'Drohi' (Tamil, Action, 2010)
Director- Sudha K Prasad
Cast- Srikanth, Vishnu, Poorna, Poonam
The general perception about women directors is that they usually tend to stay away from hardcore action thrillers, and that their comfort zone is in handling softer themes, romances and mild comedies infused with a feminine sensibility.
But directors like Jayadevi, to name someone nearer home, has deviated from this and has had some exciting action thrillers to her credit. And now comes Sudha K Prasad, who has selected an action-oriented plot for her first venture 'Drohi'. Penning down the story and screenplay, the director (apprenticed with Mani Ratnam) revolves her knot around two inseparable childhood friends Sami and Karna, and their friendship tears apart due to one fateful act.
The duo carry their bitterness and enmity to adulthood, destroying each other being their main goal. The film opens on Sami (Srikanth), tied to a railway track, as trains rumble by precariously close to him. A beginning that generates suspense and interest. It’s from his perspective that the past unfolds before our eyes. The director traverses through her narration confidently.
The scenes depicting the childhood of Sami and Karna (Vishnu), their close bonding and the reason for their fall out, have a smooth natural flow.
The childhood episode where Sami is subjected to a traumatic experience by Karna’s friends, reminds one of a similar scene in 'The Kite Runner'. The Mani Ratnam influence is felt in the director’s etching of her female characters and also in the clipped dialogue. Both Malar and Shruthi (Poorna, Poonam), the former in love with Sami and the latter with Karna, are feisty, unconventional and bold in their expression of love.
Both actresses perform with verve and ensure that their scenes are lively. Even the teacher (Pooja in a cameo) who instills an interest in studies on Karna and the unruly kids is unorthodox in her methods. Though the way her character ends, seemed to be a forced one.
The underworld angle to the story is linked in smoothly in the earlier part where Sami’s bitter experience, and his notion that power could be wielded by instilling fear, makes him drop out from school and join Narayanan (well enacted by Thiagarajan), a gangster.
Karna meanwhile had set his eyes on becoming a police officer, so that he can get back at his tormentor. Vishnu is fortunate to get roles of varied hues in his three outings. He sports a macho look here and essays Karna with understanding.
Srikant is natural, but somehow the role of Sami doesn’t seem to gel well with him.
It’s towards the latter part that the director seems to lose focus with the script taking a down-slide. The gang war between the rival groups of Narayanan and Nanaji (Tanikala Bharani), and Sami and Karna getting entangled in it, are scenes that slacken the pace, the story going on a different tangent. Scenes of Sami’s attempted foray into politics are halfheartedly etched, and an unwanted distraction. The script could have been worked out better here.
The flashback done with, its back to the railway track where the finale is played out. As a first-timer’s work, 'Drohi' is a well tried attempt, the director making her presence felt in her very first outing.