K ozhi Koovuthu is old wine in a new bottle but let that not, for a moment, mislead you into thinking that it is a remake of the yesteryear blockbuster by the same name.
Director Ranjith deserves both bouquets and brickbats for his film, which is reasonably engaging, thanks largely to a whole-hearted effort by his cast and crew. It’s a plot that’s been beaten to death in Tamil cinema. Kumaresan (Ashok), a small time poultry trader who cons villagers by painting his chickens to make them look like the offspring of other birds and hybrids, falls in love with Thulasi (Sija Rose), a college student who happens to be the daughter of a well-to-do man in the village. Although Thulasi’s dad is an altruist, his younger brother and sister aren’t and as expected, insist on the girl marrying a relative whose status is on par with theirs. Whether the lovers unite is what the film is all about.
The story is predictable — right from the start till the end — and therefore completely lacks the element of surprise. However, what the movie lacks by way of suspense, it makes up for with neat performances from its cast.
Ashok and Sija Rose, in particular, impress. Both lead actors seem to have delivered and what’s more, they do it in style. They are more than ably supported by Rohini as the mother of Ashok and Bose Venkat as the uncle of Sija Rose. E. S. Ramraj’s music too is a plus for the film as is the camera of A .Jayaprakash. Ranjith, whose script is found lacking in freshness, scores with his presentation skills. The director manages to get across his message in a clear manner and that, by itself, is an achievement. It’s a decent effort by the director. However, a little more thought to the film’s plot could have gone a long way in enhancing its appeal.
Kozhi Koovuthu
Genre: Drama
Director: K I Ranjith
Cast: Ashok, Sija Rose, Rohini, Bose Venkat, Naren, Mayilsamy, Singamuthu
Storyline: A poor guy falls for a rich girl whose family doesn’t approve of their love for each other.
Bottomline: The plot is too old and clichéd for audiences to find it entertaining.
