A simple youth from the village who gets embroiled in the affairs of an underworld don, refuses to cow down, and takes him on, forms the core of the plot. Director Venkatesh keeps the action racy and fairly engaging for the most part.
The way the director has spaced out his three central characters — Pazhanivel (Prabhu) the rustic, his younger brother Vetri (Arun Vijay) and the thug (Prakashraj) — and their relationship is interesting.
Arun and Prabhu share a pleasant on-screen rapport and their scenes have a spontaneous feel to them.
Vetri’s encounters with the don begin on a pleasant note but take on a dangerous tone when he inadvertently rubs him on the wrong side.
The arrival of Pazhani to the city, and his earlier relationship with the thug complicates matters. Paired with Prabhu is Kasthuri, returning to the screen after a long gap. What goes against the film is that it seems a rehash of all the earlier heroagainst- the-underworld flicks.
After a series of flops, this was a do-or-die effort for Arun Vijay, who was on a perpetual quest to get a sound script that would back his talent. Malai … may not have the greatest script, but it certainly is a vast improvement on the hero’s earlier ones. And one that showcases him as an actor, who could be relied on to carry the entire gamut of ‘heroism’ on his shoulders.