Augusto Creations’ ‘Nagammal Padasalai’ had two plays running parallel, a scene in one play followed by a scene in the second play, with neither impeding the other. But one failed to see the purpose of the attempt, except for the novelty factor. A play stands or falls by its intrinsic merits, and ‘Nagammal Padasalai’ did not have much going for it.
One of the two stories on stage featured Annachi Ratna Pandian (S. Pothilingam), a down-to-earth, honest, successful restaurateur. He is clever, but not in a negative sense. He knows how to deal with detractors, without being abrasive, as he does when he wins overwhelming support for artist Madiazhagan. Pothilingam captured the lingo of Southern Tamil Nadu down to a T, aided by his body language and expressions. Uma Shankar also did justice to her role as Annakili — the slightly overbearing wife of Annachi. But the play was limp, and it was only the liveliness of Annachi that kept it going.
The other story was about an unscrupulous, but hugely successful lawyer Hemadri, who gets a murderer off the hook. He also gets an innocent woman Parimala convicted.
Evidence concealed
Many more despicable acts can be laid at his door. Following the dictum that nothing succeeds like success, the lawyer is tipped for a post as a judge! Police officer Aswin Kumar conceals evidence that could result in Hemadri getting the punishment he deserves. The reason? Hemadri is the father-in-law of Aswin’s former lover! Unbelievable incidents follow in quick succession.
The disbelief you had kept suspended surfaces. Can a hardened criminal like Hemadri suddenly turn over a new leaf, simply because Parimala forgives him? What about all the others whose lives Hemadri has ruined? Can Parimala’s clemency nullify all his sins? How can we forgive the police officer for abdication of his duty? Offering magnanimity as the solution to the problem of crime is simplistic and naïve.
