Malai Malai (Tamil)
Starring: Arun Vijay, Karthik, Prabhu, Dhansika, Chandrasekhar, Vijaykumar
Malai Malai had showcased Arun as an action hero. On similar lines comes Manja Velu, where Arun plays Velu the one-man force, single handedly taking on the might of a dreaded thug and showing his prowess in dance and romance with flair.
Velu is a carefree youngster, with loving parents (Vijaykumar, Meera), a doting elder brother who is a police officer (Karthik), and a caring sister-in-law (Anu). There is Velu’s girlfriend (Dhansika of Peranmai), the duo mutually attracted after the mandatory spat. The villain of the piece is gangster Umapathi (Chandrasekhar). The brothers had rubbed him the wrong way, and he is out to finish them. There are a couple of interesting twists in the script. Velu, capitalising on his brother’s death, turns the tables on Umapathi. The appearance of Gautham a senior cop (Prabhu in an elegantly played cameo), hastens the villain’s end. The film, a remake of the Telugu Lakshyam, is packed with ingredients that go to make a loud masala entertainer.
There is a hilarious take-off on the Nadodigal scenario, by the comedy team of Santhanam and gang. The film’s highlight undoubtedly is Karthik’s re-appearance on screen after a long sabbatical. Looking trim and dapper, the actor retains his charm, and begins his second innings on a promising note. Still to find a strong foothold in the starry hierarchy, Arun Vijay’s films come with less expectation. A mass entertainer, this film too comes with no big hype, but delivers more than what one would have expected.