I'm usually not a fan of books being made into films. Barring just a couple of exceptions. Why, for that matter, I'm sceptical about remakes, too. But this SURE was more than a pleasant surprise.
It all lies in the eyes of the beholder. Prasath Ramar is the beholder here, in this context - the director of the Tamil version of Lucia. He not only had the story but also the Pawan Kumar film in front of him. Cause as they say, seeing is believing. Thus giving him the advantage AND an opportunity to come up with -
i) a replica: glad he did not try that as the original gets to remain the original
ii) make it a disaster, like Sajid Khan in Himmatwala: thank God (!) he did not pull-off a Sajid here
or
iii) a better version: he was almost there, I'd say.
Take this movie independently, and it is quite a brilliant film!
Siddharth in one of his best roles till date, and gives more than an honest performance. His sincerity pays off handsomely.
The music is extremely good, including the background score that fits in with ease into the scenes. Special thanks to Santhosh Narayanan for that, in what could possibly be his best work till date. Easily!
Gopi Amarnath's cinematography is good, too.
Another winner is the screenplay, by the creator himself - read P-a-w-a-n K-u-m-a-r. Practice seems to have made perfect, here, for Pawan, for sure.
All in all, the film is technically brilliant, proving once again how solid Kollywood is, when it comes to the technical aspects of film-making.
On a lighter note, one wonders whether Prasath Ramar is now living a dream... Or whether Pawan Kumar is, now that his movie is remade in another language. Or wait a minute, wasn't Prasath wanting to live Pawan's dream, by remaking the film!? :-) Hopefully, they both are (living the dream)...
Aadukalam Naren plays a robust support-role, both as Durai and as the superstar's caretaker; much needed to fill-in the shoes of the ever reliable Achyuth Kumar, who was easily THE best actor in the Kannada version.
The film introduces a new-face - Deepa Sannidhi - who facially could look like Sadaa and Shriya Saran put together. She has done a decent job.
The guy who played her friend - was it Amit Bhargav (?) - was unwatchable, to be honest.
Like a friend put it, the film almost single-handedly belongs to Siddharth. He is his director's delight, here. I like how he seamlessly moulds himself completely into both his characters: both as the torch-boy in the village movie-theatre as well as the superstar Vignesh.
It would be unfair to draw comparisons, especially since Siddharth is a seasoned campaigner, but I think the film's technicality, the cinematography, the screenplay, the music and Siddharth were the five things bettered in this remake.
Some noticeable changes in the climax, to cater to the Tamil audiences, I suppose.
And yes, the poster could have been better. :)
Besides Cinema Paradiso (a classic) this is the only other movie (both Lucia and this, I mean) where one's passion for films and a story weaved around it are both captured beautifully,
It sure deserved more attendance than the forty or so people that were in the section of the theatre I was seated in... what an irony that the masses don't enjoy good cinema!
It all lies in the eyes of the beholder. Prasath Ramar is the beholder here, in this context - the director of the Tamil version of Lucia. He not only had the story but also the Pawan Kumar film in front of him. Cause as they say, seeing is believing. Thus giving him the advantage AND an opportunity to come up with -
i) a replica: glad he did not try that as the original gets to remain the original
ii) make it a disaster, like Sajid Khan in Himmatwala: thank God (!) he did not pull-off a Sajid here
or
iii) a better version: he was almost there, I'd say.
Take this movie independently, and it is quite a brilliant film!
Siddharth in one of his best roles till date, and gives more than an honest performance. His sincerity pays off handsomely.
The music is extremely good, including the background score that fits in with ease into the scenes. Special thanks to Santhosh Narayanan for that, in what could possibly be his best work till date. Easily!
Gopi Amarnath's cinematography is good, too.
Another winner is the screenplay, by the creator himself - read P-a-w-a-n K-u-m-a-r. Practice seems to have made perfect, here, for Pawan, for sure.
All in all, the film is technically brilliant, proving once again how solid Kollywood is, when it comes to the technical aspects of film-making.
On a lighter note, one wonders whether Prasath Ramar is now living a dream... Or whether Pawan Kumar is, now that his movie is remade in another language. Or wait a minute, wasn't Prasath wanting to live Pawan's dream, by remaking the film!? :-) Hopefully, they both are (living the dream)...
Aadukalam Naren plays a robust support-role, both as Durai and as the superstar's caretaker; much needed to fill-in the shoes of the ever reliable Achyuth Kumar, who was easily THE best actor in the Kannada version.
The film introduces a new-face - Deepa Sannidhi - who facially could look like Sadaa and Shriya Saran put together. She has done a decent job.
The guy who played her friend - was it Amit Bhargav (?) - was unwatchable, to be honest.
Like a friend put it, the film almost single-handedly belongs to Siddharth. He is his director's delight, here. I like how he seamlessly moulds himself completely into both his characters: both as the torch-boy in the village movie-theatre as well as the superstar Vignesh.
It would be unfair to draw comparisons, especially since Siddharth is a seasoned campaigner, but I think the film's technicality, the cinematography, the screenplay, the music and Siddharth were the five things bettered in this remake.
Some noticeable changes in the climax, to cater to the Tamil audiences, I suppose.
And yes, the poster could have been better. :)
Besides Cinema Paradiso (a classic) this is the only other movie (both Lucia and this, I mean) where one's passion for films and a story weaved around it are both captured beautifully,
It sure deserved more attendance than the forty or so people that were in the section of the theatre I was seated in... what an irony that the masses don't enjoy good cinema!
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