminds us the one that we come across these days in shopping malls, multiplexes and other points. The arguments, their relationship and separation are captured well.

Vasanth (Sanjay) works in a sub-registrar office. He lost his father and lives with his mother (Urvashi) and his sister. A happy guy, he spends all his time with his friends ('Lollu Sabha' Jeeva, Jegan and others). He meets his schoolmate Swapna (Nakshatra), who works in an IT company. They rekindle their friendship and love blossoms. But soon they realize that they are contrasting characters. Eventually they part ways.

Things take a turn when Anu (Sangeetha Bhat), a freelance journalist, comes in Vasanth's life. At the same time, both Vasanth and Swapna cannot forget each other. What happens then in their lives is the rest.

Sanjay of 'Mundhinam Parthenae' plays the lead role. He symbolizes today's youngsters and their thoughts well. But he needs to tighten up his skills in dancing.

Nakshatra as angry and possessive lover impresses. Both Jegan and 'Lollu Sabha' Manohar evoke plenty of laughter. Sangeetha Bhatt, Urvashi and Rajesh do justice to their roles.

C R Maravarman's cinematography adds pep to the film and gives it a fresh feel. Abhishek-Lawrence duo gives peppy numbers and a couple of songs sung by Vijaya T Rajendher and Silambarasan are good.

The movie would go down well with youngsters, though it reminds 'Kushi' and 'Siva Manasula Sakthi'. A good attempt that is enjoyable...