A fairly enjoyable sequel -- Kai Vandha Kalai
HEALTHY HUMOUR: Kai Vandha Kalai.
Kai Vandha Kalai
Genre: Comedy
Director: Pandiarajan
Cast: Prithi, Sruti, Manivannan,Pandiarajan
Storyline: A young man from the village comes to the city in search of a job and his zest helps him succeed.
Bottomline: A funny line you could enjo
Amidst films that go in for extravagant sets, exotic locations, unnatural stunts and predictable plots, comes a small, simple, enjoyable, rustic tale from G.V.Films Limited — `Kai Vandha Kalai' (U). You hardly come across sequels in Tamil cinema. Pandiarajan has made a unique attempt in `Kai Vandha Kalai.' `Aan Paavam,' Pandiarajan's super hit, that catapulted him to fame as hero and filmmaker more than two decades ago, finds screen space in `Kai ... ' — the story in fact moves on to the next generation of `Aan Paavam.'
A rarity
The film that can well be called `Aan Paavam II,' begins with the story of a vagabond of a father (Manivannan) and his slightly more responsible son, Kannan (Prithi). Manivannan dupes the gullible village folks as `Bambara Saamiyaar,' who foretells the future with a spinning top! Kannan is his able accomplice and how the two sustain the act is an exercise in healthy hilarity.
Vinu Chakravarthy as Manivannan's dad who rues his son's roguish ways lends ample humour with a serious demeanour. Kannan falls in love with the school going Kausalya (Sruthi) — daughter of Pandian and Seetha, the lead pair of `Aan Paavam.' In fact, the locations where the lovers meet are the same as the ones where the Aan Paavam lead pair have their rendezvous. You even have hero Prithi in a song very similar to the one Pandiarajan dances for in `Aan Paavam.'
Pandiarajan and Revathi (who continues to be mute here), another young pair of `Aan Paavam,' appear together in a scene as husband and wife in `Kai Vandha Kalai.' But you don't get to hear why the two are living away from each other.
Kausalya makes Kannan realise the importance of making an honest living and with grandpa's blessings Kannan leaves for the city to his uncle's (Pandiarajan) house. The uncle is an undertaker. Only Pandiarajan could have used coffins and funerals to such comic effect. The sequences involving `Vennira Aadai' Murthy, Janakaraj and Gnanasambandam tickle the viewer with some situational humour.
Catchy dialogue
Pandiarajan's dialogue is a veritable strongpoint of `Kai ... ' — a perfect launch for his son Prithi who has the makings of an appealing comedy hero. His dialogue delivery, intonation and voice modulation are very much like his dad's. However, heroine Sruthi is deadpan for the most part and is too camera conscious. Nowhere does the film deteriorate into vulgarity or melodrama. Even the dance number with Malavika is tastefully done.
Seetha, a police inspector herself, watching the young hero's fisticuffs with ruffians without rushing to his rescue, is puzzling!
Compared to the films of today, `Kai ... ' is so decently made that at points you feel Pandiarajan is caught in a time warp. But that's also where the success of the maker lies — you wonder why he was in hibernation for so many years.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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