Monday Oct 08 2007, Chennai

Thottal Poo Malarum: Arrival of a new hero

Directed by - P.Vasu

Produced by - Sapphire Media

Music by - Yuvan Shankar Raja

Casts - Sakthi, Gowri Munjal, Sukanya, Rajkiran, Nasser, Vadivel, Santhanam

Banner - Sapphire Media and Infra Structure Ltd.

Thottal Poo Malarum (TPM) announces the arrival of a new hero to the Tamil film industry.Director P.Vasu’s son Shakthi makes his debut in a tailor made script to project himself as a romantic-action hero.The storyline is neither new nor novel.It is the same old story of a middle class boy successfully wooing a rich and beautiful girl, facing stiff challenges from her family, and finally emerging triumphant.

The initial scenes depict the blossoming of love through some funny incidents, which the director wants viewers to treat as intelligent.The movie turns serious when the rich and powerful Periyanayagi (Sukanya), the mother of the girl, enters.Predictably she opposes the love and threatens the boy.The love, predictably again, intensifies and the mother cleverly plays the sentiment card and separates the young lovers.This brings Mumbai based don and Periyanayagi’s brother Vandayar (Raj Kiran) into the scene.

He gets the girl with him to Mumbai where the engagement between his son and the heroine takes place.Our hero goes to Mumbai and plays a lot of tricks to get into Vandayar’s house.He wins the heart of all in the family and finally, well, you know what happens.Director P.Vasu has achieved his goal, i.

e., to launch his son in the film industry.He has created a script to effectively launch Shakthi.In his pursuit to showcase his son’s talents and charm, the veteran director has failed to come up with a strong story and hence, the film fails to impress.Sukanya is shown as a powerful, autocratic and arrogant lady in the initial scenes.

But she is sent to hibernation once Raj Kiran enters the scene.Sukanya’s transformation as a subdued person in the later half is not convincing.So are the tricks and “adventures” by the hero to achieve his goal.Shakthi winks, smiles, dances, and fights.He looks smart and charming.

He proves himself as a potential competition to the young heroes.The film doesn’t give him much scope to emote and hence we get little clue about his acting skills.Gowri Munjal, making her debut in Tamil, looks pretty.She fits the bill as a heroine in a typical masala flick.As far as her actiong skills, it is less said the better.

Vadivelu does make us laugh.But he must be aware that his tactics of getting beaten up by everybody for some reason or the other is becoming routine.Nasser as a middle class father is quite competent.Sukanya impresses as an arrogant rich woman in initial scenes.Raj Kiran’s character as a good-hearted don is well portrayed.

The actor gives life to the role by his authoritative performance.Sukanya impresses in the as an arrogant rich woman.Yuvn Shankar Raja’s music is just about okay.The first song sung in the bus is melodious.The stunt scenes are executed well.

Verdict: Shakthi triumphs but the film doesn’t.