Kanthaswamy .... Lets you down !
-C.Karthik
Cast: Vikram, Shriya, Raghuvaran, Vivek, Santhanam & Others
Direction: Susi Ganesan
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Production: Kalaipuli S Thanu
Banner: V Creations
Super heroes are a part of our folkfore. We have seen Robinhood, Superman, Spiderman.... to our very own Krishh and we believe they are super humans. Super heroes need not fly or wear underwear on top of their pants. Even Jason Bourne was a Super hero. So when Vikram was introduced as a superhero at the trailer release, expectation rose..... So who is Kanthaswamy ?
Is he Robinhood ? Maybe. Is he Superman ? No. Is he Spiderman ? No. Is he human at all ? Yes. But definitely not super hero stuff. It took nearly three years for this movie to get released.... It had Vikram as the lead..... It had a whole lot of stars acting in it...... Susi Ganesan directing it.... Was this all worth the wait ?
I would be Mr. Bad guy if i say the movie is not worth it, but yes it has its moments but definitely disappointing. So what is this movie all about ?
People throng to Thiruporur (where Lord muruga is worshipped as Kanthaswamy ).... write their grievances on a piece of paper, tie it to a tree and lo behold..... all their wishes come true. So is this a spiritual movie ? No. Because there is a "human" Kanthaswamy behind all this. Who is he ? Vikram ? No i wont spill the beans here. because you have Prabhu investigating this. He wants to prove that the reason behind all the events is an "aasami" not "saami". Well... very interesting so far.
The interesting part comes to an end even before the interval when the director "plans" to reveal who Kanthaswamy is and what he does. Huh.... makes you wonder whats in store. So whats Prabhu doing when everyone knows it is Vikram who is the "aasami".
So whats the second half all about ? Oh well, you have Shriya, Vadivelu and two villains to stretch your time. And by the time the movie ends.... you can see everyone yawning.
So is this a bad movie ? No...im not saying it.
Susi Ganesan, a engineer himself, has tried to make a "logical" superhero. How ? By showing that the hero does not actually fly but showing that there are strings attached to his back. WOW. Where he has failed is when he has forgotten to write a decent screenplay out of the story in hand. Maybe 3 years was too long a time. It definitely has affected the script a lot. Maybe he was carried away with the budget and tried to shoot things he didnt want to. If we thought he was intelligent in "Thiruttu Payale" he is totally the opposite. Big money, stars and post production alone wont carry a movie forward....you need a tight script.
So what is good in the movie ?
We have our very own "Chiyaan". Not a demanding role by his standards but he is definitely the brightest point of the movie. Be it wearing a rooster mask, chuckling like a rooster, act like a woman, or as a CBI officer, he is just a treat to watch. No wonder he has given his everything to this movie. The lady and the old man parts are definitely wasted. Maybe they deserved a little more time on screen for more impact. But Vikram has done it and has sung well too. Kudos !
Shirya..... If you thought she was hot in Shivaji... she is hotter this time. This girl has definitely learnt a lesson on belly dancing and pole dancing. But she does nothing more in the movie though the romance scenes are a little enjoyable.
We have Prabhu, Krishna, Ashish Vidyarthi and other talented actors who have done their bit in the movie. Vadivelu's comedy is the lowest point in the movie and he only helps in delaying the climax more than making us laugh.
DSP's music is not as enthusiastic as he always looks on stage. If you think the songs are are ok, the BGM is absolutely "head-ache" stuff. Maybe he should spend more time in understanding the pulse of the movie before he scores music for a film. And by the way... this is also a tamil movie.
If you think music was ok, editing makes your eyes sore. There are so many chops and cuts and more that you fail to realise what happened the scene before. All the scenes are a assortment of sorts.
Then comes the cinematography. Well, definitely another good point of the movie. This is a break point in Ekambaram's career. Its only because of him, we feel that the money Dhanu has invested is spent well. The Mexican part of the movie where he tries a differnt tone is a pleasure to watch. He has captured everything in a delightful way only to be wasted by dodgy editing.
The post production values, costumes everything seem to fit well in the movie.
Kanthaswamy ...after all the hype and hoopla was a disappointing movie to watch. It has its moments but we expect more from a "super-hero" movie. It fails to create an impact which Robinhood did, a superman did. If there is anything to blame, it is the screenplay and the director's attention to "hugeness" which has let the movie down.
If I have to write a chit to Kanthaswamy , I would write "Vikram please dont take so long for your movies and waste your talent..... We want to see you more often on screen"
Kanthaswamy ..... good to have a nap inside the ac hall. |
