Tamil

The Cat-and-Mouse Game Between Cop, Auto Driver

Malini Mannath

The plot centers around an auto driver Dina, who inadvertantly gets entangled in the affairs of some criminals. Its about how he, caught between the criminals and the cops, tries to pull  himself out of the situation, prove his innocence and save his dear ones.

Directed by debutante Rajeev Prasad (former assistant to Suresh Krishna and son of cinematographer R N K Prasad) the film is a bumper ride with highs and lows in the scripting and treatment.

The early phase is breezy where Dina is depicted in his line of work. His friendship with Kumar and Salim (Kali, Adhik) and his amusing encounters with Janani (Varsha) who works in a beauty parlor, all form part of the script. It’s a routine scenario with nothing fresh or exciting here. Rajaj who had played one of the leads in Moodar Koodam (2013) essays Dina with cool efficiency.

He brings out effortlessly the desperation of the character caught between a relentless cop determined to get him, and the criminal elements out to eliminate him. Cute and bubbly Varsha is a promising addition to the Tamil screen. 

It’s a moment of revelation where Dina helps an aged middle class passenger retrieve the jewellery the latter had left in an auto. Kali as Kumar caught between guilt and embarrassment, leaves an impact here. Kali would get his space later too, where he is on the run after witnessing a murder. As a cop, a folk artist and a couple of others are found murdered, Dina is suspected, tries to unearth the truth and the common link among the victims. It’s easy to hate Rajeswaran who fits the bill as Pasupathi the obnoxious cop who misbehaves with every woman passenger travelling at night by auto.

The film which meanders in the early part picks up momentum towards the end. The night shots of the fights and chase on the roads, and Dina's cat and mouse game with his pursuer Pasupathi provide some thrilling moments.

It’s when the scene shifts to the flashback mode and to the unholy activities at a prestigious hospital that monotony sets in.  And though this is the most crucial part of the plot, it is its weakest link in the script.

Giving a feel of deja vu, the scenes are rushed through here and shoddily presented. Sathuran at best is promising work from a debutante maker.

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