Movie: Veettoda Mappilai

Director: V. Sekhar
Cast: Napoleon, Roja, Charlie, Vaiyapuri, Vijakumar, Kovai Sarala, Kalpana.

In delving into the middle class psyche and depicting their problems, V. Sekhar's films may have lacked finesse, the scenes may have been crude and loud, but nevertheless the message was successfully conveyed to the targeted audience. But now Sekhar seems to have exhausted all his 'problems', the focus has been shifted to the side players - the comedy track - and what remains is only the pale imitation of his earlier works.

'Veettoda Maappilai' is about Manickam a supervisor in a hotel, whose honesty and hard work, impresses his boss Kandasamy enough, to want him to make him his son-in-law. And when Kandasamy requests him to stay at his house after marriage, Manickam has no hang-ups about it. He proves himself more than a son to the old man, as contrasted to his two brothers-in-law (Charlie-Vaiyapuri) who stay put in the same house, but are wastrels and antagonistic to Manickam. Manickam puts the hotel on a sound footing. But the arrival of Kandasamy's prodigal son Pandian (Thalaivasal Vijay), finds Manickam slowly sidelined and finally even alienated from his father-in-law. Manickam has now to prove his worth to all the members of the family once again. The director brings in some rowdies from Mumbai into the narration, Pandian's partners in crime. And it's finally Manickam who extricates Pandian from their clutches and gets admitted to the family fold again.

Manickam's character is sober, dignified and quiet, acting only when he has to. So Napoleon playing Manickam, also remains silent and sober most of the time. And finally he had to use his legs and fists to re-claim his position as the 'ideal son-in-law' of the household! Charlie and Vaiyapuri as the two good-for-nothing sons-in-law hold stage most of the time, their, antics repeated from their earlier films. Roja perks up now and then, but with so many characters vying for attention, she's almost lost in the chaos. Vijaykumar as Kandasamy earns one's admiration as the sensible and doting father-in-law of Manickam. But the character's confusion after the return of the son, robs it of its intensity and dignity and the performance goes wasted.