Violence with a comic touch
DIFFERENT AND ENJOYABLE: Arindhum Ariyaamalum
Arindhum Ariyaamalum
Genre: Action
The cast: Navdeep, Arya, Prakashraj, Samiksha
The director: Vishnuvardhan
The storyline: A village student's experiences in the city
The bottomline: You can actually laugh with these villains!
If you think the bad man would turn murderous, he doesn't. If your surmise is the villain's son could get jealous and violent when his sibling emerges all of a sudden, no way. And if you think the hero has lost his bad dad and brother forever, again you've not got it right. Expect the unexpected, is what SG Films' Pvt. Ltd.'s `Arindhum Ariyaamalum' (U/A) seems to say and therein lies its strength.
Gaining admission to a city engineering college Sathya (Navdeep) leaves the village and his grandpa to stay and study in Chennai, where he finds not just love and affection but also bloodshed and gore.
Versatility showcased
Prakashraj's versatility is incredible. In one film he's a newly married man and in the next he is the father of a grown-up son, and whatever the role he makes his presence felt. Director Vishnuvardhan seems to have a penchant for Telugu imports. So if it was Naresh who was the hero of Vishnu's first film `Kurumbu,' this time it is Navdeep. `Arindhum ... ' is Navdeep's second Tamil film after `Jairam.' The soft eyes and gentle demeanour are his plusses and he is a perfect foil for Arya (the cruel Kutty) who can only be crude even when trying to be caring and affectionate. Arya who should have made his debut in `Ullam Kaetkumae' gets a solid break in `Arindhum ... ' The comic slant to his character makes him a lovable villain — a capable find. Heroine Samiksha looks better in modern outfits — traditional ones seem to give her a ludicrous touch. Not going in for the usual comedy track is a sensible move by Vishnu — `Five Star' Krishna fills the bill aptly. The cop (Aditya) is another impressive choice.
Seasoned crew
Vishnuvardhan's screenplay has enough grip — Sreekar Prasad's crisp editing can also take credit for it. The scene on the bus where the brothers meet and the way in which Kutty addresses the heroine's dad bear a strong `Mouna Raagam' influence. Composer Yuvan Shankar Raja once again proves that percussion is his forte. Cinematographer Neerav Shah's choice of angles and use of lens add lure to the visuals. Bhagyaraj's assistants Neelan and Ramana Gopinath make a mark with their dialogue.
Sometimes striking a serious note, suddenly lending it a comic twist and eventually wrapping it all up in absolute bonhomie, writer-director Vishnuvardhan's palatable treatment is a pleasant surprise.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
