An action-filled 100! - Thalaimagan
WITH COMMERCIAL COMPONENTS: Thalaimagan
Genre: Action
Director: Sarathkumar
Cast: Sarathkumar, Nayantara, Seema Biswas
Storyline: Journalist Dheeran comes in the way of underhand operations of a politician, and so a bloody confrontation becomes inevitable.
Bottomline: Plethora of action and formula, Sarath style!
For the first time hero Sarathkumar dons the mantle of director too in his 100th film, Radaan Mediaworks (I) Ltd.'s `Thalaimagan' (U). He seems to have taken on the onus with confidence, and acquits himself reasonably well as a maker well versed in the formula format. Sensibly he sticks to just one duet with Nayantara, though otherwise the commercial components are intact. Such deletions take care of the tempo to a certain extent though matters could have been more racy. Cheran's screenplay and Rajkannan's image-boosting dialogue are aiding factors. If you are not one to feel exasperated about the expectable gore or the guessable storyline, then `Thalaimagan' could be up your alley.
A journalist's tale
The only new feature of Kaveri Vaendhan's run-of-the mill storyline is that the hero is a newspaper reporter. Dheeran (Sarathkumar) is a journalist who brooks no injustice. And when he begins to expose wrongdoers they retaliate. Police Commissioner Alankaram (Seema Biswas) is on their pay roll and that makes matters easy for the corrupt minister. Or does it?
With a well-toned physique, Sarathkumar is in his elements in stunts, and passes muster in the light and serious sequences. Plump in some scenes and with an hourglass figure in some, Nayantara looks good but has little to do. As the ruthless police official, Seema Biswas's expressive eyes spew venom. Villain Mukesh Tiwari shouts at the top of his voice the entire time. We've had an overdose of comedians being beaten up in the name of humour — it's time the practice is put an end to. In `Thalaimagan' it is Vadivelu, but sorry, it's not funny anymore.
Sabesh Murali's re-recording warrants notice — it is pleasant in the titles, sober in serious scenes and absolutely silent at tense moments. Just forgive the loudness that creeps up in between. And Sarathkumar is a singer too, rendering as he does, the `Nooru ... ' song. `Theen Thaena ... ' is a melodious refrain splendidly rendered by SPB and Chinmayi. Paul J. is the composer.
You have no inkling that Nedunkulam and its people see Dheeran as a saviour. So suddenly when they look up to him for succour in the climax, it seems a little weird.
In a typically masala oriented venture you don't look for logic or realism. Rather you shouldn't.
If you wish to see a utopian (read improbable) situation where a journalist is able to take on the police and the politicians single-handed and emerge winner, Sarathkumar offers it to you on a platter.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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