While a lot of hoo-ha is made about certain remakes, others arrive in silence, as Mirattal (U) has. Very much on the lines of Vishnu Manchu’s super hit Telugu film, Dhee , which had Genelia playing heroine, and Brahmanandam providing diversion, Mirattal is an entertainer with an ample dose of comedy. And these days, think comedy and you think Santhanam — the actor doesn’t disappoint. Santhanam enhances the entertainment quotient once again, in Mirattal . Eschewing crude innuendos, and scatology that leaves you grimacing, the comedian provides neat fun.
If there’s a likeable villain in Tamil cinema, it has to be Prabhu in Mirattal . The veteran is another value addition to the film. He may be a murderer, a foolishly doting brother, or a naïve boss when the hero is around, but he keeps you amused throughout.
After Unnalae Unnalae and Jayam Kondaan , Vinay Rai returns in an effervescent role in Mirattal . The hero would prefer to forget Modhi Vilaiyaadu , a dampener, or even Dam 999 , which didn’t do much for his career. Thankfully, unlike in Modhi Vilaiyaadu , Vinay’s voice has been dubbed. Sharmila Mandre debuts as the heroine and is just about adequate. In Mirattal , teaming up with Santhanam, Vinay offers several rib-tickling moments. Mansoor Ali Khan and Kanja Karuppu supply some drollery, not to forget Pandiarajan’s frightened outbursts at home and in the villain’s company that have you in splits. Even Uma Padmanabhan as the mother of the hero bolsters the humour segments in Mirattal . The odd one out in this chirpy sojourn is Bosskey!
Mirattal is the story of two villains, played by Prabhu and Pradeep Rawat. Shankar (Prabhu) has killed the latter’s son and triggers the streak of vendetta in the enemy. The pawn in this game is Shankar’s sister, Deepika (Sharmila), whom the brother dotes on. The girl is in love with Babloo (Vinay), who works for Shankar… Don’t yawn already! Because, surprisingly, by treating even serious situations with hilarity, director Madhesh’s Mirattal makes the oft-trodden path fairly enjoyable.
Agreed, you cannot expect rationale in a commercial film. But Madhesh could have lessened the predictability of the characters — Prabhu’s, for instance. A couple of lines in the dialogue seem to be tweaked up versions from films such as Boss Engira Bhaskaran . And when it is Santhanam who is repeating the words he has spoken earlier, though with minor variations, they don’t go down well with the viewer.
‘Hundred per cent Thillu Mullu’ is the tagline — ‘and zero per cent logic’ would have described Mirattal better. It is evident that Madhesh’s objective is to make his film a complete entertainer. To a certain extent, it is Mission Accomplished.
Mirattal
Genre: Action Comedy
Director: R. Madhesh
Cast: Vinay, Sharmila, Prabhu, Pandiarajan, Santhanam
Storyline: If one goon kills the son, the other is out to kill the enemy’s sister. But what is the hero for, if he doesn’t browbeat the boss with his wit, or pay attackers blow for blow?
Bottomline: Look for a laugh or two, not for logic!
