Originally Posted by
Plum
Happened to wake up at 4AM unexpectedly and settled for Indru Nee Naalai Naan, Directed by "Major", as he credits himself in the titles. Remember vividly from Doordarshan days - what I remember is some decent songs, some funny business between Sivagumar and Latchumi, and vaguely understandable adultery. Remember LOL mostly - even at that age, Sivakumar's LOL potential was well recognised and appreciated. Man's a (unintentional) LOL legend.
Watching it again, there's a decent semblance of a knot and potential in the theme and screenplay(by "Major" himself). Theme and the screenplay is quite bold. Right from the moment Sivagumaar(in an awful performance) sizes up Lakshmi, ostensibly as a prospective bride for his foster brother Jaishankar to the frustrated momens of Lakshmi neglected by husband Jai for long stretches of the movie(Jai in a subtle performance hints at impotence brilliantly, and even the screenplay-dialogues catch this aspect very very well without being explicit), and the eventual bursting of the dam of feelings between Lakshmi and Sivagumaar on a cliched rainy night post Jai's death.
The film is bold even for now wherein we would refuse to acknowledge the dynamics of the aNNi-kozhundhan relationship as dictated by the circumstances of this story.
Lakshmi, tailormade for the role, is very good and Jaishankar, in an insignificant role, does exactly what the role requires in a subtle performance that is sure to miss appreciation for the weight it adds to the story.
But Sivagumaar, central to the movie, destroys it all with a laughable performance right down to the climax, which is chillingly individualistic without bowing to the stndard issue "living for the children", which is what I expected even in this viewing, having forgotten the individualistic decision of Lakshmi, betrayed by fate all her life, takes, steadfastly refusing to embrace the noble, idealistic, "bringing up sivagumaar's children with Sulakshana" kind of climax a standard issue tamil film even of these times is expected to give.
Coupled with all these dynamics, and the dynamic of Jai being busy with all his party activities, the partymen-Jai relationship and screenplay contrivances all point to a Kerala influence.
I remember the titles said "kadhai - T A Balan". Sounds like a Malayalam original to me.
I am sure the Malayalam original with any competent Mallu lead actor would be a brilliant mine of subtext.
Lastly, the reason I sat through this till 7AM - ofcourse, Raja dispenses this unworthy vehicle with backbone-enabling songs and BGM, firmly keeping the film from collapsing right until the climax when Sivagumaar finally collapses the film after 3 hrs of single handed effort, with his "innaikkkkuuaaau neeeeeee naaaaaaalaikku naan".
The songs are situational and sit well on the movie - mottu vitta mullai chedi captures several dynamics from Sulakshana's freshly blossomed pregnancy celebration, Lakshmi fighting her feelings of happines for friend sulakshana and Sivagumaar(whom she had mistaken for her bridegroom in her pelli choopulu earlier), Jai very subtly excusing himself from the scene when Lakshmi, in the second stanza talks about her vaaliba vayasu feelings remaining unrequited.
Thaazhamboove kannurangu is a racy thaalattu(ivlo forceA paadina kozhandhai epdi thoongum) but the kozhandhai in question faces a life full of such forceful events destined to end in tragedy so perhaps it is apt.
Kaangeyam kaalaigale is suitably rumbunctious.
And then of course, the coup de grace of the movie - Pon Vaanam Panneer thoovudhu, the one reason why I kept awake till the end of the movie.
adhu sari, why this big a write up for this movie? I am just feeling generous and more importantly, speculating that there is a malayalam original. Can anyone point out? Would make a good movie with a better perfomer in place of Sivakumar, and a better director than "major" - Mammootty and Sethumadhavan perhaps?