Subramaniyapuram - A corrected past. Review on Subramaniyapuram Movie

First of all, Sasikumar deserves a big applause for his self-confidence for debuting as a director, producer and an actor, all in a single movie.  And he lives upto the expectations on all the three jobs.  Sasikumar has a strong screen presence that though he underplays his role, he stands out on the screen because of his charisma you can say.  A new face but you can easily identify him when you see him later in an interview.

Frankly speaking, I am not a big fan of the 80's movies with those bell-bottom pants, colourful shirts, big glasses like the front see-through glasses on PTC buses, big mustache and beard.  Especially not much inclined towards those typical Bharathiraja movies and Ilayaraja's music when it is scored for Bharathiraja's village movies(for example 16 vayadhinile).  But I should say Sasikumar has corrected the past of tamil cinema during its 80's.

A content-packed well trimmed storyline, neatly knit screenplay, perfect casting and a very pragmatic climax.  The background score and the songs could have been much better.  But you can't help it.  If you have show 80's tamil cinema, it cannot be shown without playing Ilayaraja.  80's cinema was nothing but Ilayaraja.  He stood tall defining several trends with every single director.  No wonder that James Vasanth(the debutant music director for this movie who was an anchor with Sun TV) has played most of Ilayaraja's music on the movie.  In fact, the scenes when the heroine shows up, the background score reminds you of Chinna Kannan Azhaikkiraan by Ilayaraja.

Except Ganja Karuppu and Jay, you would find no known face in the movie, which makes it all the more interesting so you don’t carried away by the stardom that someone carries that can spoil your nostalgia of 80’s.  The heroine, Swathy doesn’t register on your mind during the first scenes but later when she starts starring continuously at Jay, she does make an impact in you that you feel “couldn’t love be this way even today”.

Coming to the plot, its about 3 youngsters typically aimless during their late 20’s, ruining their lives, each for love, friendship and money in the order of the screenplay by Jay, Sasi and Ganja Karuppu respectively.  Sasi doesn’t take you away from the screen and ensures everything of the 80’s such as the music, cinematography, village life, the festivals and the comedy recollecting those times.

Having worked as an assistant director with Bala and Ameer, Sasi seems greatly influenced by Aamir than Bala.  However, his learning from Bala comes out by the tragic ending of the movie though.

If it were not for the friendship between Sasi and James Vasanthan during their childhood, it would have been apt to make Ilayaraja himself score the music.  If the movie becomes only an average hit at the box office, the reason could be that the music should have been a lot more better to carry memories of the movie with you out of the theatre.

Sasi has a bright future.  Jay and Swathy are just lucky to be in this movie.  Ganja Karuppu shines in his own style – one of them worth mentioning is his uncaring casual walking style towards the car during the end of the movie.

Subramaniyapuram, a must watch!