Film: Sundattam (Tamil)
Director: Brahma G Dev
Cast: Irfan, Arundhati, Rishi, Saravananan
Set in ‘Madras 1990’, the film revolves around a youngster from a humble background, who is an adept carrom-player. How his expertise in the game and his desire to make quick money, lands him in trouble, forms the core of the plot. A rehash of the hindi flick Striker, this one however lacks the intensity ,focus and the realism of the earlier version.
After playing supporting characters in a couple of films, Irfan gets to play the lead here. The actor makes a sincere effort in essaying Prabha who tackles the problems in his life with grit and determination. Prabha is all set to go to Dubai on a job, and it was in the interim period that his life took a turn. The film opens on a promising note, the early scenes engaging. Prabha a skilled carrom player, is lured to play in his illegal gambling den by gangster Bhagya (Naren). It depicts how Kasi the don’s earlier favourite, losing face after being defeated by Prabha in a friendly carrom-game, plots the elimination of the latter. Madhu is splendid in the role of the vengeance seeking drug-addict Kasi. Though at times it’s more of getting the look and the attittude right! The early episodes have a grim realistic feel. There is a dull smoky ambience in the depiction of the underbelly of the city. But in the latter part,the screenplay meanders. The director loses his plot and focus midway through. The screenplay meanders through various sub-plots, a few not having any clear ending.The rivalry between dons Bhagya and Ameer for supremacy in their turf suddenly pops up. That angle is forgotten, after scenes of some futile attempts by Ameer to kill Bhagya. There is just one interesting twist here, where Bhagya is being lured to his death by his own men. There is the romantic angle, where Prabha falls for the comely sister (Arundhati) of a perpetually scowling cop. But the love track insipid,long drawn out. Too many songs intrude in the second half, slackening the pace further.
The Verdict: Unlike Striker, Sundattam just doesn’t strike the right chord.