Movie:  Vanchinathan

Director: Shaji Kailas
Cast: Vijaykant, Ramya Krishnan, Sakshi, Prakashraj, Rajiv, Pyramid Natarajan, Nasser.

One thought that the ace director Shaji Kailas who gave such engaging films in Malayalam - like 'Ekalavyan', 'King', 'Narasimhan' - would do something different with the cop and the underworld story, but the director seems to be in a great hurry to complete the film. Rushing from scene to scene as though a torpedo was chasing him! The background score, to make up for the monotony in the script, bangs away in frenzy, with each word uttered on the screen, having its own score! For most of the shots, the camera has been used in such a way that it is a little distracting and jarring.

The story is again about a cop with a mission. There is the by-now-familiar business tycoon with underworld connections, who cocks a snook at the establishment. An unscrupulous local politician and a central minister are hand in glove with the tycoon. In an action-a-minute screenplay the cop eliminates all his tormentors, his superiors and the politicians not even giving a chance to question his unorthodox methods or even put in a word. So what's new? Nothing that one hasn't seen earlier.

Vijaykant has handled these roles earlier and does nothing new or remarkable in this film. One sees Sakshi in a couple of scenes as Vijaykant's colleague. Ramya is luckier, for she gets a couple of scenes more and a song picturised aboard. Never mind that the song was irrelevant and Vijaykant was made to do steps he was obviously uncomfortable with. But with Vijaykant taking over all the action, and having no time for romance, the girls vanish after their brief appearances. The film is only sound and fury with no substance.