If it
was a frothy love triangle in his debut #$#Minnale#$#, director Gautham
Menon this time ventures into the world of the cops and the
underworld. And what makes the film watchable and different from the
routine cop-and-gangster ones, is its sleek presentation and a racy
screenplay that rarely has lagging moments.
The director has chosen his cast well
and extracted fine performances from them. Enhancing the mood is the
sound track, some slick editing by Antony, the framing of the shots
and the extreme mobility of the camera (R. D. Rajasekhar). Gautham#$#s
dialogues are crisp and kept to the minimum.
For Surya, it#$#s
definitely a milestone in his career. The actor puts in a lot of
punch in his performance, his steely eyes, and a brisk no-nonsense
demeanour, bringing to life the character of Anbuselvan, the
Assistant Commissioner of police, stern, gutsy, fearless, who
doesn#$#t mind bending the rules to rid the city of the gangster
menace.
Anbuselvan#$#s target is
Sethu, the long-haired, dhoti-clad kingpin of the anti-social
elements. And while Anbuselvan grapples with Sethu and his gang,
there enters a new entrant into the play. Pandia, younger brother of
Sethu, brutal and wily, a dreaded name in the Mumbai underworld. As
the cop and his dedicated crew carry on their relentless hunt,
Pandia follows his own favourite game of extortion, kidnapping and
murder, creating havoc in the professional and personal life of
Anbuselvan. Both the opening and the closing scenes of the film,
have been well thought out.
The tempo does have its
lagging moments towards the second half, where at times the
character of Pandia turns a little ambiguous. And while one wonders
at the necessity for the Ramya Krishnan dance number (she is no
doubt at her sizzling best), the director adds a clever touch at the
end of the number, making it seem integral to the scene!
IIt is a
good career move by Vicky (aka Jeeva, hero of #$#University#$#) to shift
to a negative role. For the director has given him enough mileage
and projected him well on the screen, the actor giving a creditable
performance. Daniel Balaji as the cop Srikant, and Devadarshini as
his wife are natural and exude spontaneity in their
performance.
A delight to watch is
Jyotika, radiating the screen with her charm, reflecting a sobriety
and maturity in her performance. And if the romantic interludes
between Anbuselvan and Maya are so tender, poignant and lyrical,
it#$#s no less due to the fine tuning the two lead actors share on the
screen.
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