“Aasai”

 

Vasanth's career graph can be well described with the help of a simple Sine wave--alternating peaks and troughs...well almost. In terms of box office success, "Keladi Kanmani" (his first film), "Aasai" (his third) and "Naerukku Naer" (his fourth) are the films that worked well, esp. the first two being runaway hits.  In terms of critical acclaim, the case is similar -- being an amateur movie critic [not that my opinion matters to anyone other than myself!!], I would describe three of his (eight) films as *delightful* -- "Keladi Kanmani," "Rhythm" (his seventh film) and the movie under review-- "Aasai."  While the ingredients of his magic potion for the first two were subtlety and sensitivity, "Aasai," which does have these qualities, owes its success to style, intelligence and visceral appeal. This is a taut, thoughtful, realistic thriller that drives us to the edge of our seats from the moment a key revelation is made about a character and doesnt lose grip till the end of the movie.

 

"Aasai" is a story of the repercussions caused by the lustful thoughts of the cunning villain--an army Major-- Madhavan played by Prakashraj.  He sets his eyes on his sister-in-law Yamuna (Suvalakshmi, making an impressive debut) the moments he sees a photograph of her (the first scene of the movie where Suvalakshmi writes a letter to Rohini is one of the most true-to-life moments of the movie, thanks to the language used) and lusts after her.  But since she is already in love with Jeeva (Ajith), Madhavan makes devious, elaborate plans to put down Jeeva in front of Yamuna and her father and to act totally oblivious of the developments (in order to maintain his Mr. Nice Guy facade).

 

Vasanth's screenplay and Prakashraj's unforgettable, inimitable turn as Major Madhavan are the reasons why "Aasai" rises above a generic thriller:

 

As I emphasize this point time and again, Vasanth's talent stems out of his quest for verisimilitude. Thankfully, the Director's trademark is present here, though the opportunity is ripe for mindless chases and cheap thrills--something that would've made "Aasai" a cheap, exploitation flick (His assistant--the shameless, sex-maniac S.J. Suryah--did that in "Vaali," a movie which I actually *liked* at the time it was released but have grown to hate).  In spite of the often-misleading thriller moniker, the characters in this movie are surprisingly human and not just cliches from earlier movies.  The Director does a fantastic job in the initial portions, in establishing the characters and their equations, in an economy of scenes, which contributes to the fast pace of the movie.  The cute Ajith-Suvalakshmi romance (The scene where Ajith kisses Suvalakshmi [for the first time] is a romantic's delight) is the focus of the early portions.  But it is after Rohini enters the scene along with her husband Prakashraj (to see her sister--Suvalakshmi--and her Dad--Poornam Vishwanathan--after four years) that the movie is truly riveting.  The way Vasanth captures the moods of the characters during Rohini's visit and the subsequent farewell scene remind us of the great Satyajit Ray's "Aparajitho" for its dead-on portrayal of emotions associated with a visit and the eventual separation.  Watch Rohini bid farewell to Suvalakshmi and you will understand what I mean.  The intelligence exhibited in the screenplay in these portions is splendid-- the subtle hints (Prakashraj's comments about Suvalakshmi, Rohini's heart problem, etc) that are pointed out later in the movie-- deserves a round of applause.

 

The movie steps into full gear with the murder of Rohini-- it is an audacious, chilling scene that is bound to leave the viewer shocked and almost paralyzed.  The subsequent developments are structured well, with Prakashraj's (outwardly) urbane demeanor, earning the unwavering trust of Suvalakshmi and her Dad.  The second half is full of exciting, intelligently written, superbly acted scenes where Prakashraj tries every

trick in the book in trying to make Yamuna and her Dad hate Jeeva.  He almost succeeds with his machinations, except for the climax when his true colors are revealed as the result of a moment's indiscretion.  The dormant beast in Prakashraj and Ajith's attempts to make this clear to Yamuna combine to create some memorable moments in the second half-- the restaurant scene, the April 1st card+cassette prepared by Ajith, the incident during Holi, the chase that ends in a stadium, and of course, the hitchcockian tension-filled climax.  There is a stunning sequence where Prakashraj (after being told about Yamuna's love for Jeeva by her father during a morning walk) races into his house shouting, "Yamunaa...Yamunaa" and sees his baby on the floor crying.  He goes near the infant and yells "Shut up!" and sprints upstairs, and knocks incessantly on Yamuna's bathroom door...phew!  It is a perfectly scripted and acted scene where we see Prakashraj unleash the beast in him for a moment before better sense prevails (after he sees Yamuna).

 

Prakashraj, in one of his best turns as an actor, creates a terrying character.  His suavity is one of the reasons why the character is memorable.  As we see him carefully plan out his schemes, we hate him for sure...but its impossible not to love the performance.  Watch his facial expressions in the restaurant scene, as he struggles to conceal his jealousy.  The murder scene is startling but the way he coolly tells Rohini about his plans is scarier!  In a performance that is nearly as good as Anthony Hopkins' (in "Silence of the Lambs"), he forcefully brings out the debonair brute.  Ajith is quite good as the insecure romantic.  He shines in the second half, in the scenes where he tries to convince Suvalakshmi of PrakashRaj's true colors.  Suvalakshmi makes a fine debut (though her career went astray, thanks to some terrible choices), Revathi's voice aiding her in bringing out the sensitivity and the delicate nature of the character well.  "Poornam" Vishwanathan plays the Milquetoast with assurance, the ace up his sleeve in the climax providing the knockout punch to the movie.  But my favorite of the supporting cast is Rohini who creates a loveable, vulnerable character in her limited screen time--her emoting in the aforementioned farewell scene and her harangue in the bedroom (after Prakashraj's confession) are remarkable.  Vadivelu, Dhamu and their cohorts provide comic relief with some hilarious routines--Dhamu's "Baasha" shtick is the pick of the lot.

 

Deva contributes handsomely with a set of lilting tunes--"Konja Naall," "Pulveli," "Meenammaa" and "Shock Adikkudhu Sona" are all memorable numbers, that are tastefully picturised.

 

Jeeva's cinematography aids the Director well, esp in the final portions where he creates a dark, atmospheric setting--the scene in the house where Suvalakshmi tries to escape from the clutches of Prakashraj is gripping.  His magical lenswork and lighting add to the beauty of some of the song sequences, especially the numerous lamps in "Konja Naall" and the wide-angle shots of the snow-clad mountains in "Meenammaa."