Chandramukhi- Return of substance
There is confetti in the aisles, there are ear splitting whistles, there are ecstatic screams of ‘Thalaiva! Thalaiva’, and they are saying that the king is back. But, I being the unbiased, level headed, movie critic I think myself to be, beg to differ. I do not agree that Rajnikanth has returned to form. I opine that substance has returned to Rajni’s movies and though the compromises to cater to his style and image have not gone, they have definitely been underplayed. Frankly speaking, I walked into the theatre dreading the massacre of Manichitra Thaazhu to make it superstar compatible. But thankfully, they have respected the beauty of the original and have been remarkably faithful to it. And that powerful story is the reason why Chandramukhi will be a hit.
I have greater respect for Rajnikanth, the actor than Rajnikanth, the superstar. There is a popular school of thought that believes that Rajni’s sale-ability and fan following is purely due to his style. But I strongly feel that the movies where his style was prominent were all backed by stories of substance. Agreed that it is exhilarating to see him pop a cigarette into his mouth, see sparks fly when he walks, see him fly around whacking the baddies and mouth those sensational punch lines. But it is not so, if that is what the movie is all about. And fortunately for Rajni, the plot of Chandramukhi is brilliant.
Rajnikanth plays the psychiatrist friend of Prabhu and his wife Jyotika. The couple move into a palace, which as legend has it, is supposedly haunted by the spirit of a court dancer called Chandramukhi. Strange unexplained events begin happening in the palace and that makes Prabhu seek Rajni’s help. How Rajni investigates the issue and solves the mystery behind the haunting forms the rest of the story. The Malayalam version directed by Fazil was far ahead of its times. Brilliant performances by Shobhana and Mohanlal, and the handling of the theme with great finesse make it one of the best thrillers ever made in India. Chandramukhi is a decent replica of the original. Jyothika garners all accolades in a very good role, a role almost well suited to her tendency to overact. Prabhu is adequate in his role and Vadivelu provides good comic entertainment. It is very difficult not to draw comparisions between Mohanlal and Rajnikanth. While Mohanlal played a subdued, subtle role Rajnikanth brings in the flamboyance and charisma that go with his superstar image to that role. Popular opinion is that a glow has returned to his face, a glow that was conspicuously missing in Baba. But then the rest of his body does not seem to keep pace with that renewed youth. Most of his movements are scratchy and contrived. It is highly obvious that the smooth, stylish, fluid grace seen in Alex Pandian, Manick Baasha is just not there anymore.
A special mention is due to Vidyasagar who is evidently in the peak of his career. Though the initial response was quite lukewarm to the music, the way the songs have been picturised on screen give the music a new vigor. Annanoda paatu and Devuda absolutely rock on screen, taking us back to the days of the high-energy songs of Rajni. But it is for Raa Raa that Vidyasagar decides to reserve his best. It is almost as if he has shrugged off the pressures and compulsions of making music for the superstar and done complete justice only to the theme of the movie to give us a splendingly haunting number.
Its in the latter half of the movie that flashes of vintage Rajni are visible. Towards the climax, when Rajnikanth walks with a band of men, in a style uncannily similar to Baasha, it is a goose- pimple raising experience and just for an instant you forget the cinema of the Maniratnams and the Kamalhaasans, care a damn about substance and story and screenplay, lose yourself in an illogical yet enduring facet of Indian Cinema- where style and attitude rule, where hero worship is the order of the day, where perfectly normal, sane humans scream themselves hoarse with cries of ‘Devuda! Devuda!’
I have greater respect for Rajnikanth, the actor than Rajnikanth, the superstar. There is a popular school of thought that believes that Rajni’s sale-ability and fan following is purely due to his style. But I strongly feel that the movies where his style was prominent were all backed by stories of substance. Agreed that it is exhilarating to see him pop a cigarette into his mouth, see sparks fly when he walks, see him fly around whacking the baddies and mouth those sensational punch lines. But it is not so, if that is what the movie is all about. And fortunately for Rajni, the plot of Chandramukhi is brilliant.
Rajnikanth plays the psychiatrist friend of Prabhu and his wife Jyotika. The couple move into a palace, which as legend has it, is supposedly haunted by the spirit of a court dancer called Chandramukhi. Strange unexplained events begin happening in the palace and that makes Prabhu seek Rajni’s help. How Rajni investigates the issue and solves the mystery behind the haunting forms the rest of the story. The Malayalam version directed by Fazil was far ahead of its times. Brilliant performances by Shobhana and Mohanlal, and the handling of the theme with great finesse make it one of the best thrillers ever made in India. Chandramukhi is a decent replica of the original. Jyothika garners all accolades in a very good role, a role almost well suited to her tendency to overact. Prabhu is adequate in his role and Vadivelu provides good comic entertainment. It is very difficult not to draw comparisions between Mohanlal and Rajnikanth. While Mohanlal played a subdued, subtle role Rajnikanth brings in the flamboyance and charisma that go with his superstar image to that role. Popular opinion is that a glow has returned to his face, a glow that was conspicuously missing in Baba. But then the rest of his body does not seem to keep pace with that renewed youth. Most of his movements are scratchy and contrived. It is highly obvious that the smooth, stylish, fluid grace seen in Alex Pandian, Manick Baasha is just not there anymore.
A special mention is due to Vidyasagar who is evidently in the peak of his career. Though the initial response was quite lukewarm to the music, the way the songs have been picturised on screen give the music a new vigor. Annanoda paatu and Devuda absolutely rock on screen, taking us back to the days of the high-energy songs of Rajni. But it is for Raa Raa that Vidyasagar decides to reserve his best. It is almost as if he has shrugged off the pressures and compulsions of making music for the superstar and done complete justice only to the theme of the movie to give us a splendingly haunting number.
Its in the latter half of the movie that flashes of vintage Rajni are visible. Towards the climax, when Rajnikanth walks with a band of men, in a style uncannily similar to Baasha, it is a goose- pimple raising experience and just for an instant you forget the cinema of the Maniratnams and the Kamalhaasans, care a damn about substance and story and screenplay, lose yourself in an illogical yet enduring facet of Indian Cinema- where style and attitude rule, where hero worship is the order of the day, where perfectly normal, sane humans scream themselves hoarse with cries of ‘Devuda! Devuda!’
posted by Dreamer at 4:04 AM
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