Chennai Box Office – Pongal Special

This week we are carrying a special six-day Pongal Box Office, as Chennai was totally shut for the festival season. The bad news is that all the Pongal releases are average or total write-off! The cricket crazy Chennai youth audiences were more glued to television as history was being created at Perth, while the ladies had a feast of Pongal programmes on Tamil channels including movies like Vettayadu Vilayadu, Veyil, Manmathan etc!

Among the lot Bheema took a decent opening and is the clear number one, and way down in the second position is Kaalai and in third position is Billa now confirmed as Ajith's biggest hit, Taare Zameen Par is steady in the fourth position while Pazhani is in the fifth place.

Bheema

Cast: Vikram, Prakash Raj, Trisha, Raghuvaran

Plus: Vikram, Action scenes

Minus: No story or twist, a weak climax

Trade Fact: Decent opening

Verdict: Action Thriller

After waiting eagerly for two years anticipating an exciting film from the new pair of Vikram and Lingusamy, Bheema leaves a mixed impact! The trouble with the film is like sending Rahul Dravid a solid middle order batsman to open the innings, something which he is not used to. Similarly Lingusamy the director, with a proven track record for making commercially viable feel good family stories asked to make an action film on gang wars of Chennai!

Sekhar(Vikram) son of an honest police man grew up in small town Rameswaram, admiring the dare-devilry of a local ‘goonda’ Chinna (Prakash Raj), a man who was daring at the same time caring. Right from his childhood Sekhar’s role- model was the kind hearted Chinna who later became a top gangster with human emotions even though he is an extortionist and a killer. Sekhar joins Chinna’s gang, and climbs up the ladder to be his most trusted henchman. Meanwhile a turf war breaks out between Chinna and the dreaded don of the City Periyavar (Reghuvaran) and his sons.

Thanks to brawn and brains of the one-man fighting machine called Sekhar, Chinna and his gang is able to lord over the city which results in a gang war with the Periyavar gang. The new police commissioner (Ashish Vidyarti) declares his own private war against the gangs and forms an elite group of young police officers to exterminate the gangsters through carefully planned encounter killings. Meanwhile Sekhar falls in love with Charu (Trisha), which complicates things further. All this leads to a bloody shoot out in the end resulting in total mayhem, as the rule of the law takes its course.

It is an action thriller, but for a thriller it’s pretty lukewarm as the plot is predictable and doesn’t once take you by surprise. The film has a wafer thin story line that does not get to the emotional core of the characters and that's why we're often unable to empathize with them. However, the saving grace is Vikram’s knock out performance.

The film lacks a solid story with no twists, and instead it tests the patience of the viewers as it turns out to be a mix of fight followed by a song, and again breaking out into another well choreographed action scene that dissolves into yet another song in Switzerland and followed by more stunt scenes!!

At the end of half-a-dozen fights and songs that comes regularly are some sporadic scenes which stands out like a drunken Sekhar confronting the police commissioner at a birthday party in a hotel where he speaks his mind out, the scene where Chinna and Sekhar kidnap Periyavar while he sleeps and when he wakes up finds that he is miles away from his home or the scene where the gang under the guidance of Sekhar in a comic way forces Chinna to marry his childhood sweet-heart Padma (Lakshmi Gopalasamy). These are the small gems in Lingu’s script, which otherwise goes haywire.

Trisha's character is half-baked and lacks soul especially the first scene in which she falls in love with a gangster! Later she follows Sekhar and gets a slap from him! Normally Lingu’s heroines are all strong characters who appeals to the lady audiences for their grit, but here the heroine has nothing much to do. Prakash Raj tries his best to energize his gangster role with some human warmth. Reghuvaran pitches his ‘I-don’t-overact’ act again, while ‘Thalaivasal’ Vijay is impressive as Saamy the conscience keeper and trusted aid of Prakash Raj especially his heart rendering dialogue in the climax.

Ultimately, it is Vikram who breathes life into the film. He looks sensational with his toned body; killer looks unarguably delivers yet another outstanding performance of his career. Physically agile, he tempers the recklessness of his character with restraint and pours plenty of heartfelt emotions into the film’s more dramatic moments. See the film only for him.

R.D Rajasekhar’s camera is terrific, especially the action scene in the dark building. Harris Jayaraj’s pleasant tunes are a major plus, but song placements are not correct. In the Mudhal Mazhai song it looks like they forgot to take a choreographer to Switzerland? Another highlight is Kanal Kannan’s well crafted action sequences the market fight in the first half being the pick of the lot.

Lingusamy should have paid more attention to his script instead of trying to extract more heroism from his larger-than-life hero. And the biggest weakness is that his hero always wins and the opposition just does not have a strong enough villain to counter him. It ends up as a one-sided Australia versus Bangladesh cricket match!

Kaalai

Cast: Silambarasan, Vedika, Lal, Nila

Plus: May appeal to masses

Minus: No comments

Trade Fact: Average opening

Verdict: Action - nothing more, nothing less

First things first. You wouldn’t expect a classic tale of movie making from a director – Tarun Gopi – whose previous credential include a hardcore commercial potboiler, Thimiru. Having said that, we did expect a racy entertainer with Simbhu’s return after a brief sabbatical creating enough and more hype. However, Kaalai, Tarun Gopi’s second venture and first with Simbhu is a classic case of too much in too little time. With too little scenes that substantiate the sense of logic, Tarun Gopi has royally squandered an opportunity.

Less said the better about the story. Simbhu shares his name with two other people - one villain and one cop-turned-baddie and the situations arising out of it promise enough curiosity for a while as soon as the movie opens. However, it eventually fizzles out when the movie takes a turn for better or for worse.

Seema – Simbhu’s grandmother – slays five men, mind you when she was only ten, since they flouted her father’s advices and distilled alcohol illegally in the village also involving in other shady activities. The villagers, for her noble act, consider her their head after her return from the prison and are peaceful under her reign. However, trouble crops up in the name of a police officer – Lal – whose ego is hurt when challenged by the fellow policeman’s son that he can’t find anything illicit in Simbhu’s village, ruled by the godmother Seema.

Lal tries - but to no avail - to nail somebody from the village for any charges and ends being thrashed up the villagers. Predictably, he returns back with a vengeance and in the dirty war, burns Seema alive. Enough reason for Simbhu to seek retribution for his loss. Simbhu returns to Chennai, uses the tried and tested formula to woo Lal’s daughter Vedhika, and after a couple of duets abducts her as a hostage on revenge of his grandmom’s death.

With a script that has more holes than a fish net, it’s evident that Simbhu could just not help the ship from sinking. However, his mind-boggling stunt scenes and the dance sequences especially for songs ‘Kutti Pisaase’ and ‘Kaalai Kaalai’ are stupendously performed. Particularly, Kutti Pisaase might send his fans on a nostalgic trip to the good old days when Simbhu sang and danced ‘I am a little star’.

Vedika’s character is left to deal with a few duets in measly outfits in exotic locales with an almost innocent face. Alas, she vanishes from the movie abruptly even before its end. Santhanam – Simbhu duo’s comic act has lesser than desired results.

Veteran Seema’s grandmother-godmother act refuses to fade after she is brutally charred alive in the movie. Sangeetha plays Simbhu’s aunt and yes, her role is of utmost importance. If you must insist, here is how. It’s only when she gets spanked by Lal that violence erupts uncontrollably in the village. Lal’s villainy seems to be born with him and he is prominent with his viciousness in the movie that is also swarmed with many other such likes.

R.D.Rajasekar’s camera brings in unsullied frames of fresh locales during the duet scenes. G.V. Prakash stands out in two songs and scores an average for background music.

Had Tarun Gopi worked on the script for a taut screenplay coupled with some interesting twists, Simbhu’s Kaalai would definitely have been a joy ride.

Billa

Cast: Ajith, Nayanthara, Namitha, Prabhu

Plus: Ajith, Technically slick

Minus: Will appeal only to elite audiences

Trade Fact: Super Hit

Verdict: Racy & Rocking

To remake a 27-year old Rajinikanth film with another actor at a time when he is still the superstar, is a major challenge for any director. But Vishnu Vardhan is a daring young man who took up the challenge along with Ajith and they have come out with a fresh new Billa, an escapist comic book like fantasy film, which has been faithful to the original in spirit and soul. Spiffily shot and stylishly packaged, the remake is slick and will certainly appeal to today’s youth audiences.

Vishnu’s Billa is the first designer-look Kollywood film with classy action cuts. It's a technically chic, racy, engrossing entertainer with a Hollywood look. The director wears his Hollywood DVD influence on his sleeve, the way a shot is framed, and with black and white colours dominating as the camera angles convey style! Ajith looks sensational and clearly he is at home, playing dual roles of Billa and Velu. He is suave, dashing, and debonair and has terrific screen presence which makes the film work big time. You just cannot think of any other actor in Tamil donning the role made memorable by Rajinikanth.

Billa is an out and out Ajith film. Don’t forget to carry a whistle with you when you watch Ajith meld into two characters- David Billa with his Armani suit, Ray Ban glasses, has a Bond look about him and is cucumber cool while Saravana Velu is a riot as he brings the house down with typical one-liners (Athu aaru thalai, Naan oru thalai). Ajith brings to Tamil cinema a desification of Steven Segal, Van Damme style of pure high octane action and humour. He seems to be telling the audiences to just sit back and enjoy the fireworks. In short Ajith as Billa is a rocker!

Billa delivers the goods with its great star cast, a designer look, technical glitz, perfect chemistry making it an entertainment extravaganza. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride. Don’t miss it.

Taare Zameen Par

Cast: Aamir Khan, Tanay Chheda, Darsheel Safary, Tisca Chopra

Plus: Everything is good including the new boy Darsheel Safary

Minus: Nothing to point out

Trade Fact: Hit

Verdict: 3-and-a-half stars out of 5

Mighty nice, Mr Khan, mighty nice.

Come to think of it, after two back-to-back hits, Aamir Khan could've given a positive nod to any masala flick and chosen to work with anyone he desired. But he preferred to make a film on a dyslexic kid, make him the focal point of the story and don three caps—producer, actor and director.

At the very outset, let's make one thing clear. Taare Zameen Par isn't one of those films that merely entertains, but also enlightens. Taare Zameen Par is one film that makes you peep into a child's mind and how some parents, in their pursuit to make them 'stronger' academically, forget that there's hitherto untapped talent that needs to be nourished and encouraged.

Taare Zameen Par drives home a strong message, making you empathise with the kid, compelling you to draw parallels with your life, making one realise that some of the renowned geniuses were once scoffed at, but the world had to bow down to their intellect later.

Sure, the film boasts of a story that strikes a chord, but most importantly, it has been treated with such sensitivity and maturity that you're left shell-shocked with amazement by the sheer impact it leaves at the end of the 18-reeler.

Taare Zameen Par heralds the birth of a top-notch storyteller—Aamir Khan. To choose a story that's a far cry from the mundane stuff that's being churned out like factory products requires courage and conviction, and to execute it with panache is a rarity.

Those who nursed a grudge that the camera follows Aamir in all his films will have to chew their words once they watch Taare Zameen Par. Yes, Aamir has a key role to portray as an actor, but the camera captures the child's emotions like never before in a Hindi film. Also, let's also clear the myth about it being a kiddie film. It's not! It's about children. Note the difference!

In a nutshell, Taare Zameen Par serves as a wake up call for every parent or parent-to-be. At the end of the day, it's not difficult to choose who's better—Aamir, the actor or Aamir, the director. The film is a triumph from the director's point of view.

Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) is an eight-year-old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate; colours, fish, dogs and kites are just not important in the world of adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks and neatness. And Ishaan just cannot seem to get anything right in class.

When he gets into far more trouble than his parents can handle, he is packed off to a boarding school to 'be disciplined'. Things are no different at his new school and Ishaan has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family.

One day a new arts teacher bursts onto the scene, Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir Khan), who infects the students with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of 'how things are done' by asking them to think, dream and imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm, all except Ishaan.

Nikumbh soon realises that Ishaan is very unhappy and he sets out to discover why. With time, patience and care, he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself.

On face-value, Taare Zameen Par looks like a kiddie film, but as the story unfolds, you realise that the story peeps into the mind and heart of a kid, his interests, his hobbies, his strengths and weaknesses. The director opens the cards at the very outset, when you realise that the kid is just not interested in books/studies. And his interaction with his stern father, doting mother and lovable brother is straight out of life.

A number of sequences in the first hour leave you spellbound:

• Ishaan's altercation with the neighbouring kid over a cricket ball.
• Ishaan's parents' decision to put him in a hostel and Ishaan's constant pleas falling on deaf ears.
• Ishaan going into a shell in the boarding school, looking disinterested in life.
• And the arts teacher punishing him for his inattentive behaviour.

There are several moments in the first hour that make you moist-eyed. The bonding between the mother and son is remarkable. These moments effectively capture the special bonding, making you realize that a mother's mere touch can act like a soothing balm on a troubled soul.

Aamir takes the courageous stand of placing the story on Ishaan's shoulders right through the first hour and not once do you feel that the kid doesn't have the power to keep your attention arrested.

The second hour is equally challenging and most importantly, motivating. The introduction of Aamir's character, Aamir spotting the indolent Ishaan, Aamir travelling to Mumbai to meet Ishaan's parents and then citing examples of extra-ordinary men who were ridiculed by their contemporaries/peers—these moments linger in your memory even after the show has concluded.

But the best part is reserved for the finale—the art competition in the penultimate 20 minutes. The emotions reach an all-time high as the boy regains his confidence. The finale would melt even the stonehearted!

Directorially, Aamir deserves distinction marks for extracting an exemplary performance from the kid and handling the plot with supreme sensitivity. In his debut film, Aamir proves that he's a gifted storyteller, someone who has the courage to swim against the tide and also convince the viewer that there's more to filmmaking than the mere masala entertainers. Bravo!

Setu's cinematography is mesmerising. The camera captures every minute detail, every emotion and every tear with precision. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is easy on the ears. Bum bum bole, jame raho and the title track are first-rate compositions. Prasoon Joshi's lyrics in Maa deserve special mention. Editing (Deepa Bhatia) does justice to the material. Only thing, the film, if trimmed (second hour), will only be more impactful. Animation and visual effects are fantastic.

Taare Zameen Par belongs to Master Darsheel Safary—a performance that makes the best of performances pale in comparison. A performance that's impeccable, flawless and astounding. A performance that moves you and makes you reflect on your growing years. A performance that merits a special award!

Aamir is excellent. Note his scenes with the father of the kid. First, when he visits their home. Next, when he cites the example of Solomon Islands. Splendid! Tisca Chopra is outstanding. Here's an actress who needs to be lapped up in a big way by filmmakers.

Tanay Cheda (as Ishaan's friend Rajan Damodaran) is excellent. Vipin Sharma (Ishaan's father) is slightly theatrical. Sachet Engineer (Ishaan's elder brother) is apt. The teachers have performed well.

On the whole, Taare Zameen Par is an outstanding work of cinema. To miss it would be sacrilege. It has everything it takes to win awards and box-office rewards!

Do yourselves a favour. Watch Taare Zameen Par with your child. It will change your world. It will also change the way you look at your kids!

Pazhani

Cast: Bharath, Kajal Agarwal, Kushboo, Biju

Plus: Nothing

Minus: Clichéd, Bharath as a larger-than-life hero

Trade Fact: Average opening

Verdict: Crass Commercial Masala

The tag line of Perarasu's Pazhani, says it is a "Commercial Panchamritam". And you certainly need to be a brave heart to taste this Panchamritam!

Tirupachi and Sivakasi, the first two films of Perarasu were palatable while his Tirupati and Dharmapuri were torturous. Now he has used the same old formula on Bharat, an upcoming young actor who has an image as boy-next-door.

So what's the story about?

Same old formula used in 70's and 80's films. Our hero (Bharat) at the age of 10 kills his father's paramour because she was milking him off the family jewels! He goes to the jail and after serving his term comes out to reunite with his sister (Kushboo) who does not want to do anything with a murderer.

She is happily married to a businessman (Biju Menon) who is actually the henchman of a land mafia mobster (Raj Kapoor). Bharat comes out of the jail and worms his way into his sister’s house and out of sheer Thankachi Pasam fights her battles and also saves her marriage by fixing arch villie(Aishwarya) in a literally fiery climax.

A lot of steamy sentiments like- En Akka En Amma Mathiri , crude punchlines, some Koothu songs, Kajal Agarwal the heroine has hardly anything to do, Biju Menon is not menacing, Kushboo says homilies, Bharat does what Vijay and Ajith did in Perarasu's earlier films. Technically the film varies from garish and the kitschy to the cardboardish and slapdash.

One more thing we forgot to tell you is that Pazhani "Panchamritam" is targeted at B and C audiences.