pachai...review

What is it about cinema that makes us think that we are relaxing...?
Some films can be stressful but a change is a change I guess.

I enjoyed the film immensely for having watched it with Sandy and sharing a few semiotic notes, laughing at the histrionics and gulping popcorn (courtesy:sandy).....pulling priya's leg, a delicious lunch complete with Gongkura pachadi at Rads place and poking fun non-stop.
It was a great afternoon folks and we must do it more often but with someone's home-theatre, the kids around and the kitchen handy!!

The best part was watching the faces of a few scandalised students in the back-seats, being introduced to their mothers and ofcourse feeling that one has spent some time for oneself and with close friends.

Truly worth the company and not the cinema.

Pachai Kili Muthu Charam

Cast: Greying at the temples Sarath Kumar, Already-grey Milind Soman, Novice Andrea and Jyothika lacking a meaty role.

Crew: Gautham Menon who needs a break and a fresh USP. Harris Jeyraj (was this the music of the man who gave us Minnale??)

Spoiler Warning: The film is very loosely based on the book Derailed...very loosely, avoid reading the book if you want to watch the film!!

Having watched the film at an expensive locale and alongside some amazing company....I couldnt have an afternoon snooze in peace. After all how often does someone who writes film reviews for a living get to write one straight from the gut, that too after actually watching the film!

Pachai Kili is a winner....when you look at the shots, the editing (but for a few glitches) and Jo's screen presence, but the film lacks in pace and yes, a plot.

A happily married couple is faced with the fact that their child has juvenile diabetes...(arent there more diabetics than non-diabetics??) The medial rep father is ready to take it in stride but the mum as mums all the world around are, shattered. But kudos to Gautham for having stayed off cliches like leukemia and blood cancer.

A few scenes where the wife refuses her husband and the dialogues here are mostly of the 'I want to make love to you' and 'I dont want to' variety.....we heard something like that in Kaakha Kaakha as well.

The hero has a legitimate reason to eye a fellow passenger, the svelte and attractive hmm...what was her name finally?? Conversation develops to companionship, intimacy and finally lust. The shots here that denote intimacy lack the finesse of a seasoned filmmaker.

While the poor wife is unaware of all this and the 'train-lady' is busy seducing...the hero faces a mild mental turmoil, or does he really....he marches ahead for dinners, dates and even fights a few baddies to rescue her. He is her hero, more intimacy and finally a painfully long drive to a beach resort sees them stumbling to make the first move.

But things are taken out of control as a petty thief barges in, on overpowering them both, he gains access to credit cards, cell phone numbers and finally pics in wallets that reveal their illegitimate relationship.

The thief is played by an ageing Milind Soman (and it really feels surprising to see your teenage hero turn old and grey). Its a Catch 22 situation, they cant speak about it, they cant make a complaint as the thief blackmails them for money.

When the bank account shows zero, our man comes out clean with wife....the pretty wife who sat pretty is overwhelmed.

Our hero suffers her loss amply illustrated by the situation where he lives and feeds his kid on bread....the wife returns soon.

Now emerges our filmi hero....if our usual dad and uncle types would have been happy to start saving again, our hero has more salt, he sees how he can get his money back.

A chase in chennai autos show him the gang is all out to hook people and the lady is a key player....a network of con artistes, taxi walas, hotel owners and thugs. How do they budget such a vast office with just a few lakhs from a few men??

A trail and chase, a foolish confrontation.....actors struggle to get their punches right, commotion ensues in three murders. The hero makes away with the loot.

Shift to Hyderabad, life with the same dialogues and songs...only to be stalked by old skeletons.....hero sets out to rescue family, the lady (train) reappears desperate for vengeance.

Jo proves that she is a complete novice when it comes to such roles, she resorts to rolling eyes to look menacing. A tussle, blows, blood and gun shots, the lady is dead, our man takes family back and and drives away into the sunset.....phew!!

The rigmarole of watching a film in theatre to supposedly have fun is over.....and what a film to do that!! I guess only animation stuff or like Sandy says 'the Lord of the Rings' variety films are worth a 70 mm, for the rest like this fare a thiruttu VCD would suffice.

Andrea is predictable but looks quite attractive. Jo is good in places but reveals that she has no grounding in these kind of roles....wouldnt Sangeetha been a better choice here, or does Gautham just have to have Jo?

Like Sandy again says its so much like Kaakha Kaakha, Jo dies in both cases and the villains are look alikes, the director is in better control when there is some violence on screen, else he fumbles making linear shots.

Editing is glitchy and the songs are passable but for a few pieces which really sound like they would become popular ringtones.

Pachaikili....excels in bits and certainly not a must-see film, certainly one expects better from the Minnale man and he probably should derive his own cinema rather than making loose and strang adaptations of hollywood cinema. But if you wish to watch the film just for hanging out with cool friends....go ahead, there is plenty of scope for fun and foolish comments!"

-romila.