'Eppadi Manasukkul Vandhai' (Tamil)
Director: PV Prasath
Cast: Vishwa, Tanvi Vyas, Irfan
The film depicts how obsession for a girl and the determination to save his love at any cost, drives a youngster to take extreme steps, his action triggering a chain of unfortunate events. With a taut screenplay and well fleshed out characters, director Prasad (of Kadhalil Vizhundhen) has managed to keep his narrative engaging and fast paced. He has co-ordinated the work of his technical crew ably. It’s an impressive cast of actors who lend credibility and conviction to their characters.
The films opens on a suspenseful note with Seenu (debutant Vishwa) hung upside down in a godown and tortured by a team of men who try in vain to extract a confession from him. It’s his first person narrative that chronicles the events of the recent past, which led to the situation he was in. The earlier part depicts how Seenu, from a washerman’s community, is smitten by Mithra, and joins the institute of fashion designing, to be in her close proximity.
Vishwa plays Seenu with perfect understanding, bringing out the nuances of the character splendidly. Whether it was of Seenu manipulating his way and gaining Mithra’s confidence and friendship; wearing borrowed costumes and trying to be part of her peer group; and cautiously making his moves when facing resentment and ridicule from her friends particularly her best buddy Shyam, who was suspicious of his motives, it’s a riveting performance from the debutant. Debutant Thanvi has the looks, is adequate in her role, not taxed much by way of histrionics. Irfan (of Pattalam) as Shyam, brings out impressively the character’s irritation at Seenu’s mind games. One can find shades of the director’s earlier film in its mood and feel.
The disappearance of Shyam brings a twist to the tale, a cop (an impressive Kale) trying to track the missing youth. Interesting is the scene where Seenu retraces the movements of a private detective who had broken into Shyam’s room. Also brilliantly enacted is the final face-off on the terrace of a building. The screenplay does have its glitches though. Like the sudden volte-face by the cop, which is hard to swallow. But these are minor, and don’t mar the slickness of the narration. It’s an ideal viewing for lovers of action thrillers.