Film: Megha
Director: Karthick Rishi
Cast Ashwin, Srushti, Angana Roy, Jayaprakash, YG Mahendran
It’s a crime investigation story interlinked with a romantic saga. Directed by debutant Karthick Rishi, it is Ashwin’s first solo lead after his supporting roles in Mankatha and a few others. The pace of the movie is too leisurely for a crime thriller. Also, not much importance is given to the crafting of the investigation episodes as has been given to the romantic interludes. One can feel a sense of imbalance in the narration as it shifts from one to the other.
The film begins promisingly. Mukhil, a guy from a humble background, gets a job in the forensic science department. His first assignment involves investigating the presumed suicide of his mentor and guide Raghavan (played by Vijaykumar), a senior cop. Mukhil suspects foul play, given Raghavan was due for promotion and there were a handful of contenders to the post. Mukhil doesn’t rule out the involvement of his girlfriend Megha’s father, a business tycoon.
The love scenes shot in a rain soaked ambiance are aesthetic and lyrical. Ashwin fits in adequately as Mukhil. Srushti exudes freshness and innocence that goes well with the role of Megha. The duo shares a pleasant screen chemistry. It’s in the episodes of the crime investigation that the screenplay lacks clarity and conviction. There are quite a few loopholes and unanswered questions. Mukhil adopts a simplistic way of eliminating names from his list of suspects and zeroing in on the culprit. There are a few scenes that remind one of films like Thegidi. The film’s earlier climax was re-shot with a new ending, a hasty one. It could have been better crafted. Illaiyaraja’s songs and background score are the film’s strength. At times, one does feel that the score overpowers the narration. An average entertainer, the film’s running time of about 170 minutes could have been trimmed to make it more crisp.