Kalavani – Movie Review

Kalavani

Verdict: Best Entertainer of this season

Production: Nasir

Direction: Sargunam

Star-casts: Vimal, Oviya, Thiru Murugan, Saranya, Ilavarasu and others

Music: SS Kumaran

Camera: Om Prakash

Art: T. Santhanam

Stunts: Dhilip Subbarayan

Co-production: Zahir

Lyrics: Na. Muthukumar, A. Sargunam

‘Cool’ could be the right choice to describe ‘Kalavani’ in one word. Hardly the fact that the movie is directed by a debutant and there are no big stars in it would strike you, as you would be so glued to the film right from scene one. In other words, ‘Kalavani’, directed by fresher Sargunam (a former associate of ‘Kireedam’ fame Vijay) is a light hearted film that comes across as a whiff of fresh air, throwing light on the sense and sensibility of human relationships. The story is nothing new. It is about a boy and a girl from two different villages which are at loggerheads for years. Not just that, the girl has an elder brother too, who poses hurdles to the affair, a regular thing in most of the movies made in these parts. But the treatment the director has given to the script and the way he narrated the story win all accolades. Aptly helping him is cinematography by Om Prakash and music by S S Kumaran (of ‘Poo’ fame), not to forget the support given by producer Nazir to make such a different venture. Arikki (Vimal), a good for nothing youth, is pampered by his mother (Saranya), with his father (Ilavarasu) working in Dubai sending money for their survival. Arikki is the one who also does some harmless minor heists and makes marriage proposals to every girl he meets. But things change when he falls for Maheswari (Oviya), a girl from a nearby village whose terms with Arikki’s place is not worth mentioning. The feud between the two villages is further fueled when one of Arikki’s friends crosses swords with Ilango (Thirumurugan), Maheswari’s brother. How Arikki successfully crosses all hurdles and ties the knot to Maheswari is the rest of the story, which is told in a lively and unconventional way that could even make you to roll over the floor laughing. For Vimal, it is an extension of his ‘Pasanga’ act and he does it with ease. Oviya fits well to the role of a village belle. The experience of Saranya and Ilavarasu is visible on screen while debutant Thirumurugan marks his presence. Ganja Karuppu as Panchayathu tickles the funny bone. If you are ready to forget some loopholes which you rarely come across and game for a fun-filled ride, ‘Kalavani’ could be a wise choice to spend some quality time. For films like ‘Kalavani’ is not a regular happening in Tamil cinema.... Movie Review: What a director and what a debut! Imagine making a traffic cop on duty reach into his pocket and cough up money for a children's cricket match. The visions such a scene unleashes in you are mind-blowing, but that is only a tiny part. The entire film moves along on a kind of screenplay that is smooth and unlaboured, while the dialogues, arriving with a minimum of fuss, are so laced with humour that you are constantly grinning. Above all, what makes the film's story work is the depth of characterisation the director is able to bring to the job. Clearly, he is one who understands the sense and sensibility behind human relationships. Not just between the lead characters but also among the disparate crew who don the roles of various family members. There are many more brownie points for the director, who last assisted Vijay in 'Kreedom', but time to cut to the story. Basically a romance. The hero and heroine belonging to different villages are at loggerheads with each other and this spills over even to kids' cricket contests. But the feud is introduced rather late. Up front, you are treated to Arikki's (Vimal of 'Pasanga' fame) tangos with his mother (Saranya). He has trouble clearing Plus II, but has no problems getting her to part with a couple of hundred bucks to splurge on beer and stuff with his friends. She tries to secretly deposit the money sent by her husband (Ilavarasu) employed in Dubai, but no luck. Arikki stumbles upon it. When advised not to pamper him, Saranya rattles off about an astrologer's prediction, a line that is a refrain throughout the film. But in the scene where the father discovers the son's perfidy, she explains the rationale behind such a belief. Arikki is also not above lifting a sack of fertiliser belonging to the co-operative, and such other minor heists. Harmless scrapes include playing pranks on Panchayathu ('Ganja' Karrupu) and his wife. The scene where Arikki and four friends think up the scam of collecting funds for a cricket match from all the shop owners in Mannargudi. Arikki also has the habit of making every girl say, ' I will marry you,' even if she does not mean it. Until he falls in love with Maheshwari (Oviya) and badgers her to declare herself, which she does much later. The scene where a sloshed Arikki muscles into a cab only to realise his father is in the back seat is priceless. By this time the feud between the villages is roiling thanks to one of Arikki's friends falling in love with Ilango's (debutant Thirumurugan) 'mora ponnu' and in a drunken spree the hero and his gang kidnap her. Ilango, in case you didn't figure out, is Maheshwari's brother. Maheshwari's wedding with another boy, the rescue attempt, her unconventional marriage to Arikki, and the climax are oh so ROFL. And surprise, surprise, no big stars. SS Kumaran's background score is good, while Omprakash's camera seems to be everywhere, and knows what it should do. A complete entertainer.  In simple terms, ‘Kalavani’ is a blatant revision of Bharathiraja’s yesteryear films based on villagers’ conflicts and guy-gal falling in love. However, Sargunam completely gets rid of the gloomy backdrops as such that of tragic climax and polishes ‘Kalavani’ with hilarious quotients that is more interesting at few parts. Just as the title goes, the film is about one such funny-chiseler Arikki (Vimal), a guy about who even devil fears to bother for his scamming acts. Nothing makes him responsible as he leads his life fetching money from his mother (Saranya) and his father (Ilavarasu) living in Dubai. He comes across Maheshwari (Oviya) from the other village and falls in love with her. But an unexpected twist in the tale strikes when he comes to know that Maheshwari is none other younger sister of Ilango (Thiru Murugan), with whom he had locked horns before few years. Rest of the film proceeds about Arikki’s smart moves of sorting out the issues and joining hands with Oviya… Though Vimal’s characterization reminiscences about his delineation in previous ‘Pasanga’, nothing seems to be diminishing his efforts. In an unstrained manner, he keeps carrying out his performance with an ease. Newcomer Oviya suits well the role of village belle and her performance at few places is good. The film’s co-director Thiru Murugan has donned the baddie character that can be credited as a moderate effort. Nothing to say about Saranya and Ilavarasu as they’ve sleepwalked in their roles… On the flip side, director Sargunam fails to project the nativity in a right manner. The reasoning behind the conflicts popping up between two villages looks like a silly one. Even at certain points where things that have to be projected substantially, the filmmaker diminishes those aspects. What was so impressive about the girl that urged protagonist to fall in love with her? After a very long time, it’s nice to see Ganja Karuppu in a better way. Watch out for the sequence where he’s blown out of waters on hearing the announcement that he has committed suicide as his wife got to know his illegal affair, which isn’t actually a truth. Cinematographer Om Prakash seems to have been wildly inspired by those Hollywood classics as he sustains few shots and composes more frames with top-angles. Background score and songs by S.S. Kumar aren’t so appealing. With a running length of approximately 2.5hrs, the film has possibilities to capture down south audiences while it may take some more time to engage the multiplex audiences.