He’s played the lead in a couple of films and supporting roles in a few others. But these movies did nothing to enhance his career graph. And now Vishnupriyan comes into his own in Mye, a movie that gives him the chance to portray various nuances of emotion as his character evolves from a low level party worker and thief to a youth who rises to high echelons of political power.
And the actor plays it all with panache. Director Gopalan reveals confidence and promise in his debut effort (his home production). The scenes flow at a smooth pace, the interest steadily increasing as the plot progresses.
The early part is in a light vein. The thieving antics of Subu and his two buddies are depicted with fair interest. They steal neighbours’ gates, dogs and whatever they can lay their hands on, and then sell them to unsuspecting buyers at the market place.
With his skill in oratory, Subu becomes a forceful speaker for a political party during elections. The focus in his life comes when his estranged childhood friend Bhanu re-enters his life. Shweta Basu (of Ra Ra) fits in beautifully as Bhanu, the motivating factor in Subu’s life.
The director has crafted each segment and character meticulously, whether it is the love track, the flashback scenes of childhood or the political angle.
The games politicians play for survival are depicted in the episode of Rajendran, a former Mayor and Subu’s mentor. As Rajendran, Jayaprakash proves his versatility yet again. The scene at his farmhouse where he deals with over-ambitious party members is novel, gory, and not for the faint-hearted.
The analogy to pigs is not lost here. And when Subu, on Bhanu’s advice, decides to contest the local elections as an independent, he antagonises Rajendran. Amusing is the way Subu canvasses for votes, convincing the locals that voting for him would be to their benefit.
Adding colour to the ambience is Subu’s physically challenged friend (Guna), and a mentally challenged tramp (Thangam), the latter beholden to Subu. Both actors fit in suitably and get to play crucial roles as Subu goes through a crisis.
The plot has some interesting twists and turns, reminding one of the intriguing script of Subramaniapuram. Mye ( signifying the ink on the voter’s finger) is a splendid effort from a first-time director.