There was a lot of buzz surrounding Sivalinga . First because it was sort of a comeback film for P. Vasu, whose Rajinikanth starrer Chandramukhi (2005) was a humongous hit and secondly because he collaborated with Raghava Lawrence, who has carved a niche for himself in horror comedy genre. However, the success formula that worked well for both of them in their earlier films individually, does not reflect as a team in Sivalinga.
The film is a remake of a Kannada film of the same title, directed by Vasu, which went on to become a big hit last year.There is nothing novel in this story of a CB-CID officer Sivalingeshwar (Raghava Lawrence), who has to crack the mystery behind the mysterious death of Rahim (Sakthi Vasu) and in this endeavour he is helped by super natural powers. All the initial excitement wanes away with the series of cliches thrown at us. Our hero, the CID officer, drives a swanky car and wears suave outfits, but also does a Kuthu number.
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Cast: Raghava LAwrence, Rithika Singh, Vadivelu, Urvasi, Bhanu Priya, Sakthi Vasu
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Raghava Lawrence, who is still in the Kanchana hangover, often irritates with his fear for ghost act and Superstar mannerisms. It is when he moves into the huge bungalow adjacent to a graveyard with his newly married wife Satya Bama (Rithika Singh) that the narrative gains momentum. She scores in the scenes where she is possessed in Rahim’s soul. Vadivelu saves many a moment in the film with his comic timing, but after a while even he cannot help. Urvashi who plays Sivalingeshwar’s mother makes no impression with her kitschy costumes and wig. The comic timing that Raghava had with Kovai Sarala in Kanchana is completely missing in Sivalinga .
In spite of its many shortcomings, the film will be a treat for Raghava Lawrence fans, where this Karuppu Raja, enthralls his fans with his terrific dance numbers. Sivalinga is a big let down by the pioneers of horror/comedy genre.