haircolle: Madhavan

Cast:Prasanna,Kavya Madhavan, Abbas, KarunasDirection: SiddiqueMusic: Deepak DevProduction:AlkaFilm

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With an impressive track record of all hits and no misses in his film career, Siddique certainly has what it takes to deliver a successful movie in what he’s best at– comedy. Though a tad off from his usual turf, Sadhu Miranda is the director’s attempt at mixing a cocktail of comedy and suspense. His intelligence in scriptwriting oozes out of every frame, as does his prowess in executing a well-crafted script.

Interestingly, revealing the story wouldn’t mean spoiling the fun- for Siddique makes sure (save for a few logic-defying scenes) that he sustains the suspense with his clever, unmatched storytelling.

Abbas and his brother rob a bank in broad daylight. The amount, Rs.20 crores, is part of a government fund deposit. In the process, the siblings accidentally slay the hero’s (Prasanna) sister who happens to be an innocent bystander at the crime scene. She’d been waiting at the bank for an educational loan. Now, after the bank robbery, to ease the risk of legalizing the mammoth sum, Abbas flies to the USA and employs illegal means to convert the money. He changes the money into dope and tries to pay for it in India using the help of his brother.

Meanwhile, predictably, Prasanna seeks vengeance for his sister’s death and abducts Abbas’ brother who guards the loot. He also dupes the brother and makes Abbas reap what he sows. This includes stealing Abbas’ crush, Kavya Madhavan, from him.

Siddique knows his onions and has you guessing till the end with this convoluted but suspenseful story that’s just a little short of being above average. At times, it even feels amateurish. (This is probably because a fusion of comedy and suspense is difficult to maintain). For how many times have we stifled a yawn at scenes showing a beloved brother employing foolproof tactics to get the baddies who slaughtered his poor sister?

Prasanna steals the show with consummate ease, playing the vengeful youngster and naïve lad. He exudes charm and poise, announcing the arrival of another promising actor on the block. The role of a sophisticated bank robber fits Abbas like few roles have recently. Kavya tries to emote beyond just using her eyes expressively, but often fails in the process.

Rest of the cast include Manivannan, Manoj K Jayan, Kotta Srinivasa Rao, M.S. Bhaskar, Karunas, Charlie, and Vayyapuri. Prathap V Kumar’s cinematography, editing by T. R. Sekhar and Gowrishankar are noteworthy. Gokula Krishna’s dialogues are funny in parts, crisp and clever in others. However, the music by Deepak Dev isn’t particularly good. Also, the intervals at which the songs come on seem to intrude on the story.Counting out a few illogical scenes that stand out (although they are not eyesores), Sadhu Miranda is a movie worth catching if you are in a nonchalant mood to kill a few hours watching a Tamil suspense-comedy.

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VazhthukalCast : Madhavan, BhavanaDirection: SeemanMusic: Yuvan Shankar RajaProduction: T. Shiva

There are only a handful of Tamil movies that deal with family values and even fewer that look at what happens to neglected and lonely parents after their children have married and moved away. It is this rare theme that director Seeman explores in Vazhthukal, which stars, among others, Madhavan, Bhavana, Venkat Prabhu and Vijayalakshmi.

The story begins with people searching for Madhavan, who is shown sitting in a train with his parents in a rather somber state. Cut to a flashback: Maddy is the CEO of Amma, a software company that supports several social causes. He is disillusioned about marriage after he sees the parents of his close friends seeking asylum in an old age home run by Amma. Their son deserts them when his selfish, hardhearted wife demands that they go to an old age home. Maddy's father lets him look for a bride himself.

He is attracted to Bhavana, whom he spots in a TV programme that showcases young achievers. Her opinion on family values floors him completely. She even sings praises about her huge joint family with a host of brothers and their wives. Along with his friend and colleague, Venkat Prabhu, Maddy sets off to Bhavana’s college, hoping to woo her.

a variety of his usual romantic antics to make her fall for him. Maddy finally pounces on an opportunity that falls into his lap: to renovate her family house with the help of a leading interior designer. This way, he finally wins a place in her heart. This is when the movie reveals that this huge family headed by Bhavana’s grandfather is opposed to love marriages. How Maddy finds a place in the hearts of every family member and changes their mind about love forms the rest of the story.

The plot unfolds in the most clichéd manner possible with all the characters seeming wax-like. The family seem flawless, the kind of people you don’t see in the real world but always see in the films of Vikraman. The idea of Maddy doing up the house’s interiors with tips from the interior designer seems amateurish, and the result isn't aesthetically pleasing either. For a movie with two major stars, Vazhthukal is also technically mediocre. The camera work is rather plain, and the songs only slow down an already sluggish narrative. Director Seeman seems to suggest that films are just a medium to express your opinions on society and its values. The result, the movie pans out into a medium of propaganda rather than a visually rich, soulful narrative. Though the intention is good, his attempt to have no English words in the dialogues seems too contrived. The first half of the story is wasted in an elaborate introduction of all the characters and the plot reaches a (so-called) stage of conflict only well into the second half.

Madhavan’s lively performance, though, is what keeps the film at least a little engaging. And his chemistry with Bhavana is the other saving grace in this listless movie. But even this is marred by Seeman's self-conscious poetic one-liners that make the romantic scenes appear more funny than sensual. Vijyalakshmi as the interior designer lends credibility to her character, while Venkat Prabhu's humor doesn't work at all. Yuvan's background score isn't too bad but it can't lift the movie from its tedium. Vazhthukal might have worked better in the 90s, when family movies were better appreciated.