Action dons a sentimental garb -- Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram
SENTIMENTAL: Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram
Genre: Action
Director: Suresh Krissna
Cast: Dhanush, Archana, Meera Jasmine
Storyline: Circumstances separate a doting mother and her affectionate son.
Bottomline: Remakes could be tricky!
A son comes away to the city without informing his mother, and she too lands up there looking for him. Son learns that she has left the village and the search of one for the other, which turns out to be an exercise in futility, begins. That in a nutshell is the line the narration tows in K.R.Infotainment (P) Ltd.'s `Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram'(U). When the game of hide and seek goes on and on without a fruitful end it makes you impatient.
You almost feel sorry for Dhanush, with the larger than life image of pa in law looming large. However much he tries to stand on his own comparisons do arise.
You cannot but recall the role of Parattai, Rajinikanth performed decades ago. And even in the dialogue, there's a reference to the young man looking as smart as Rajini! At least in the future Dhanush should avoid such analogies.
And to be fair to Dhanush, he is quite convincing, if you can forget the wiry frame that walks around looking invincible, with a whole lot of henchmen behind him. Archana makes a comeback in a substantial role as the mother of Azhagu Sundaram. She is apt except that she could have underplayed a little.
It's more of violence for violence sake in `Parattai ... ' Sad that the story is almost based on a pair of gold bangles, to get which the hero undergoes untold ordeals, ends up a killer, loses his mother and religiously looks for her everywhere else, even when she's right in front of him! Amidst all the drama the bonding between the mother and son only takes a melodramatic turn.
Implausible aspects
Said to be a student of journalism it's rather strange that Shwetha (Meera Jasmine) goes around with a picture of Azhagu Sundaram (who's known as Parattai in the city), and yet doesn't even notice so much as a resemblance between the village bred and the thug!
For all that there is very little change in the villager after he comes to the city, except that his long, oiled and tied up hair has been let loose now! Jasmine's role is a let down. And Kadhar Bhai (Nasser) perplexes you.
Take the sickle in your hand and you will find your mother, he tells Parattai! The advice defies logic, and the serious scene only evokes a smile. You expected more from dialogue writer Rajkannan.
The placement of a duet (`Engayda... ') in the midst of sober and serious scenes hampers the flow no end. How could a director of Krissna's calibre allow a sequence that's so ill timed? However the colour scheme, costume and location of the song are appealing. (Did you at all see the lead pair together in the song?) Composer Gurukiran's re-recording has more of verbal sounds than musical notes.
Enough attention has been paid to the nativeness of the remote village in Tirunelveli, from where the story takes off. The dialect, in particular, makes an impact.
Director Suresh Krissna handles the telepathy factor convincingly, to highlight the mother-son affection
The Archana-Dhanush jig with its theme music, reminds you of Dhanush's footwork in `Kadhal Kondain.'
Only that the freshness of the former is missing here. `Parattai ... ' is remake of the Kannada `Jogi.' The original was a hit you hear, and that sets you wondering!
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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