Ayyanar Movie Review

Ayyanar Movie Review

Star Cast: Aadhi, Meera Nandan,Santhanam, Jayaprakash, Vishnupriyan and Anupama Kumar
Direction: S.S. Rajamithran
Production: Sri Rajalakshmi Films
Music: Thaman

In the two films (Mirugam and Eeram) he’s done so far, Aadhi has proved his spontaneity as an actor. In ‘Ayyanaar’, produced by P L Thenappan, he plays an angry young man on revenge mode.

A sibling feud with thrill as its backdrop is what the movie is all about.

Writer-director S.S. Rajamithran, who makes his bow with Ayyanar, has chosen a much-dealt-with revenge saga, all right, but has taken care to steer clear of the beaten track of threats and counter threats. However Rajamithran fails to focus upon certain things, which happens to be a blatant flaw in the tale.

STORY

The movie begins with Prabhakar (Aadhi) burying his dead brother Saravanan (Vishnu Priyan) and mimicking as him over the phone to his mother. Beginning in Kumbakonam, the film shifts to Chennai and swings back and forth as flashback of 2 years time.

Prabhakar (Aadhi), is the elder son of the family and he does nothing but spending all his time with his friends. He is chided by his father (Jayaprakash) for that. Being a volleyball player comes to his rescue as he finds a part-time job as a volleyball coach in a women’s college. His more qualified younger brother has already secured a job and supplements the family income. But he is petty, arrogant and supercilious when it comes to his elder brother.

The siblings cross swords with each other and Prabha is often compared to him by the family which incurs his wrath.

And when suddenly Saravanan is found murdered, all hell breaks loose…and the blame falls on Prabha.

He is on the run and soon joins a goonda working as a henchman to an influential politician (Mahadevan). Pabha goes on a killing spree killing one after another in the gang. Finally a flashback reveals that they were the reason for his brother’s death.

CAST REVIEW

It looks like Aadhi purposely opted to jump into the shoes of mass-hero. Aadhi does the lead role with ease. Unlike ‘Mirugam’ and ‘Eeram’, he has more scope to perform. He is at his best in action sequences. He has a ‘kuthu’ number and a couple of duets too.

What’s happening to Santhanam? After Boss Engira Baskaran, he has become a mere value addition (particularly in the promos) and is brought in and pulled out at will.

It’s a big disappointment for Santhanam fans as the actor doesn’t appear more than a couple of scenes. Having promoted the film with his solo images with looks of Osama Bin Laden, it turns out to be a letdown for them.

Looking fragile, vulnerable and too young to play heroine, Meera Nandan, who impressed you in her Tamil debut, Valmiki, continues to do so in Ayyanar.

Jayaprakash plays the antithesis of the concerned father that he was in Naan Mahaan Alla, but has little to do this time. On the other hand, Anupama Kumar, the mother of the young men, scores with her underplayed performance — very much in the way she did in Pokkisham and Vamsam.

Vishnupriyan, the brother, isn’t a new face exactly — he even played hero in Ilakkanam opposite Uma, and his name was Ram then. His performance in Ayyanar passes muster.

POSITIVE POINTS

Ayyanar’s theme music and the ‘Aathaadi’ piece linger in your ears — they are Thaman’s creations.

Cinematography by Sethu Sriram deserves a special mention.

NEGATIVE POINTS

At times, Prabhakar’s expressions are confounding. Why the smirk on his face when his brother’s resignation is accepted? Even if it is to deliberately mislead the viewer, it doesn’t quite suit the character.

In the first place, why did he decide to hide the death of his brother. His reasoning remains unjustified even after the show.

And why on earth could he not take his family into confidence? Several such questions arise, if the filmmaker had scrupulously concentrated in these areas, it would have been better.

The cryptic 15 minutes prologue appears effective. But in later point of time, the screenplay goes disoriented as audiences fail to differentiate between the present and flashback sequences with realms of many illogical elements.

VERDICT

Ayyanar – not so impressive