Sep 29, 2006 05:32 PM
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Gautham Menon has made three movies – Minnale, Kaakha Kaakha and Vettayadu vilayadu, in that order. People complain that his latest venture has a Kaaka kaakha hangover. When I saw the movie I saw even Minnale hangover in it! Kamalinee mukharjee falling on the bed with the camera shooting from top angle is a familiar popular scene of what Reema sen did in Minnale (or Diya mirza in Rehna hai tera dil mein). Gautham Menon has a serious fever about his previous films that spills over to his latest venture to the extent that he retains all the names he used in Kaaka Kaakha (like Maya, Illa, Amuthan, etc.) and does not miss out his favourite (?) shooting spots too (Adyar flyover, The control room showed in Kaakha kaakha, etc.). He should be consulting a doctor if it was not deliberate.
The director called Kaakha kaakha as ‘an episode in police officers story’ and was very similar in the lines of the Hindi version ‘Ab tak Chappan’; about how a cop’s personal life gets affected because of his profession. In ‘Vettayadu vilayadu’ he calls it ‘another episode …’ probably to hint that you will not find it any different from his previous movie. And he does what he has hinted. If it were gangsters in Kaakha kaakha, it is a psychopath killer in Vettayadu vilayadu. And yes, violence does creep in a great deal as you would expect when the plot involves a killer. The movie is more of murder mystery stuff in the first half and shifts to the ‘… this is getting personal ..’ stuff in the second half.
Kamal Hassan playing the role of Raghavan (the cop) created all the hype for this movie, but it is sad to see that he disappoints a great deal. Reluctant acting is there to see in every frame he appears. Especially, in all romantic scenes he just stares at Jyothika and there is nothing there in the eye, worse than what Reema sen tried in Minnale. Jyothika is more matured these days and she eases into her role she is already familiar! Prakash Raj makes a brief appearance and does what he is so much used to – creates impact immediately. Gautham menon makes an appearance too (as usual), but someone should tell him that a senior police officer (as in Kaakha kaakha) suits him better than shaking the legs behind Kamal. Other than that it’s the suspense in murder mystery that gives the movie a push and drives it all the way till the end, even though the villain is introduced even before Interval.
Technical aspects of the movie are always on par with the best of Indian Industry. Harris Jeyaraj doesn’t disappoint with the songs too and given that the songs are well stitched with the movie (except for ‘Neruppey ..’ song that appears all of a sudden in the second half) they become Gautham’s strength. Having taken the cameras up to New york, he could have read Nik’s revs (here in Mouthshut) and captured more places in the North, to make it more colourful! New York City is pictured beautifully though in both the songs and scenes.
Yes, the movie is still entertaining with a high profile cast, good camera works, nice songs and a decent murder mystery story. Half-realistic dialogues like ‘..enna manirathnam padam mari aramikkareenga …’ (‘What beginning as if in Manirathnam movie’), ‘… nee enna homosexual ah? …’ (Are you a homo?) and other spontaneous words (filthy ones) that would come out of an accused (and from police who move with them all day) were enjoyable for the realism in it. But, the movie as such never meets the expectations it set. Blame if for lack of novelty and Kamal for not giving his best. If Gautham menon wanted to make another Kaakha Kaakha he has just passed.
Whatever, it has been a disappointing year at the Kollywood. Hope the year to follow will break the jinx (Hmmmm …Huge sigh).
-Vinayak
(Please do RRC)
