Film: Yatchan
Director: Vishnu Vardhan
Cast: Arya, Kreshna, Deepa Sannidhi, Swathi, Adil Hussain.
Adapted from writer-duo Suba’s story that was serialised in a magazine, Yatchan tracks the journey of two strangers whose lives take a turn when each finds himself inadvertently trading places. The first half fulfils the expectations one has from a Vishnuvardhan flick. The screenplay (Vishnuvardhan-Suba) is taut and interesting and the characters well etched. Humour is smartly integrated. It’s in the second half that the whole scenario turns unwieldy and loses focus.
Swetha (Sannidhi), an orphan, gets hit by lightning and develops paranormal powers. She could touch a person’s hand and predict his future. This would soon be to her disadvantage. We are introduced to Chinna, a petty thief (Arya) who flees to Chennai after accidentally killing a rowdy. On a parallel track is Karthik (Kreshna), an aspiring actor who sets out to Chennai to try his luck in films. In Chennai, we are introduced to Vetri a businessman and politician (Hussain), who had just buried his brother. The stage is set for an interesting scenario of confrontation and mistaken identities. It’s amusing the way Vishnuvardhan balances the acts of his two heroes. A scene on one is immediately followed by a similar one on the other. Even a song-dance number is measuredly divided between the two. Arya, a constant factor of the director’s films, is projected favourably this time too. The role of the ‘tapori’ suits him and he essays it with obvious relish and flair.
This is Kreshna’s first venture with brother Vishnuvardhan. The various nuances of the character as Karthik goes through bouts of euphoria and despondency is well brought out by Kreshna. The contrast between the protagonists is brought out effectively, their brief accidental encounters in the earlier part interesting. The supporting cast of Senrayan and Yogi Babu pitch in their bit to liven up the situation. The heroines are adequate in their roles, though they don’t have anything substantial to do.
The film, which was delightfully engaging in the first part, loses its momentum midway. The screenplay loses clarity and the director his grip on the narration. It becomes a hotchpotch of situations with new characters introduced, their backstories and sub plots. Like that of gangster Durai (Ponvannan), a rival to Vetri. The case of mistaken identities related to the heroes, is extended to the baddies too. The twist towards the end hardly seems to matter. There could have been an easier way of eliminating Sweta a hurdle to the villain’s plan, than the ‘contract killing’ bid. Though crucial to the plot, it’s a weak link in the story. The scenes leading to the climax have all the characters entering the fray. The finale becomes a free for all, leading to a long, dreary climax. Yatchan, a promising scenario in the first half, is a let down in the second half.