Boss Engira Bhaskaran

Medium : Tamil
Starring : Arya, Nayantara, Santhanam, Subbu Panchu, Vijayalakshmi
Director : M.Rajesh
Music : Yuvan Shankar Raja

After enjoying the success of historical subject 'Madrasapattinam', rising star Arya has come up with a comic entertainer, 'Boss Engira Bhaskaran'. He got Nayantara as his pair for the first time. It is produced by big banner Red Giant Movies. M.Rajesh ('Siva Manassile Sakthi' fame) has directed the movie. His first movie was having actor Jeeva in lead role and Arya doing a guest appearance and for 'Boss Engira Bhaskaran', the former one comes in the guest role, which is a coincidence to be noted.

Bhaskaran (Arya) is an easy going guy, who is spending his life in a don't care manner, without doing any job. He is still struggling to pass his arrears. On one such appearance, he met Chandrika (Nayantara), a college lecturer. He started loving her. His elder brother's (Subbu Panchu) marriage is fixed with Chandrika's sister (Vijayalakshmi). Bhaskaran told the love matters to his brother's wife, but she doesn't agrees saying about the irresponsible attitude in life. Bhaskaran leaves the house with the ambition of finding a job and make money, whether he succeeded in it or not is shown in the later portions of 'Boss Engira Bhaskaran'.

The story of the movie is not a fresh one. These type hero roles has happened many times before in many languages. The hero's character lacks the stability that required and the way in which he succeeds and wins the heroine is a cinematic thing only. The characterization of hero's bother is realistic and Subbu Panchu (son of veteran producer Panchu Arunachalam), who did the hero's bother has performed well, but his voice is lacking the necessary gain in many portions. Vijayalakshmi ('Friends' fame) did well in his wife's role also. Like 'Yaaradi Nee Mohini', 'Vallavan' and 'Kalvanin Kaathali', Nayantara is having a domination character; since his looks are more suited for such types of roles, she is good. Though it is not an extra ordinary effort, Arya is also ok for the role. Santhanam, who comes as the hero's friend, has got many laughing situations to handle. Shakila's role is a repetetive one only.

The cinematic spoof done for Jeeva's guest character is not an easily digestive one. His guest role is not so charming as Arya's one in 'Siva Manassile Sakthi'. The episode involving the tutorial college should have been done in a more serious way. The way in which the hero talks to his lover in the class room cannot be accepted and the way in which the love at first sight situations are created also needs more clarity. It has now become a trend in using the Ilayaraja songs as bg score, but here in some situations they felt awkward. The group dancers for the marriage song should have been avoided.

Songs by Yuvan Shankar Raja are not so excellent to be remembered. Some colorful visuals has been given by Sakthi Saravanan ('Chennai600028', 'Saroja', 'Goa' fame cinematographer). Vivek Harshan ('Big B', 'Sagar Alias Jackie' fame) is the editor.


If there are no choices, you can watch 'Boss Engira Bhaskaran'. Please note that it is just an average movie only...


Rating : 5.5 / 10

Body Guard

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Dileep, Nayantara, Mithra Kuriyan, Thyagarajan, Harisree Asokan
Director : Siddique
Music : Ouseppachan

Director Siddique is enjoying a very long gap of 6-7years after his previous film, 'Chronic Bachelor'. Though he has done a tamil film ('Saadhu Mirandaa' with Prasanna, Kavya Madhavan) and a telugu film ('Satyam Sivam Sundaram' with Nithin, Nila), his presence in malayalam was not there. Now he is back with a film named 'Body Guard' casting Dileep for the first time. The heroine is none other than Nayantara, who is a sensation in the south indian film industry. Though she got her debut and her first few films in malayalam, she is busy these days in other languages. In between, she did a song in malayalam film 'Twenty 20' also.


The film 'Body Guard' has been in the news for a long time. The shooting of the film, happened more than 400days. It is produced by Johny Sagariga. As the producer was doing another Dileep film ('Mose and Cat') in the same time with Fazil, the dates got clashed and Siddique had to keep adjustments for his senior director. 'Mose and Cat' bombed in the box office, the producer was having some liabilities. Also the release date of 'Body Guard' was postponed, as the director's previous partner Lal's film 'To Harihar Nagar' was also releasing at the same time. Before the release, we heard that tamil super star Vijay heard this story and he is willing to do the film in tamil soon. Now, after the grand success of 'Keralavarma Pazhassi Raja', producer Gokulam Gopalan has shown interest in distributing 'Body Guard' and it happened. Cameraman S.Kumar and music director Ouseppachan came to the Siddique camp for the first time through this film.


The title role done by the hero is shown as a different character from his childhood days. Jayakrishnan (Dileep) is a person having no fear and his ambition was to become a rowdy. When grown up, he became an assistant (body guard) to a business man. He helped his master to do his illegal activities by giving a physical support. At this time, he heard about Asokan (Thyagarajan), who is a notable millionaire in another village. He wished to work as Asokan's body guard and he reached there with a recommendation. Asokan didn't like the attitude of Jayakrishnan, but later he got a chance to impress the rich man by saving his life. He is appointed as the bodyguard of his daughter Ammu (Nayantara) and he also joined her college as a student as a part of his duty. She was not allowed to move freely, as he always accompanies her. Being frustrated, she decided to play a trick. She is giving anonymous calls to Jayakrishnan's mobile by changing her voice. He is not able to identify her. This game later became serious and a set of incidents happens in both of their life.


'Body Guard' has got a good story with an excellent twist in the climax. But the main problem happened in the way in which the script writer / director conceived it. The characterization of the hero, heroine and her father needs more stability and depth. The presentation of the film is too ordinary and it is suitable for a film in the late 90's. You can't see any colorful visuals here. The director is "notorious' for handling humor, which is evident in his previous films. But the comedy used here is not up to the standard. Only a few occasions created natural laughing. The characterization of Harisree Asokan and Janardhanan is repetitive and we have seen it in director's previous films like 'Chronic Bachelor' and 'Friends' also. The phone scenes between the hero and heroine which covers the maximum length of the movie creates lagging. The only benefit from such sequences will be the producer and the new mobile service provider which has been launched last year, as their theme song is being used as the ring tone by the hero.

The director should have given importance to some other situations associated with the hero and the heroine's characters. Too much of scenes regarding phone call should have been avoided. The reason told by the hero through the phone regarding his respect for the heroine felt childish and created negative response from the crowd. People also don't want to see the hero studying at this age and getting a rank in the examination to see his unknown lover. All such situations cannot have a postitive effect as the controversial girl, Nayantara also participates in it. Ouseppachan had given 5 songs, most of them very below average only ("perilla rajyathe..." is a rememberable one), which can also be the reason for demoting the film. Hence, the choreography (done by Prabhudeva, Vishnudeva, Vinod, Poppy) has also not felt the best. Stunt master Malaysia Bhasker, which is seen after a long gap, gave some good punches. Dileep, Guiness Pakru, Nayantara and Mithra Kurian ('Gulumaal' fame) have done their roles well.


It is very sad to see the outcome of the movie which created great expectation and good pre-release reports. Even after getting a good theme, the director had failed on the scripting area. The molding the central characters and its presentation should have been more serious. In these days of advanced technology, we can't allow the viewers to become restless. You should keep in mind that, he is here after watching films like 'Nadodikal', '3 Idiots' and 'Avatar'. Even if, you are having the experienced S.Kumar (camera) and Gowrishankar (editor) behind the scenes, the dryness in the visuals are clearly noticeable.


It is up to you to decide, whether you want to watch 'Body Guard', as the attraction lies only in the story with a good climax. In between, the film is having problems in its presentation side (The fact is that even if the basement of a house is extra ordinary, you can't enjoy your life in it, when it is not neatly built...!!!)

Rating : 5.5 / 10 (revised)

Aadhavan

Medium : Tamil
Stariing : Soorya, Murali, Vadivelu, Nayantara, Rahuldev, Sayaji Shinde
Direction : KS Ravikumar
Music : Harris Jayaraj

The popularity of a hero in any language changes, due to which his stardom may increase , it all happens within a matter of time. It is evident in the case of Soorya. Born as the son of yesteryear actor Sivakumar, the young star didn't have much hits to his credit alone, until the release of 'Ghajini'. Later came films like 'Perazhakan' and 'Vaaranam Aayiram' which proved his caliber in acting. The value of the hero is really understood when an average film like 'Ayan' also became a super hit. In the middle, the fell down of Vijay and Ajith films have helped the young man to rise up. Now his latest film 'Aadhavan' is released with a big opening. Also the dances by the crowd inside the theater shows that Surya has got big fans in our state.


Super hit director KS Ravikumar has directed the film. Those who have not heard this name before should know that he is the director of big films like 'Naattaamai', 'Muthu', 'Avvaishanmukhi', 'Padayappa', 'Thenali', Dasavatharam' etc. Since Sun Pictures is already a big production banner, their rivals in the field had also decided to enter the big screen and thus Udyanithi Stalin, the younger member of Mr.Karunidhi's family has produced the movie. Music is given by the hero's favorite music director Harris Jayaraj. R.Ganesh is the cinematographer and this is another work by editor Donmax in tamil after 'Silambattom'.


The film starts with the introduction of the hero through a fighting sequence, the title credits gives the maximum boost for his heroism, followed by a song. He works for the Bhai (Sayaji Shinde) gang in Calcutta. He is shown as a professional killer. His latest assignment is to kill a judge (Murali), who is the head of an enquiry commission. Though he tried, his attempt is failed in the first time. Now he is decided to complete the mission within 10days and thus reached the target place. What happens in between these days is what shown through the film 'Aadhavan' which is presented in KS Ravikumar's style with a mix of comedy, romance, songs, dance, action with a couple of suspense elements later.


However, the climax sequences of the film have got the touch of an old masala movie. Also the majority of the scenes happening inside a house, won't give the freshness as expected. The usage of old songs by MGR and the scenes regarding Ramesh Khanna, who is also the story writer won't be easily accepted here. The combination of Vadivelu with Soorya has given many comic situations here and there. I usually love to watch such comedy sequences in tamil. I am doubtful whether an average viewer or a die hard fan of Soorya will accept such situations. The scenes inside the judge's house resembles director's old film with Arjun, 'Kondattam'. Like before, this time also the director appears after the climax scene; here the young producer also accompanies him. That area is too lengthy and it gives us restlessness in the end also. An average malayalee won't have any nostalgic feeling seeing the old actress Sarojadevi in a major role.


Soorya did well in the main role. He has performed well in the songs and some of them are visualized in the style of recent films by the same hero. As usual Nayantara is not confident in dance scenes. This is the last film for malayalam actor, late Murali who comes in a character role. Songs by Harris Jayaraj is not popular like the hero's previous films, which can also affect the project.


The action scenes by Kanal Kannan and Farnz (Australia) is fast. The visuals captured by cameraman Ganesh are colorful. The visual effects done in making the hero looks like a young boy is ok and it is maintained well using cut shots; for such a different effort small negatives in it can be pardoned.


Compared to the very recent films by the hero, 'Aadhavan' is not the best. The tempo created in the beginning is also lost in the second half which affected the outcome of the project; but you can watch it for the rising star Soorya.


Rating : 6.5 / 10