The great Indian 'Hangover'

'Delhi Belly' may have nothing to do with 'Hangover''s story. But, with a treatment similar to  Hangover and with that bearded, fat guy among the three protagonists, the movie somehow reminded of 'Hangover'. Movie, turned out to be outrageously bold, with that extreme usage of never ending verbal and visual filth. But, still there was something fresh about it. 'Delhi Belly' will be a refreshing experience, If one can, bear with those never ending farts and other disgusting sounds arising from the so called 'Delhi Belly' (one of those lead characters happened to have one real bad tummy). Just how RGV and his contemporaries  liberated Bollywood from the firm clutches of its stereotypical formulas in the early years of this century, 'Delhi Belly' with its,  extreme bold approach might open doors to a hyper-realistic wave in Hindi Movies. This could do real wonders, as there is already a cheerful group of young multiplex audience thriving there to accept 'change' with a new found sensibility and tolerance for creative art.  

Tamizh Padam - Y not?

Director- Amudhan

Y-Not Studio's Critically acclaimed 2010 Spoof film, Tamizh Padam was an amazing experience. For some unknown reasons, I always end up watching good flicks very late. Being an ardent fan of Hollywood spoof's like Scary Movie series, I shouldn't have missed this.Wikipedia identifies, at least 40 Tamizh blockbusters parodied in  the move. Still, I find some movies Wikipedians probably had missed. Vijaya Kanth's evergreen classic 'Vaidehi Kathirundal' is one of them. We have one Vellachami with an overgrown beard, here too who would sing every night, but some cabaret numbers instead of the original melancholic classics. How about that  Village, 'Thankachi Patti' where half a dozen elder brothers, competing each other in showering their affection on their younger sister? Was it the same village that was shown in Cheran's Pandava bhoomi?  None of them are spared, even those Ramarajan flicks. Script has to be called 'Great'. Some of the plots were amazingly hilarious. I could feel, some one else was showing the same sarcasm I felt watching those originals on screen, in an amazing creativity. One of my favorite scene is where the 'Hero' introducing himself as hero to the Goons when they confront him with weapons. He uses, an id-card that says, 'Hero' to them, and they realize that there is no point in fighting with a hero and would start shaking hands with him, and let him off to pursue his noble mission of taking his lady love out of her house arrest,with their blessings. Another memorable scene is where the hero parts with his favorite bike to bribe a corrupted officer to get the only water tap in the village to be fixed. Fresh and original were the heroe's creative ideas to eliminate the villains. Especially the one that mimicked Kamal's famous 'Apoorva Sagodharangal' theme, was very funny. The cliche'd quick 'rag to rich' mechanism (remember, movies like Padayappa, Sivaji) were beautifully ridiculed. Hero, (Shown, living in a hut under extreme poverty: with huge LCD TV, Microwave oven, often having Pizzas and  milk shakes)  after his challenge to his lady love's father that the would become richer than him before asking for her hand, would become extreme rich in few minutes. Girl's father is shown, wondering, 'that quick? even before the ordered coffee came?' . To cut it short, Tamizh Padam was equal to watching all those stereo typed block buster Tamizh movies those were produced in last 50 years, in just two and half hours.You might miss, your Adrenalin rushing offered by the originals, but you would laugh your guts out, if you had that same 'Sarcasm' lurking with in you. Being a debutante, the director CS Amudhan's effort is something that to be appreciated by all serious Cinema fans. The lead played by the  RJ turned actor Shiva was very cool and natural through out, making the movie an interesting experience.

1972 repeats?

I should admit that I was  surprised (unpleasantly)when I heard that Tamil actor Dhanush who also happened to be the son in law of arguably the most influential person in Tamil Nadu, Super star Rajanikanth, bagged Nation's most respectable award for the best actor. I have seen his debut, 'Thulluvadho Ilamai' followed with his much hyped up movies like 'Kadhal Kondein' and 'Pudhupettai' and I am not afraid to admit that, he never looked promising as an actor to me. As I hate to be ruled over by my very own collection of prejudices, I took an immediate decision to watch the movie in question; 'Adukalam'.  Movie started brilliantly with a decent narration on rooster-fighting and it's history in the background of beautiful title graphics. Unfortunately this was the only thing which was rewarding. After burning midnight oil  all I could find was a set of people who spoke Tamil in madurai Village accent and a lot of fluttering of Lungi's and a story that went like a kite cut loose. My quest went longer and longer to find out that magic moment of acting which swept the Award Jury off their feet and to my sorrow, there was nothing to find. Director Vetrimaran should have known that, all those movies that spoke Madurai Tamil didn't make a 'Virumandi'.

     But there was a surprise package in the movie, and that's the character 'Pettaikkaran' (a fighting Rooster-Trainer), the godfather of Karuppu (dhanush)  who turns a Villain in Jealousy of his disciple's over night glory. This character was played by  Sri Lankan Tamil writer and political commentator V I S Jayabalan who's settled in Norway. His performance was absolutely stunning and it was difficult to believe that it was his debut as an actor. If Adukalam was ever going to win any award, that had to be Jayabalan, but Jury had something else in their mind. After MG Ramachandran the demigod of Tamil Cinema then, bagged  the same award in 1972 for his film 'Rikshakkaran' , this has to be the second undeserved recognition in the history of Tamil Cinema.