Film - Thiru Vi Ka Poonga
Director -Senthil Sel M
Cast - Senthil Sel M,
Swati, Susan, John Vijay and Yuga
The fact that only a handful of films released in a year have proven to be profitable ventures doesn’t seem to have deterred new film makers from entering the fray. And many of these films are the ones where the producer (in a misplaced sense of confidence), also dons the hats of the writer, director and hero. But debutant Senthil has done a fairly neat job as a writer-director and worked out a decent entertainer within his limited budget. What doesn’t gel is his hero avatar. It’s not about the looks or about his screen presence alone. It’s also that Senthil has a tough time emoting and giving expressions.
At times, he is so subtle that one cannot decipher what exactly the character was thinking or going through. A more capable or experienced actor could have lifted the character of the love-dejected tormented rustic to another level. But then again, if the man who puts in the money wants to play the hero too, who can grudge that.
It centres on a man, who is jilted by the city-bred daughter of a local bigwig. She had pursued him professing her love. When he was totally enamoured of her, she had discarded him callously. A heart-broken hero leaves the place to get over his depression, determined that girls and love would have no place in his life again. But history seems to be repeating itself, leaving him in a dilemma. The knot may be familiar, but there is an effort to weave in situations that move away from the predictable.
The mother sentiment has been worked out well. The dialogues are crisp and have a natural feel. There is a villain introduced midway through, who has an altercation with the hero in an interestingly-crafted highway-drive scene. One expects to make the usual near-end entry to torment the hero. But his quirky act gives a surprising turn to the story.
The locations carefully selected form an aesthetic backdrop to the scenes. It’s the narrative style that could have been done better. There is also a part of the story, where the hero narrates the past happenings to a lorry driver (John Vijay in a neat cameo), who gives him a lift to Villupuram.
The second half happens in Villupuram, and it’s back to the village for the climax, which is thoughtfully crafted. The message that life is to be lived and not sacrificed at the altar of love has been conveyed fairly effectively.
A film by a debutant, who has no mentor to boast of or any big names in his cast and technical crew, raises no expectations. So, in that sense, Thiru Vi Ka Poonga isn’t entirely a disappointing fare and delivers more than what one expects.