|
Have you a penchant for psychoanalytical films?
Are you intrigued by the complexities of the human mind?---
Then ‘Kannukkul Nilavu’ will not disappoint you--
After his career winter of ’99 actor Vijay was expected to make a comeback with a bang with Fazil’s Kannukkul Nilavu. The film, even though does not fully conform to one’s expectations of a director of Fazil’s calibre, has still many plus points. Like, a sensitive director, a fairly good story line, the hit pair Vijay & Shalini of Fazil’s earlier Kaadalukku Maryadai and above all a mind-blowing performance by Vijay. Yet the Malayalam hit director’s treatment and style is more in the genre of Malayalam films. How much the Tamil audience will take to it is anybody’s guess.
Fazil has chosen a psychoanalytical theme for Kannukkul Nilavu. It revolves around Gautham (Vijay), a research student in music, who comes to Pondicherry in search of Gayathri. The girl according to him has disappeared without a trace. Gautham suffers from partial amnesia and appears to be of unsound mind. After their initial squabbles Gautham strikes a sympathetic chord in Hema (Shalini) who herself comes from a tragic family background. Her psychiatrist father, Dr. Rajashekhar, hypnotises him and finds out all about the murder of Gayathri and the trio who committed the crime. But he also realises, Gautham, once he regains his memory and gets over his obsession for Gayathri will go after her ‘killers’. Meanwhile Hema falls in love with Gautham and ignoring her father’s warnings leaves home to stay with him. When Dr. Rajashekhar traces out the killers they have a bizarre story to tell him. With the arrival of his mother the cobwebs are cleared from Gautham’s mind and his reaction is on the expected lines. He is on a revenge track, but there is a twist in the tale.
The most redeeming aspect of Kannukkul Nilavu is Vijay’s towering performance as the hapless Gautham. The pangs, the dilemma and the confusions of a soul trapped in nightmarish memories have been well delineated by the young actor especially in the latter part of the film when his actions reach manic proportions. He is hilarious in the ‘haunted house’ scene. Raghuvaran’s doctor role is another laudable landmark in the actor’s career. Shalini has given a sensitive, controlled performance and Sreevidya’ s emoting has the stamp of a veteran. Charlie and Dhamu as the ‘Surya-Chandra’ duo provide clean comedy. Thalaivasal Vijay in the negative role is adequate.
The major weak points of the film is the lazy pace in the first half, the director’s failure in sustaining the suspense element and the long drawn-out chase in the climax scene. Yet one cannot overlook the director’s sensitive touches especially in scenes where Hema is confronted by her concerned father, the unexpected but spontaneous reaction of Gautham’s mother at her reunion with her son, to name only a few. Fazil has successfully introduced several twists and turns in the story to make the film more of a psychological journey into the hero’s tormented mind. Gautham obsessed with Hema almost regresses into childhood and goes on making mud-pies while waiting for her return. The scene throws powerful insight into his disturbed mind and shows how much of an emotional crutch the girl has become for him. Fazil’s brilliant directorial touch is evident here.
Gokula Krishna’s dialogue adds intensity and the necessary pathos to the story especially in scenes where Gautham cries out for his mother, when the doctor caught in a dilemma expresses his inability to condone his daughter’s attachment for Gautham.
Ilayaraja’s music is melodious and pleasing. Jesudas’ soul- stirring ‘iravu pakalai thedi’ , the duet ‘orunaal oru kanavu’ (Jesudas & Anuradha Sriram) and Hariharan’s ‘nilavu pattu nilavu pattu’ are outstanding.
Anandakkutan’s camera enthralls us with some enchanting visuals.
Are you a Vijay fan? But you’ll not find the dancing, gyrating Vijay in this movie. The role he essays is entirely different , is of a serious genre.
|
|
Director Fazil