Madurey, Aug 27th, 2004

http://www.chennaionline.com/film/Moviereviews/tammov366.asp

Director: R Madhesh
Cast: Vijay, Sonia Agarwal, Rakshita, Pasupati, Vadivel, Sita.

The narration shuttles between Madurai and Chennai. It opens in Madurai, where villain K T R performs last rites, throws hero Madurey's photo in the fire and exclaims, "He haunted me while alive, I don't want him haunting me as a ghost!"

The scene shifts to Chennai where the supposedly 'dead' Madurey is shown, indulging in his expected 'heroic' acts, fighting with the local rowdies, rescuing damsels in distress, singing dream songs with his two sexy neighbours (Rakshita-Tejashri), who vie with one another, not only for maximum attention from Madurey but also for baring the maximum skin!

Madurey chooses the more buxom one to fall in love with. There being not much passion or intensity in his wooing, one suspects Madurey just chose whom he felt was the better of the two!
Truth has to come out and time for a flashback. H. Maduravel, the duty-conscious collector of Madurai, takes on the might of local rowdy K T R, using his fists and legs rather than his brain, and the advantages of his post. Helping Maduravel is his pretty assistant Susheela (Sonia), who, however, maintains a stoic expression whatever the goings on.

Susheela's sneaking into K T R's den is one of the more ridiculous scenes of the film. The whole Maduravel-episode is very loosely etched, the director not much bothered about the seriousness or dignity of the post of collector. Some research here would have helped.

Pasupati makes the most of his role, more controlled here than in his earlier films. The saving grace of the film is hero Vijay. He goes through his role with perfect composure and confidence, the loose script not much bothering him. In fact, Vijay here is more outgoing and expressive, infusing his performance with subtle nuances. The only jarring part is when he repeats his punchline, 'Ithu Echarikka Ille, Kattale'.

It's Madhesh's debut as director after an apprenticeship with Shanker. Producing, scripting and directing it, he seems to have concentrated more on the glamour and the frills, alternating action with dance numbers, and missing out on a coherent script.