| Cast: |
Siddharth, Tamannaah, Ruckmini, Kitty, Charlie, Mohanram and others |
Director: |
A. R. Gandhikrishna |
| Music: |
G.V. Prakash Kumar |
The
much-awaited 'Ananda
thandavam',
based on late
and legendary
writer Sujatha's
'Pirivom
Sandhippom', has
finally arrived.
The film takes
off from the
picturesque
Banatheertham on
the foothills of
Kutralam Falls.
Half the story
is shown to take
place in and
around the
Banatheertham
and then the
story takes the
viewers to the
US. Obviously,
the curiosity
quotient among
the viewers to
know how the
novel, which won
the hearts of
millions of
readers, has
been 'handled'
in its filmy
version is quite
high.
Raghu (newcomer
Siddharth) an
educated
unemployed youth
lands up in
Banatheertham in
search of a job.
He has his
father to take
care of. Even
before he
reaches his
father's house,
he meets a
mischievous girl
Madhumita (Tamannaah).
Successive
meetings with
the beautiful
Madhumita makes
Raghu fall madly
in love with
her.
The
girl and her
affluent family
willingly accept Raghu. Raghu's father
(actor Kitty surfaces after a long time), a practical thinker, somehow
feels something is missing in the whole set-up. His caution is thrown to
the wind by Raghu, now deeply in love with Madhu. By the twist of
events, Madhu is married off to a guy from a more solid economic
background. Madhu leaves for her dream nation U.S. with her hubby
Radhakrishnan, leaving Raghu in the lurch.
Raghu is sent to
America to pursue higher studies by his father. Raghu meets a dancer
Rathna (Ruckmani), who falls for him. Meanwhile, Raghu accidentally
meets Madhu and the old memories are revived but there is no 'affair'
left. Rathna's love gets intensified and culminates in betrothal. Enters
Madhu with a harrowing story of her own to narrate to Raghu. The story
leaves him shaken. Watch the movie to find out what happens next.
Director Gandhikrishna is given on a platter an enviable combination
of a successful story, scenic locations, excellent cinematographer, two
heroines full of enthusiasm, beauty and talent, G.V. Prakashkumar's
music and Vairamuthu's lyrics. One would expect Gandhikrishna to deliver
with all these but the screenplay lets him down very badly, missing to
narrate an emotional tale with some sort of acceptability.
The
characterization of Madhumita, played by Tamannaah, is a classic example
where the director has slipped: instead of depicting a girl who is too
shallow to understand the nuances of relationship and longs for material
world's pleasures, Gandhikrishna has come out with a characterization
that makes one wonder whether the character is mentally sound or not.
Related
Story :
Ananda
Thandavam -
Gallery
|
Aanandha
Thandavam
Team Meets
the Press |
Preview
The romance between Raghu and Madhu appears far from convincing. Before
you blink your eyelid, they fall in love and get engaged. The romance
that brews between Raghu and Rathna is almost a foregone conclusion; so
is the 'unexpected' storm that Madhu narrates to Raghu. Mohanram,
Rathna's grandparents and others do their best to save the film from
being branded as mediocre.
Late Sujatha's sharp dialogues make it
hard to believe that he is no more with us
Tamannaah as Madhu
suits the character perfectly, her child-like face getting expressive in
most sequences in spelling out her miseries. Her acting in the climax is
quite a revelation. Siddharth doesn't look like a newcomer as he carries
his role effectively in most of the frames.Ruckmani, introduced by
Bharathiraaja in 'Bommalattam', fits the bill perfectly as the dancer in
America.
G.V. Prakashkumar comes up with a solid background
score.
Unless the story is powerful, films don't click, they
say. Unfortunately, not all the good stories are always converted into
successful films. An effective screenplay or the lack of it would go a
long way in determining whether the film does hit the bull's eye at the
box office or not. Ananda Thandavam, with en ineffective screenplay,
stands as an example of this truth.