Case of the missing fireworks -- Deepavali
THE LEAD PAIR LOOKS CUTE: Deepavali.
Deepavali
Genre: Romance
Director: Ezhil
Cast: `Jeyam' Ravi; Bhavana; Vijayakumar
Storyline: The heroine suffers from a phased loss of memory from time to time. Soon she forgets her lover too.
Bottomline: Sad that even capable makers are caught in the rut!
If only our film villains learn to use the gun more frequently and precisely instead of brandishing bizarre swords and daggers, matters could meet a logical end at a crisper pace. Which, of course, doesn't happen in Tirupati Brothers' `Deepavali' (U). The highlight of the film is the lead pair — their cuteness and chemistry.
It is love at first sight for Billu (`Jeyam' Ravi). On seeing Susi (Bhavana) at the railway station, he decides she is the woman for him. Soon she reciprocates his feelings. But all is not well because, predictably, her dad is a dada. And to compound Billu's problems the girl suffers from a kind of amnesia after an accident — three years of her life prior to it gets washed out. When another shock makes her forget Billu, it turns out to be quite a task for him. If only she had thought of noting down matters in `Ghajini' style, she could have saved Billu from much anguish! The only innovative line in writer-director Ezhil's story is that Susi doesn't regain her memory of Billu till the end. Instead she decides to fall in love with him anew.
Effective casting
Ravi scores as a genuine performer. But honestly, something has to be done about his voice — especially because it distracts you from the appreciable nuances in his expressions. Otherwise his agility in jigs and stunts are impressive. Bhavana's role offers scope and the actor doesn't let it slip by. The colloquial use of Tamil lends naturalness to Mudaliar's (Vijayakumar) essay. A miniscule part all right, yet Devadarshini makes her presence felt. VMC. Hanifa is another such.
Be it a musical canvas or a crowded roadside, Vijay Milton's camera traverses through with taste. Sets, in Selvakumar's style, however, render a clear, seen-before feel. The graceful choreography of the most part of the `Thoduvaen' song warrants mention. So does Kabilan's lyric. Words (Na. Muthukumar) and melody (Yuvan Shankar Raja) rule the roost in yet another number — `Kaadhal Vaiththu.'
The guy is bringing his girl back after a deadly struggle, and he's visibly bleeding. Yet neither his parents nor the well wishers assembled, rush to help him. All they are interested in is the girl's reluctant return! And when the girl does a turnabout and says she would stay back with the hero, the cantankerous father piously moves away saying that she doesn't exist for him anymore. Much ordeal would have been saved if he had said it earlier! Nothing wrong in a doctor explaining the ailments of the heroine — but when he utters the name (quite a lengthy one at that!) of the vague affliction in English it gives room for some unintended comedy. Raghuvaran, incidentally, is the doc.
As long as the filmmakers' only aim is to make the youth feel that winning in love is the ultimate purpose of life, there's no escape from this genre of improbable romance-action mix. Frankly, you expected more from Ezhil.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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