Movie Review: Subramaniapuram

The movie opens with an event and then sketches the series of events leading to the opening event. The director (He’s a new guy - Sasikumar who has worked with Bala and Ameer prior to this movie) brings out realism effortlessly scene by scene. Be it the infatuation between the guy and the girl, the 80’s tone, madurai’s sandhu pondhu, avainga varuvainga accent, theatre adrenaline rush, aruva-vettu-kuthu, thiruvizha segment- everything is as real as they can be presented. Most of the people playing the characters are new, which makes you have no bias about them. They just pretty much fit like normal people and you as the audience is simply transported to an alive, breathing audio-visual sequence.

The first half of the movie meanders meaninglessly just as the characters are. There are 4 youths of which 3 don’t want to work to fulfill their livelihood & luxury needs. Somehow if their needs get fulfilled, they are ready to have fun and carry on their adi-odhai-vettu-kuthu business. One guy is handicapped but he wants to work hard and earn his way through. Their friendship with each other is established neatly. The exploitation of their vulnerability to trust by the small-time politician is brought out really well. The 3 vetti guys choose the path of violence through an emotional blackmail. The arbitrariness and absurdity of their choice is very realistic. The second half of the movie then proceeds to compensate for the meandering first half with each twist unfolding and aiding the next. The motive behind each of these twists is the killer aspect of the story.

I heard that the music is composed by James Vasanthan of Sun TV Top Ten Movies fame. Kangal Irandal - the melodious love tune is simply awesome. The other songs are so-so, but the background score gels well with the flow of the movie. Overall it is a great film to watch, but beware: they are some seriously disturbing violent scenes. Sasikumar adds himself to the list of talented tamil directors and has a bright future.