Film: Yaakkai
Cast: Krishna,Swathi, Prakashraj, Radharavi, Guru Somasundaram
Director: Kulandai Velappan
His debut film Aanmai Thavarael (2011) was a fairly engaging action thriller that centered on human trafficking. And now Velappan ventures into the medical scenario and explores the unscrupulous practices followed by some hospitals and pharmaceutical companies for gain. Though the plot is old, I wouldn’t have blamed the director if it had been scripted better. Insipid screenplay, and a weak narrative and badly written characters ensure boredom mid-way through the movie!
The film opens with Krishnamurthy (Radharavi), an eminent doctor, found murdered. Sahayam, the investigating cop, steps in to solve the mystery. The dead man’s son, Sriram,
arrives from the US, not hiding his angst against his dead father for failing to fall in line with some of his schemes. With the men close to the doctor, either missing or found dead, the cop tries to solve the puzzle.
The plot travels simultaneously in two tracks, but is disconnected — one, where the investigation is depicted and other the love-story between Kathir and Kavitha a school teacher. The director has attempted to adopt a different narrative style here, but it backfires. As the story progresses, the investigation which was more interesting of the two tracks, is sidelined. The love affair takes over, monotonous and boring. And, when the tracks do converge at the end, it’s jerky and most unconvincing. The narration picks up speed only towards the end.
Sahayam essayed by Prakashraj, seems disinterested and bored with the whole scenario. The actor seems to have lost interest in the proceedings, probably realising that the character which had begun on a strong note was being treated more as an extended guest appearance as the story unfolded. Guru Somasundram is a total miscast. As Sriram the bad boy angry with his father, he is inconsistent and far removed from his assured performance we saw in Joker (2016). Unsure of how to essay a role that is weakly etched, the actor is loud and dramatic in his take on Sriram.
Of about 127 minutes of viewing time, Yaakkam is a monotonous journey, unexciting and uninteresting.