Raktha Charithram

Medium : Tamil
Starring : Soorya, Vivek Oberoi, Shatrukhnan Sinha, Sudeep, Priyamani, Radhika Apte
Director : Ramgopal Varma
Music : Imran - Vikram, Dharam - Sandeep (bg score)

Since weeks before, I have getting requests from my friends outside Kerala, to write the review on the movie titled 'Raktha Charithra 1'. Let us have a small brief about why this '1' there. The rebel director Ramgopal Varma had got this time also something different. An year before, when he had announced the movie 'Raktha Charithra', he told that it will be coming in two parts and more over it is tamil actor Soorya's debut in hindi. He will be appearing in the climax of the first part and will be the hero in the second part. 'Raktha Charithra 1' is released in hindi and telugu, a month before and had got a big positive response. The director had planned a single movie 'Raktha Charithram' for the tamil version, the first half an hour tells the whole story of the first part with the help of narrations and then Soorya will lead the story as it is.

Prathap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi), who had lost his relatives and family members, due to the cheap political games, has decided to take the swords for revenge. His group had destroyed all those people who standed on their way and Ravi thus emerges as a big powerful man who later entered politics to become a leader. He is teamed up with an actor turned politician (Shatrukhnan Sinha). Suri (Soorya) was among the many who had been affected due to the actions of Ravi. Suri and his friends had decided to kill Ravi, but Ravi survives the attack. Suri had surrendered as per request from DCP Anand (Sudeep, 'Rann', 'Phoonk 1, 2' fame). In the jail, he had planned his revenge. In the mean while, the opposition party had come forward asking Suri's wife (Priyamani) to stand in the elections, opposite Ravi. How Suri does his revenge is told through the rest of the happenings.

The director had used 'his style' in presentation using different and unstable camera angles to capture the emotions. In some areas, the frames are even rotating in 360 degrees. Such gimmicks might have been done to avoid the lip sink problems as it is a dubbed project (how ever some close up dialogues are shot in tamil). Though the problems happening for a normal dubbing movie is not there, in some areas the dialogue delivery neatly points out that it is not an original one. (If it is a hindi version, the outcome would have been more perfect). The happenings in the first part are shown too fast in the beginning; thus the audience might find difficulty to travel with that speed. The family episodes of the hero and the villain should have been discussed with more clarity. The portions in which the hero's wife entering the politics are not having many dialogues. Some of the dialogues covered by the bg score felt lengthy. The slow motions have been used in many places for keeping the tempo. There is a sort of lagging felt in some places in between. The darkish grading given for the frames is good for the movie's action mood, but when it mixes up with with the poor video quality of the theater screens, the outcome will not be the best as they expected.

The main strength of the movie lies in its excellent cinematography by Amol Rathod and mind blowing bg score by Dharam - Sandeep (in RGV style used in 'Satya', 'Company', 'Sarkar' etc). The action sequences involving the blood shelling sequences done by Javed - Ejaz are good. Ashok Gupta is the editor. Songs are not so good. Soorya has done well, he is in a tough look here. Vivek Oberoi and Sudeep are ok in their roles.

'Raktha Charithram' is a rough and tough, cold blooded subject told in Ramgopal Varma's style. Those who are particular about it can watch...


Rating : 5 / 10

Singam

Medium : Tamil
Starring : Soorya, Anushka, Prakashraj, Vivek, Nasser
Director : Hari
Music : Devisree prasad

Most of us are aware about the tensed atmosphere existing in the malayalam cine industry between different organizations related to the producers, distributors, technicians, actors etc. Some of the problems that came to the lime light are the high production cost of the films, issue of distributor's share from the theaters, theater's demand to cut short the entertainment tax, ban on a senior actor, ban on certain actors from doing shows in mini screens etc. In the middle, there is another serious issue that has been carelessly handled by them or avoided by most of us; It is regarding the release of other language films in our state. There exists an informal ban in the release of tamil-hindi films here, we will be able to watch such films only after two weeks from its original release date. Those who were responsible for this, were unable to control the arrival of films like 'Sura' and 'Kites', but succeeded in the case of the popular actor Soorya's new film 'Singam', even if it is produced by Reliance and distributed by Sun Pictures.

No such ban affects film-freaks like me and since I am lucky enough to be in the border district, I fulfilled my wish by traveling an hour to a theater situated in the neighboring state, watching the film on the third day of its release.

After doing stereo types roles in films like 'Ayan' and 'Aadhavan', Soorya has decided to do something different. He is in the police officer's role in his 25th film titled 'Singam', directed by Hari ('Saamy', 'Thamirabharani' fame). Both of them had done films like 'Aaru' and 'Vel' before. Anushka, who came as Vijay's pair in 'Vettaikkaran' is the heroine. The most valuable actor in the South, Prakashraj, also comes in a notable role.

Duraisingam (Soorya), who lives in the Nelloore village near Toothukkudi, joins the police force as per his father's (Radharavi) wish. The soft character Durai, who belongs to a big family, is being loved by all in the native. At this time, Kavya (Anushka), daughter of a rich man (Nasser), reaches her relative's house. As expected, she gets in touch with the hero through certain incidents and started loving him. At the same time, Mayilvahanam (Prakashraj), a gang leader who is involved in land mafia, is arrested as an accused in a murder case in Chennai and later let freed under bail. He came across Durai and there happens a tug of war between them. Durai gets promotion and is transferred to Chennai, the home city of his lover and the villain. The second half has got the fighting between the baddies and the police, how Durai got succeeded in winning the game is shown through a action packed climax.

The story of the film is not new, most of the scenes has got the flavor of the director's old films like 'Arul', 'Thamirabharani' etc. Soorya (with 'Thevar Makan' style mustache) has done well in the action oriented cop's role. The presence of an artist like Prakashraj opposite the hero makes the project rich, his performance is impressive as always. Anushka is glamorous, she got few scenes also to perform. Vivek is there in the constable character to do comedy scenes. Priyan's cinematography is excellent. Fast action scenes done by Rocky Rajesh & Anal Arasu is another area to be noted. The songs are presented colorfully, but the absence of much gimmicks on visuals and steps on that area is evident. Devisree Prasad had given some fast numbers, though it goes with the mood, most of them are not catchy enough to be remembered, the bg score also lacks punch here and there.

Don't expect a 'Kaakka Kaakka' magic here; 'Singam' is different one from Soorya, it is yet another action oriented entertainer made in the style of director's previous projects like 'Saamy', 'Aaru', 'Vel' etc only...


Rating : 7 / 10

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