Friday Sep 28 2007, Chennai

Vegam: racy entertainer

S.V.Shekar launches his son Ashwin Shekar as a hero in a film that has a fast paced script post interval.Though the film is a launch pad for the hero Ashwin, the movie doesn’t revolve around the hero.Let us first look at the movie.

Vegam inspired by Hollywood thriller CELLULAR, revolves around a kidnap drama in which our hero accidentally gets involved.The movie, tottering through the romantic scenes, gathers momentum once the hero gets the call from an anonymous woman, who desperately seeks help.An ex-police officer kidnaps a lady and her child.He tortures the woman asking her to reveal where a certain tape is.The woman (enacted by Khushboo) somehow manages to establish communication with the outer world through a phone call and the rest of the movie shows how the phone call saves her and her family.

The background of the kidnap unfolds naturally as the movie goes on narrating how the hero and the police officer (played by Prabhu) try to save the family from the clutches of the criminal group.The activities of the criminals and those who try to nullify their efforts are, by and large, conceived well and neatly executed.The major problem with the story is that though the movie is fast paced, it suffers by starting trouble.The movie virtually drags on in the initial scenes.The love track is irritating and the ‘comedy’ track is horrible.

Going by the Tamil film tradition, eve teasing by hero gets the status of the prelude for love.The hero is given scope to showcase his dancing and fighting skills while the heroine (Archana from Mumbai) is provided with the opportunities to flaunt the curves and skin of her body.The initial scenes pass by without purpose and quality.We tend to think what the film is all about.Fortunately enough, the hero lands in Malaysia and meets his girlfriend, who lends her cell phone to the guy.

The cell phone that saves the woman kidnapped by a criminal group saves the film as well.From then on the movie doesn’t deviate from the plot and the narrative manages to justify the title (meaning speed).Performances wise, Ashwin is okay in a care free, good-hearted young man.He has proved that he has prepared himself well to become a hero.However, he has to shed more weight to create impact as young hero.

Though the director and the writer (S.V.Shekar) do not try to make the young hero as a superman, they have labored a lot to show him as the heartthrob of young girls.Sriman, as the ex criminal police officer turned criminal, steals the show with his authoritative performance.He gets a sumptuous role and handles it with aplomb.

His body language and facial expressions are impressive.Khushboo is a woman in crisis is flawless.Prabhu is competent.Venu Arvind and S.V.

Shekar are passable.The crime-investigation track suffers from some glaring loopholes.The telephonic dimension seems to be stretched too far while the way hero getting access to cars at his will is comical.Such illogical comical events helping the investigation are something unacceptable.One wonders why nobody in Malaysia locks the car.

The script suggests that you can just walk into the road and ride a car! Director KR Udhayashankar has executed the second half well.In fact some of the sequences are handled with maturity and style.The crime element waiting till the intermission point doesn’t serve any purpose.The director and scriptwriter have taken the audience for granted and created some mediocre scenes.Had they brought the thriller element right from the beginning, the movie would have been a refreshing experience.

Music by famous Veena player Rajesh Vaidhya is above average.The melodious Kaladharan song stands out while others are hummable.The picturisation of beach song and the club song is good.Verdict: a decent second half saves the film from being sunk.Credits: Cast: Ashwin Shekar, Archana, Prabhu, Kushboo, SrimanDirector: KR UdhayashankarProducer: S Ve Shekar & Uma MaheshwariMusic: Rajesh Vaidhya