The protagonist of Mandhira Punnagai (U/A) isn't a person you would like to rub shoulders with. Frank and forthright to a fault, his acid tongue is his weapon. But behind the unwarranted rudeness is a maimed mind. You don't come across such a character in cinema often.
And MP is definitely not one of your run-of-the mill movies. Director Karu Pazhaniappan, who made a mark with Parthiban Kanavu and Pirivom Sandhippom , debuts as hero of MP . Each of Pazhaniappan's three earlier films (including Sivappadhikaaram ) has been different. The fourth again is a rarely-trodden path that analyses the hero's psyche.
An extra-marital affair, its aftermath and a traumatised childhood have been projected as subtly as possible. Kadhir (Karu Pazhaniappan), an architect by profession, is notorious for his arrogance.
His intentions are noble but his words acerbic. Nandini (Meenakshi) enters his life like a whiff of fresh air and just when things look rosy problems brew…
As an actor, Pazhaniappan can do better. And his attempts at dance are pathetic — thankfully he restricts it to one song sequence. A performing role comes Meenakshi's way and she does enough justice. Having lost a lot of weight since her …Kuthagaidharar days, from some angles she looks too thin, but attractive all the same. Thambi Ramaiah (Manmadha Naidu) who came out with a memorable show in Mynaa , and Santhanam whose comic lines in Boss Engira Baskaran are still the talk of the town, enhance the interest element to a certain extent. You also have director Nakulan Ponnusamy in the important role of Kadhir's father.
The screenplay drags at certain points.
Rajeevan's sets are a laudable aspect of the film. Enticing lighting inside apartments and absorbing angles (Ramnath Shetty) deserve mention.
The Pazhaniappan-Vidyasagar combo has always worked. Lovely, lilting score is Vidya's forte, and MP exemplifies it yet again. Each song is in a different genre — the melody of ‘Satta Sada Sada' will ring in your ears for long.
An erstwhile associate of Parthepan, the senior's influence is quite evident in Pazhaniappan's MP . The arrogant hero who cares little about others' opinion of him reminds you of Parthepan in Pudhiya Paadhai . So does the logorrhoea in certain sequences which makes you want to scream! Also, the points raised by the residents of the apartment complex at the meeting, and Ramaiah's rebuttal are almost similar to such a scene in Anjali .
Mandhira Punnagai , whose powerful subject and fairly interesting treatment deserve a wide reach, would have got it very easily if Pazhaniappan had gone in for a popular face for the role. As a director, he scores. It is the actor who needs to hone his skill.
Mandhira Punnagai
Genre: Drama
Director: Karu Pazhaniappan
Cast: Karu Pazhaniappan, Meenakshi, Santhanam
Storyline: Of a young man who is forever on the offensive
Bottomline: The director proves his mettle. But casting is a crucial issue.
malathi rangarajan
