Director: Singithan Srinivasarao
Cast: Bentley Mitchum, Jyotika, Prakashraj, Anupam Kher, Nasser, Mohanram
John, an American youth, comes to India to do research on the 'Mookkuthi Amman' temple, since the nose-ring of the idol is supposed to possess supernatural powers. The temple is well guarded by priests headed by a swamiji (Kher), who fears that the evil tantric Bhairav (Prakashraj) would one day steel the nose-ring. But that never happens!
Bhairav is a lost case from scene one. The tantric gets up from deep sleep in a cave, after thousand years. Pushing away the layer of cobweb surrounding him, the unkempt dirty man, with straggly hair, beard and loincloth, menacingly proclaims, "I've waited a thousand years, to get the nose-ring". John meanwhile falls in love with his friend's sister, Vani
(Jyotika), and when he is not sneaking into the
temple, he roams around the countryside dancing and singing, in true Tamil filmi style. The priests do various 'yagaas' to ward off Bhairav. Bhairav still in the cave, brushes off some more cobwebs, flings his hands and legs menacingly and proclaims yet again his intention to get the nose-ring.
The priests do more 'Yaagas' and John is still dancing and singing round the countryside. Bhairav finally sends his Man Friday, a scary-looking squint-eyed nitwit (straight out of a Telugu film, we've seen earlier) to get the ring. The Swamiji uses his powers to
stop him, and the ring slips into a snake pit. The swamiji turns John into a man of six inches height. It's this 'Little' John's escapades that are the better parts of the film. Bhairav manages to make some more menacing noises from his cave. But 'Little' John manages to make the Herculean climb to the Goddess's nose, and puts back toe nose-ring right on time. Bhairav is turned into quite a few skeletal monsters before being destroyed. And mankind is yet again saved!
Jyotika is a by-stander, the only improvement being her make-up that is more glamorous here, and her false eyelashes that are distracting. Bentley fits in well with the ambience, his expressions and antics leading to humour, some intended, others unintended. Poor Prakashraj hardly gets a chance to perform, what with the character more absorbed in brushing away all those cobwebs. It seems like a film meant for children. But then the director seems to have under-estimated the intelligence level of his targetted audience. Thiru's cinematography is a plus point for the film.
Malini Mannath
