SANGAMAM

A movie review by Balaji Balasubramaniam

Cast:	Rehman, Vindhya, Manivannan, Vijayakumar, Srividya, Vadivelu, Charlie, Delhi Ganesh
Music:	A.R.Rehman
Direction:	Suresh Krissna

Two rather weighty issues - inter-caste love and conflict between two dance forms - are handled in this movie. But the director fails to tread any new ground in either of them, resulting in rather pedestrian viewing. Suresh Krissna goes back to a smaller movie after the more big-budgeted Oruvan, but hasn't been any more successful.

Aavudapillai(Manivannan) and Selvam(Rehman) are the father-son pair of folk dancers while Sivasankaramoorthy(Vijayakumar) and Abirami(debutante Vindhya) are the father-daughter pair of bharatanatyam dancers. Love blossoms between Selvam and Abirami when they go to the same village for performing in a festival.

But when Aavudappillai goes to her house for the wedding proposal, Sivasankaramoorthy insults him and has him thrown out of the house. The enmity between them grows, with Sivasankaramoorthy both opposing the alliance and proclaiming that bharatanatyam is a greater art form than folk dancing. It culminates in Aavudappillai's challenge to collect more money from his son's program than Sivasankaramoorthy can from his daughter's program.

The initial portions where the opposing troupes bicker while admiring the other troupe's performance remind the viewer of Thillaanaa Mohanaambaal. The similarity is emphasized by the fact that the heroines in both the movies are dancers and one scene, where Rehman watches Vindhya's dance while hiding, is exactly the same. Haven't we seen scenes like the hero's father being insulted by the heroine's father enough times? The climax dance, performed zestfully by Rehman, is reminiscent of Sarathkumar's dance in Simmaraasi.

The trend of picking actors totally unsuited to the roles (Kunal in Kaadhalar Dhinam for example) continues with Vindhya here. How exactly can a non-dancer carry the role of a bharatanatyam dancer, especially in a movie where the dance is of primary importance? Added to that, Vindhya exhibits a total lack of even the basics of acting. With her not being too pretty either, I am left wondering as to the basis on which she was selected to act.

Rehman is not much of a dancer either but has put in some effort. Manivannan eschews his usual snide remarks for a serious role and carries it off well. He shines in the scene where he chides his son's friends for lacking self-respect. Vijayakumar and Srividya are dignified. Considering the director's penchant for comedy, it is rather unimpressive despite the presence of Vadivelu, Charlie and Delhi Ganesh.

A.R.Rehman's songs are the only reason the movie earned its one and a half stars. The songs are all carnatic music-based and memorable with Sowkkiyamaa... and Varaaga Nadhi... being my top picks.

Skip the movie and just buy the soundtrack.