'Sivakasi'
An All Round Entertainer
By P. Sreekumaran
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com
The Vijay-Perarasu combination has worked wonders again. The duo had courted success in their first venture together, Tirupachi, which was a bumper hit. It also firmed up Vijay’s status as the virtual No 2 in Kollywood, next only to the redoubtable Rajnikant. Likewise, Sivakasi has got off to a fantastic opening as well. It has the stamp of success written all over it.
The success formula? Simple. Make it a masala movie with all the ingredients in the right measure. So Sivakasi has everything the ordinary Tamil filmgoer wants to see. Action scenes, stunts, comedy, peppy songs, delightful dance sequences topped by a sexy item number – you name it, and Sivakasi has it. No wonder, Vijay’s smile has become broader these days!
That said, it must be admitted that the film does strains credulity to a certain extent. But, then, who bothers about logic and things like that? Not the Vijay fans, who are happy lapping up the salacious stuff their hero has dished out on Diwali day.
A big slice of the credit must go to director Perarasu for keeping audience interest intact till the very end, despite the absence of logic. He has made it a pacy and entertaining affair with slick direction. An added bonus is excellent editing, which makes it a pleasure to watch. Perarasu had successfully employed the formula in Tirupachi. He has repeated it in Sivakasi with equal success. Only the locale is different.
In Tirupachi the story unfolds in the bucolic ambience of a village. Sivakasi sees the action taking place in an urban setting. Hero Sivakasi (Vijay) is man with a golden heart. A do-gooder, who dotes on his mother and sister. The theme revolves round the sacrifices he is called upon to make the mother and sister happy. Circumstances force him to leave the village and come to Chennai. But he has to go back to the village because his sister and mother (Geeta) are in trouble, thanks to the machinations and doings of his elder brother (Prakash Raj), who is an embodiment of evil.
Like in Tirupachi, in Sivakasi too Vijay has a rich girl vying for his love and attention. Performance-wise, Vijay leads the fun brigade. That he is no great shakes as an actor is known. But the ‘Ilaya Dalapathi’ manages to infuse fun and verve into his character. His girlfriend, Asin, is a perfect foil. The on-screen chemistry is wonderful and the comic interludes lively. Prakash Raj again excels as Vijay’s wicked brother. Villainy has become his forte these days. And it is another polished performance from Prakash. The only difference is the villainy is softened by a dash of buffoonery, which goes down well with the audience.
Geeta is adequate as Vijay’s mother, though she has not had her role properly fleshed out. The team of comedians including M.S Baskar and Chitti Babu tickle your funny bone. Another highlight of the film is an item number by Nayantara. Nayan oozes oomph, pandering to the taste of the frontbenchers. A performance even the current queen of glamour Namitha can be proud of!
Sivakasi also marks the coming of age of cameraman Sunny V.Joseph, who attracted attention with his excellent work in Rajni’s Chandramukhi.Composer Srikanth Deva has come out with a few numbers that go well with the mood of levity that animates the film.
All in all, Sivakasi is a cracker of a movie! Suspend your critical faculties, you will enjoy it!
No comments:
Post a Comment