KUSELAN MUSIC REVIEW (2008)
Cinema Cinema is too much a blantant copy of Rahman's Mudhalvane chorus backdrop but Mahadevan passes muster in this "Devuda Devuda copy" track.
Sollamma comes to a great relief as it mirrors Hariharan's lullaby vocals supported aptly by the kids. Brings a lot of comparison to Rahman's Indira tracks and Bombay's "Kuchi Kuchi Rakamma" back in the early-mid 90s.
Om Zazare seems to be a pale comparision to DASAVATHAARAM's "Ulaga Nayagane". Oh and this is that supposidly Om Shanti Om rip off track where a dozen of stars appear. But why the lame "Vaaji Vaaji" tune rip off. But Daler does okay for his first tamil song.
Nice to hear goshal sooth her way through Chaaral along with the junior singers.
Perinba has Kailash Kher (After debuting with Bheema's Rangu Rangamma) and the over-the-top lyrics. Toss in the tune from Nayak's "Rukhi Soni Roti" and
presto!
G.V Prakash has done well but really, Katha Parayumbol had 2 tracks, a satircal comic song, which Kuselan lacks, and a Mammooty track featuring is film song sequence, which Kuselan contains TOO MUCH of (Om Zazare, Cinema, Perinba)Besides Sollamma and Chaaral, Kuselan is only for the fans only. I fear worst for the remake as the original had a message-driven soundtrack, whereas here, it's sounds forced to be a commercial entertainer like SIVAJI.
Rating: **
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
DASAVATHAARAM (2008) MOVIE REVIEW [TAMIL]
Finally! After 2 years of patience and various hurdles across several controversies, this Kamal Hassan magnus opus finally arrived at theaters this past weekend here in Loehmann's Plaza. Any blemishes? While the Telugu version got a nice theater where English movies are screened, we get the trashy kachra like place that was dripping throughout the whole film. But never mind that, let's get onto the review.
Several questions must be boggling for those who haven't seen the film yet. 1) The film lives up to expectations. 2) The songs were placed well into the film. 3) All the avatars got equal scope. 4) Kamal the writer has done an excellent job of mixing the Chaos theory for the first time in Tamil Cinema.
Comparing DASAVATHAARAM to last year's surprise blockbuster SIVAJI - THE BOSS is like comparing a tsunami to a small boat. Once the film has concluded, you could only imagine that no one but the great Kamal Hassan could don 10 avatars in a 2.46 hours flick. That too directed by K.S Ravikumar, who's given 3 back-to-back hits with Hassan, AVVAI SHANMUGHI (1997, also remade in hindi as CHACHI 420 by Hassan himself), THENALI (2000), and PANCHATHANTHIRAM (2002). In fact, the screenplay deserves applause and appreciation as Kamal, the writer decided to go out of the box and weave the story around the events of the 2004 Indo - Tsunami event. Tamil Screenwriters and Directors, please take note from Hassan, you might even save the number the flops that you're experience right now (aside from ANJATHEY, SANTHOSH SUBRAMANIAN, YARADI NEE MOHINI, which are currently the only hits from the beginning of the year.) Even the great S.Shankar could learn how to place his obsession of graphics properly by viewing this filmand maybe give us a fresh kahani (kathai, ala a new story besides a cliched corruption episode?)
Here's the story: We are taken to the 12 century as mentioned in several news sites had mentioned prior to the film's release. Rangarajan Nambi (Hassan 1) is a devotee of Lord Vishnu who is sentenced to his death along the magnus Vishnu Idol under the reins of King Chola (Napolean) and a big sacrificeto his wife, Kothai (Asin 1). Fast-forward to present-era, Scientist Govind Ramaswamy (Hassan 2) discovers a chemical bio veil that could potentially help or destroy the world in his lab. But whenhis corrupt bosses and employees are behind the schemes of the ex-CIA Christian Fletcher (Hassan 3),events surrounding the veil lead to deaths of his co-worker's wife, Yuka, and his sneak-in into a flight to India. At Chennai Airport, he is arrested by Andhra CBI, Balram Naidu (Hassan 4, a comic relief character) in which misunderstandings occur and at the same place, famous Singer Avtaar Singh (Hassan 5, strangely enough can speak kocha tamil!) encounters blood cancer while his wife Ranjitha (Jayaprada) witnesses. Once Fletcher catches upto Govind in India along with his translator Jasmine (Malika Sherawat), a chaotic chase ends up in Chidabaram, where Andal (Asin 2) and an old lady, Krishnaveni Paati (Hassan 6), ends up witht the deadly vial and a chase involving a goddes idol, an encounter with Kalifullah Khan (Hassan 7), Vincent Poovaraghan (Hassan 8), Yuka's brother, Shinghen (Hassan 9), and in the end concludes with our president George W Bush (Hassan 10, phew!)
The story is excellent and contrary to laymen sites in the likes of Sify.com, Behindwoods.com,who are strongly biased towards Rajnikanth films (Just look at their verdicts for the heavily-cliched Sivaji - the Boss) there is nothing COMPLICATED in this film. The critics from those sites either can't take the intelligence woven around the screenplay or rather are dumbfounded. I think both. The Climax is the biggest highlight and I shall not say any more.
Music by Himesh Reshammiya is really good. In fact, post the Audio release, I've played the music several times during my workouts and in my sleep. So really all the songs are catchy. Devi Sri Prasad's Background score fits the bill well.
Again and again, Kamal Hassan deserves applause, merits, and max kudos for bringing something different to the Tamil and Telugu audience. Unlike SIVAJI - THE BOSS, I didn't have to sleep during the film because of the boring screenplay, I simply loved DASA's story. Asin also deserives praise for speaking in Iyengar tamil because frankly, that's no less of an achievement. Mallika Sherawat's role is limited but she also does her part well. M.S Bhasker makes a good comedian, unlike the likesof Vivek and Vadivelu. Nagesh, K.R Vijaya, Sunderajan, and P.Vasu do their parts well.
On the whole, DASAVATHAARAM will create new records while beating the other biggie, SIVAJI THE BOSS. The film ought to be watched multiple times and it's definetly worth a price of a ticket. Expect the Hindi version to be release later this year.
Rating: ****.5/5
Several questions must be boggling for those who haven't seen the film yet. 1) The film lives up to expectations. 2) The songs were placed well into the film. 3) All the avatars got equal scope. 4) Kamal the writer has done an excellent job of mixing the Chaos theory for the first time in Tamil Cinema.
Comparing DASAVATHAARAM to last year's surprise blockbuster SIVAJI - THE BOSS is like comparing a tsunami to a small boat. Once the film has concluded, you could only imagine that no one but the great Kamal Hassan could don 10 avatars in a 2.46 hours flick. That too directed by K.S Ravikumar, who's given 3 back-to-back hits with Hassan, AVVAI SHANMUGHI (1997, also remade in hindi as CHACHI 420 by Hassan himself), THENALI (2000), and PANCHATHANTHIRAM (2002). In fact, the screenplay deserves applause and appreciation as Kamal, the writer decided to go out of the box and weave the story around the events of the 2004 Indo - Tsunami event. Tamil Screenwriters and Directors, please take note from Hassan, you might even save the number the flops that you're experience right now (aside from ANJATHEY, SANTHOSH SUBRAMANIAN, YARADI NEE MOHINI, which are currently the only hits from the beginning of the year.) Even the great S.Shankar could learn how to place his obsession of graphics properly by viewing this filmand maybe give us a fresh kahani (kathai, ala a new story besides a cliched corruption episode?)
Here's the story: We are taken to the 12 century as mentioned in several news sites had mentioned prior to the film's release. Rangarajan Nambi (Hassan 1) is a devotee of Lord Vishnu who is sentenced to his death along the magnus Vishnu Idol under the reins of King Chola (Napolean) and a big sacrificeto his wife, Kothai (Asin 1). Fast-forward to present-era, Scientist Govind Ramaswamy (Hassan 2) discovers a chemical bio veil that could potentially help or destroy the world in his lab. But whenhis corrupt bosses and employees are behind the schemes of the ex-CIA Christian Fletcher (Hassan 3),events surrounding the veil lead to deaths of his co-worker's wife, Yuka, and his sneak-in into a flight to India. At Chennai Airport, he is arrested by Andhra CBI, Balram Naidu (Hassan 4, a comic relief character) in which misunderstandings occur and at the same place, famous Singer Avtaar Singh (Hassan 5, strangely enough can speak kocha tamil!) encounters blood cancer while his wife Ranjitha (Jayaprada) witnesses. Once Fletcher catches upto Govind in India along with his translator Jasmine (Malika Sherawat), a chaotic chase ends up in Chidabaram, where Andal (Asin 2) and an old lady, Krishnaveni Paati (Hassan 6), ends up witht the deadly vial and a chase involving a goddes idol, an encounter with Kalifullah Khan (Hassan 7), Vincent Poovaraghan (Hassan 8), Yuka's brother, Shinghen (Hassan 9), and in the end concludes with our president George W Bush (Hassan 10, phew!)
The story is excellent and contrary to laymen sites in the likes of Sify.com, Behindwoods.com,who are strongly biased towards Rajnikanth films (Just look at their verdicts for the heavily-cliched Sivaji - the Boss) there is nothing COMPLICATED in this film. The critics from those sites either can't take the intelligence woven around the screenplay or rather are dumbfounded. I think both. The Climax is the biggest highlight and I shall not say any more.
Music by Himesh Reshammiya is really good. In fact, post the Audio release, I've played the music several times during my workouts and in my sleep. So really all the songs are catchy. Devi Sri Prasad's Background score fits the bill well.
Again and again, Kamal Hassan deserves applause, merits, and max kudos for bringing something different to the Tamil and Telugu audience. Unlike SIVAJI - THE BOSS, I didn't have to sleep during the film because of the boring screenplay, I simply loved DASA's story. Asin also deserives praise for speaking in Iyengar tamil because frankly, that's no less of an achievement. Mallika Sherawat's role is limited but she also does her part well. M.S Bhasker makes a good comedian, unlike the likesof Vivek and Vadivelu. Nagesh, K.R Vijaya, Sunderajan, and P.Vasu do their parts well.
On the whole, DASAVATHAARAM will create new records while beating the other biggie, SIVAJI THE BOSS. The film ought to be watched multiple times and it's definetly worth a price of a ticket. Expect the Hindi version to be release later this year.
Rating: ****.5/5
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