Thathi Thaavuthu Manasu
Now
Showing
Cast:
Mumtaz, Kalabhavan Mani, Sona, Urvasi Patel, Sinduri, Vadivelu.
Director: Azhaguraja Sundaram
 Beginning her career as a heroine, the T Rajender-discovery was soon relegated to playing item numbers in films, at times with an apology of a role. But her sizzling dance numbers and 'oomph' earned her the title of a sex goddess, and an immense fan following. Now Mumtaz returns to the screen playing the lead role as a cop, who uses her fists and legs, does leaps and jumps, and also managers to fit in a few dance numbers too. It is to the actress' credit that she performs her role as astutely and with involvement as she does her dance numbers.
The story line is realistic and reflects the times (Peru Thulasi Pazhanivel). It's about three girls lured by the glamour of the city, venturing to get a taste of it, and returning home wiser and chastened. Maha Poonkodi and Amudha (Sona, Urvasi Patel, Sindhuri), three simple village girls, accompany a marriage-party of their neighbours to the city, for a friend's wedding. While the rest return home, the trio, escaping their eye, decide to do their own exploration of the city. They spend all the money they'd brought, eating at expensive restaurants and buying chic clothes. The scenes are little cliched and overdone here. When they finally decide to return home, they find their pockets picked, stranded, penniless and starving. Their attempts to sell their jewels, and even beg from passersby, leading to unfortunate results. The trio become the targets of brothel-owners, pimps and girl-trafickers, who try to lure them into their net. The concerned parents appraoch city cop Arthi (Mumtaz), who, with the help of Ramaiyah, a pavement dweller (with his own sad past), tries to trace the missing girls.
Produced by Riyaz Ahmed (Mumtaz's manager) it's directed by debutant Azhaguraja Sundaram (apprenticed with Pandiarajan). It's a fairly neat presentation, the director balancing adroitly the various characters and situations, and trying to give a realistic touch to the scenes. Each character has been given the footage and importance it deserves, whether it's Mumtaz or the rest of the characters. Sona, Urvasi Patel and Sinduri project convincingly the tree innocents caught up in the complexities of city life. Kalabhavan Mani as Ramaiyah, sticking to his character for a change, performs his role with understanding.
Finally, don't go by the title or it's heroine. For, it's a fairly serious and realistic film, socially relevant, at times heart-rending too. Though for hard-core Mumtaz fans who'd expect to see 'more' of her here, it may be a slight disappointment!
Malini Mannath
Published on 25th Dec, 2003
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