Aathi - Post Mortem Report

Aathi is not running as it is expected to be. Atleast not upto the standards of a Vijay movie in terms of box office. It is declared a flop by websites, with TV channels still giving a decent rating every Sunday in Top 10.

As a post mortem report, after watching the movie thrice, I would like to list down a few things which would say where efforts went waste, what could have been done better and what should be done in future.

1) Announced as Aadhi, but later released as "Aathi". SA Chandrasekar was producing the film where as before the release he changed to SA Chandrasekara(Thank God, it wasn't Vejai who acted in the film :P)... Same dialogue as Vijay said: "Numerology mela vecha nambikkaiya story/screenplay mela vechirukkanum"....

2) Remake to the core... The flavour of the story and screenplay need to be maintained but even nativity?? Even the U/A certification? How can the scenes in a Telugu movie suit Tamil audience? Ghilli would have been just another movie, had Dharani not made changes to the original script. It was 200% of the original, making it the biggest blockbuster of recent years.

3) Continuing with the above point, does a murder signifies only "Aruvaa vettu"? The whole of Vijay's family being killed by the villain was the main part of the story to develop.. If it was vettu, kuthu in Telugu, why again in Tamil? Aren't there dozens of ways to show how a family is uprooted??? One dozen of blood oozes could have been avoided here.

4) Same logic applies even to the interval scene. The most important thrill before the interval, turned out to be a comedy show. I will explain how, but later. But if in Telugu he was executed why the same in Tamil? Can't he be shooted out?? One more point added towards A certification.

5) The blunders in the name of special effects... For a few scenes and for few seconds, why can't it be done better? As mentioned above, the interval scene turned out to be a total no-logic comedy, with villain's head executed on the fly during a fall... Atleast the original style could have been retained here...

Any doubts on what I said, watch out the same scene in Telugu original....Make out the difference. (Or watch it in this alternative link)

6) How far do you need to stick to the original for a remake? Even the hero's shirt burning for 5 minutes in the climax fight that too in a poor graphic effect?? And each and every fight was retained to be as violent as in Telugu original, testing the patience of the audience.

7) The corrections made to the original script which are almost invisible in the film. Add to it thw worst ever editing, making scenes jump as they wish especially in the first half. Editing-isn't it the backbone for a movie? The editor has to be severely blamed here.

8) Finally was it a good script for a remake? Certainly not. It was the screenplay that was good in telugu, that too mainly in the form of a few notable scenes. It was overcooked again in the same vessel - which alienated the film from Tamil audience. Beautiful songs, excellent performances, good camera work, well choreographed stunts - When the foundation of "story and screenplay" falters what is the use of building a house with these??

It is indeed a lesson for anyone who wishes to do remakes. No nativity, no credibility. For Vijay it could be "Better luck next time".. But for director Ramanna it is a golden opportunity wasted -especially when this could have been his comeback after Sullan.

Today when I watch movies like Sandakozhi, Dishoom etc and compare it with the Pongal releases of 2006, I really feel sorry for Vijay, Ajith and Simbhu, heroes of Pongal releases. They have crossed the ages of the likes of Jeeva and Vishal.. But now they have typecasted themselves with an image and is it wise to make films only to satisfy your own fans?? It is rather too early for an actor to be typecasted.

Hope they realise this soon and comeup with projects which would be milestones of Tamil Cinema. They have more than half of their career ahead to prove themselves. :-)