Movie:Ko
Cast:Jeeva, Karthika, Pia, Ajmal
There were talks of Simbu being the first choice for the lead role in “Ko” and just five minutes into the film you understand why. Simbu would have been a value addition to the lead role, but having said that one must really commend Jeeva for his crisp, honest and charming performance. As a maverick photographer for a news daily, Jeeva is sprightly and ebullient and fits the role to a T.
Director K.V. Anand has made sure to leave no stone unturned to make this film a wonderful entertainer and his hard work behind the script shows in every frame and how.
The very opening of the film makes you sit up. The rolling titles are perhaps the best seen in recent times. Montage pictures, art, scintillating photography all form the background while the text plays around. Just for the opening, the team of “Ko” deserves special mention.
Storyline
Jeeva is a photojournalist who has a knack of being at the right places at the right time. He is shown as a sensation in the industry with no fear at all, as he starts off by capturing a bank robbery in progress through his lenses and from there on his exploits only reach skyward. In comes Karthika, a journalist transferred to the Chennai wing, looking misty eyed and seemingly in a trance. Her expressions worsen once she sees Jeeva and it is love all the way for the lead pair. Piaa Bajpai looks fresh and has played a neat cameo.
The storyline brings together the three aforementioned journalists and also the most powerful package of the film Ajmal, who leads a pack of youth and forms a political party of young, educated and well bred friends. From then on, the movie grows in entertainment factor. Youth politics, political vendetta, friendship, betrayal and suspense all form the crux of the story which is entertaining fast paced and at a few stages thought provoking as well. The story is a little predictable sometimes, but kudos to the director and editor (Anthony) for having excelled in keeping the screenplay taut. The political angle in the film has been handled admirably and the dialogues are sure to tug at the thought strings of many.
Ups and downs
The lead pair, Ajmal and the supporting artists take the movie on their shoulders till the end. K.V. Anand has fast become the man who can do no wrong as his movies are a safe bet. Anthony, as always, is perfect with the scissors. Cinematography, screenplay, direction, dialogues and casting are perfect and overall they make this movie a real entertainer.
The movie, though fast paced has some flip sides. The songs for one are a huge let down. There is a popular jest in musical circles that Harris Jeyaraj composes original tunes only once per election and it seems to be justified. Other than Ennamo edo, all songs sound like you've heard them before and a couple of them pop up at really unnecessary times which mars the narration. The saving grace is the picturisation. The locations are spellbinding.
You wonder sometimes as to why the hero remains just another photographer without any special promotions or rewards, despite his daring and revolutionary exploits. Ajmal's role, though powerful, does carry with it a few flaws but that is acceptable. The second half does seem to drag on a little but the screenplay re aligns itself to end in a crescendo with a climax. But the most disappointing facet comes in Ajmal's character. Every dialogue of his in the first half of the movie loses credibility in the end when his character reverses and this is upsetting; the director should have taken better care of this aspect.
Bottomline: On the whole, “Ko” is a perfect summer movie. Spicy, suave and fast paced. But for a few glitches, “Ko” does well to make the audience sit glued to their seats. A definite entertainer!
RAGHAVAN S., 21 years, Unix System administrator, Logica PVT Ltd.
