AASAIYIL OR KADIDHAM

A movie review by Balaji Balasubramaniam

Prashanth could probably be considered the dark horse in the race for the top spot among the younger generation of actors. While Ajith and Vijay are seeing major swings in their career graphs, Prashanth has managed to hang around with movies which, though not big hits, do not spoil his name either. His movies like Jodi and Kaadhal Kavidhai both fell in the same category. His latest, Aasaiyil Or Kadidham, also falls in the same slot. Like the previous Prashanth starrer Hello, it starts off interestingly but then descends into a predictable rut. A surprise ending is the only positive spark after that.

Its love at first sight for Karthik(Prashanth) when he sees a woman(Kousalya) sitting by the busstand. He is delighted when he sees her again in the village where he has gone to attend his friend Anand's(Anand) wedding. He gives her a love letter and then learns that the girl Lakshmi, is none other than the girl Anand is going to marry. Though the wedding happens as planned, he confesses to his mistake to everyone. Back at home, he is pursued relentlessly by Chandini(newcomer Chandini), the daughter of a big rowdy. Realising the seriousness of her love, he too falls in love with Chandini. One night he rescues Lakshmi from the brink of suicide and learns that the love letter he delivered had sowed the seed of suspicion in Anand's mind and that Anand has been torturing Lakshmi since he suspected her character. He then attempts to set things right between Anand and Lakshmi while trying to succeed in his own love affair with Chandini against the opposition of her father.

The happenings at Anand's wedding are the best part of the movie. The comedy of Vivek, Dhamu and Vaiyapuri are of the laugh-out-loud variety. As in Jodi, some of the jokes are a little crude but undeniably funny. The serious parts are also handled convincingly at the wedding. There is a little suspense(and comedy involving Vivek and then Dhamu) about the way the writer of the letter is exposed and Vijayakumar's advice to Prashanth is sensible and not cinematic. Things start getting a little out-of-hand when the setting moves to the city. Chandini's actions are over-the-top and her cinematic behaviour(she slaps a girl who shakes Prashanth's hand) is blatantly obvious as a setup for later developments in the story.

The movie perks up with Kousalya's revelations about Anand's behaviour. Her version of what followed between her and Anand after seemingly normal incidents(in which Prashanth too was involved) which happened earlier, is clever. But the movie loses steam after this. The happenings from then onwards can be easily predicted and there are many contrivances. One such incident is Kousalya's visit to her father's house. Her explanation for not doing this earlier is not really convincing and Vijayakumar's behavior here is cinematic.

The dreaded 'thaali' sentiment rears it ugly head again here(there was a moment in Azhagarsaami where the 'thaali' sentiment seemed imminent but was avoided but I guess that was the exception rather than the rule!). It seems especially out-of-place here with most of the movie taking place in the city rather than in a village, where the sentiment is usually resorted to. Thankfully, the ending itself is a pleasant surprise and restores some of the lustre that was lost because of the preceding scenes.

Prashanth looks and acts exactly the same as in his other movies. Kousalya, not seen for a while in tamil movies, uses her chance well. She earns our sympathy when cowering in fear in front of Anand and earns cheers when she finally finds her voice. Chandini doesn't look very pretty but performs her role adequately. Anand plays the psychotic character well enough to earn our revulsion. He is especially good in the scenes where he theatens to immolate himself and where he threatens to disfigure Kousalya's face. Rajan P. Dev is well-cast as the father-in-law from hell, inciting his son against his daughter-in-law.