Aathi review - The Hindu

Cliched, and typically Vijay

RULED BY BLOOD AND GORE: `Aadhi.'

Surprisingly, the heroine of this action film, which has Vijay as hero, is not a glam doll. In fact she has some daredevilry to perform, while the hero takes the backseat for a while. But once he springs into action there's no stopping him. Suryan Arts' `Aadhi' (U/A) is in the same genre as the other major releases this month. And it is the second Telugu remake of this season. Vijay has tried out minor changes in his appearance, with coloured hair and a faint, dishevelled beard. Introduced as a fun loving person, the manner in which Vijay's role metamorphoses into a serious, vengeful character is an interesting feature of `Aadhi.'

Ramanaa, the screenplay and dialogue writer and director, teams up once again with Vijay. Why does Ramanaa make the characters repeat words so often? It sounds ludicrous after a point. Especially when even the villains adopt the same style.

Aadhi's is a happy family in Delhi. When he suddenly decides to shift base to Chennai, his parents are perplexed but come down with him. He meets Anjali (Trisha) and slowly friendship turns into love. Both of them have a secret mission on hand and go about their tasks. `Aadhi' is a story of justified vendetta.

Vijay's initial cheerfulness is enjoyable but as things get serious he tends to overdo the histrionics bit. Trisha looks radiant, her dancing is getting better and in the area of expressions too she seems to be honing her skills — the result is gratifying. Vivek's comedy scenes early in the film are a little like the track he followed in `University,' but on the whole his humour line is entertaining. Saikumar's eyes spew venom. The actor is an apt choice for the brutal role.

For the sake of being different, you have the hero decapitating the villain's head midair, but the neck (that looks like some synthetic make) dangling loose before it falls makes it comedy unintended. The film opens in Rameswaram with Vijay running on the railway track to save a friend. Next you see him in New Delhi — sequentially it's slightly confusing! And when the dove in Trisha's hands is absolutely motionless, you hear the sound of its fluttering wings. Such discrepancies are minor all right but they hamper the impact.

`Ennai Konja Konja ... ' is a scintillating duet from Vidyasagar. The re-recording in the scene where the hero and heroine visualise their childhood in the building that was once their ancestral home, is particularly commendable. Rajeevan's art lends gloss to the song sequences and magnificence to the flashback, though not all of it is natural.

Once the suspense is out, the predictable turn of events and the protraction begin to make you restless. In scenes where guns would have made matters crisp and quick, you have henchmen running around brandishing antique cutting tools! And just when you think `Aadhi's quota of blood and gore is over, the hero informs the audience there's more to come. That's when you wriggle with impatience.

MALATHI RANGARAJAN

Source: http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/01/20/stories/2006012002970400.htm