Aasal

My Review:Aasal




“Too many cooks spoil the broth” .The proverb is apt for the movie “Aasal” .

“Misnomer” is the appropriate word that best describes the title.

“Waste of time” is the feeling one gets after coming out of the theatre watching this insipid fare.

Watching it one gets a feeling that “Aasal ” might have been made by a person who used to write & direct those infamous Tuesday evening serials in Doordarshan Podhigai backed by a superb cinematographer &producers with lots of money to spend & freedom to film the movie wherever he likes – France , Malaysia , …..even the Moon.

3 persons are credited with Story, Screenplay & dialogues but even if one of them where aware of what they were doing, movie would have come across half decent . I am damn sure Saran has nothing to do with this pathetic writing & “direction”less movie .If he has actually been associated with the movie, then he must have done so in stupor.

Ajithkumar looks suave , stylish , elegant , debonair , classy…..am at loss of adjectives & that is all about him . By shedding his “Ultimate Star” tag AjithKumar has led by example for his peers to follow for which one has to salute the man but when his sobriquet “Thala” is used in each every opportunity , some reasonable but many a times contrived it makes one wonder in future we will have to put up with new usages like- “Thala” constable for ‘ head-constable ‘ , “Thala” light for ‘head-light’ , “Thala” ache for ‘head ache’………in all of his movies.

Sameera Reddy has more scope to perform in a trite role . Is she a cultural attaché of Indian embassy or an item-girl…. Bhavana’s is worse.

Generally acting in the movie is pedestrian with people like Kelly Dorjee & Rajiv Krishna more for comic relief while Yugi Sethu & Suresh are at best plain irritating .

Less said about the Music by Bharadwaj the better. Except “Dusyantha” rest of the songs are pathetic .


Prashanth D. Misale ,the cinematographer is the “Aasal” hero of the movie. His hard work is evident in each & every frame . Cinematography of the movie is on par with any of the international productions. Technically the movie is top grade. If only the brainy part of the movie was on par with it , “Aasal” would have become a cult movie .

On the whole , “Aasal” is anything but it.

Bottomline: Misnomer.

2/5

VINNAI THAANDI VARUVAYA

My Review:






After an average outing with “Varanam Ayiram” Gautham Vasudev Menon is back with “Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaya ” (VTV) with a heavy backing from A.R.Rahman’s music & power packed performance from the lead pair , Silambarasan & Thrisa.

Movie is a simple love story told in a straightforward narration without any derailment from the reality except for certain sequences here & there where overt drama & embellishment takes over. VTV is certainly one of Gautham’s best work . And the movie has a autobiographical tinge all over it which is for the director to clarify!

VTV is the best yet of Silambarsan. He has managed to come through unscathed shedding his unwarranted histrionics & taking up an understated route for once which has worked wonders. He wows the audience in many scenes, with the one sequence in New York when he sees Thrisha after a long time & have a conversation with her topping it all.

Thrisha is apt in the role of a young working professional, lover girl & a caring daughter caught between her lover & father. She also scores in the above mentioned sequence.

Among the support cast , the one who comes as the hero’s friend has succeeded in tickling the funny bones throughout the movie. Naga Chaitanya , K.S.Ravikumar & Samantha reprise their real life roles in the movie too.


Manoj Paramahamsa is the cinematographer & he has shot the movie pleasantly in keeping with the mood of the movie.

A.R.Rahman’s songs are already chartbusters with “Hosanna” , “Omana Penne” & “Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa” ringing the ears even now. His re-recording also elevates the movie’s feel. Only grouse is Gautham’s poor song picturisation , only area in which he remains a greenhorn . Heard A.R.Rahman has said to Gautham that it is the best song picturization for his songs yet . One wonders whether Gautham is lying or A.R.Rahman’s expectation threshold is so low.

On the whole, VTV is a right movie for the Valentine season .Go for it.

Bottomline : Feel good….

3.5/5