Review of Sangamam
Hello again !!!!. Welcome to the movie review of Sangamam. Even though this is an old movie (by the
present status, anything older than a month is an old movie. Hence sangamam might even be labeled as "Andha kaala padam"), i saw this movie quite recently
. And i can't help commenting on this movie. Did i say Alai Payudhe was a mediocre one. Then this one beats Alai payudhe by well over 1000 miles. For most
part it looks like a cartoon. On second thoughts i take back my comments. Why should i degrade cartoons by comparing them with sangamam ? Tom and Jerry can be
seen by anyone at anytime and anywhere. Even the often repeated Tamil drama that Doordarshan used to screen on tuesdays were a lot better than this movie. To start
with Mr.Swaminathan (now in San Jose) should be blamed for this movie. He took the cassette at Srider's imports. Well let me give him credit for selecting the
most humorous movie of the present time even thought it was meant to be a ultra serious one.
For starters, the director of this movie is Suresh Krishnaa (of Baasha fame), music director A.R.R and songs by "Diamond Pearl". Suresh Krishnaa has nowadays
started thinking that he is like Balachander or Bharatiraja i suppose. He is introing heros and heroines in his movies. I salute his over confidence in himself. This movie's
hero is Ragu alias Rahman (this is a different Rahman, not A.R.Rahman) and a new look heroine Vindhya (her dance steps looked like she was limping (vindhi vindhi nadakkara) hence
the name, Vindhya !!!), with ever present comedian Manivannan, always-shouting-his-dialogues Vijaykumar and not-at-all-speaking Srividhya.
Old timers please help me with this. I think the original story was written by Mr.Kothamangalam Subbu (Thillana Mohanambal) which has then evolved into different moulds. Karakattakaran
is nothing but Thillana with a slight difference and Sangamam almost falls in to the same category. But falls so very short in it's quality that ppl don't even know that these two are related.
Now the story. Rahman is a folk dancer and Manivannan is his valarppu father. Vindhya is a bharatanatyam dancer and Vijaykumar is her father, guru and everything. Srividhya is her mom.
They fall in love with each other when they see each other in a village festival. There are the usual romantic interludes etc. Vijaykumar tries to fix Vindhya's marriage but she confesses her
love for Rahman. Manivannan comes to Vijaykumar's house seeking Vindhya's hand but is slighted by vijaykumar. The wordly tussle results in a challenge, where vijaykumar challenges
Manivannan to raise 1lakh ruppees thru his folk dance. This is essentially a clash of egos. There's also a villain here. And i don't remember how he becomes the villain. Such is the impression
of this movie on me. Manivannan starts training Rahman for the challenge. Vijaykumar asks that villain to disturb manivannan's plan.
On the day of the challenge Manivannan goes to the village temple to pray and while he is praying the villain stabs him from behind. When Rahman hears this he becomes livid with rage but
is determined to complete the challenge for his guru and foster father. He dances and collects Rs.1 lakh and throws it at Vijaykumar's face thus proving that folk dance also has the same power
as bharatnatyam. Vijaykumar realises his folly throws his thalai ganam down and allows Rahman to marry vindhya. They then live happily ever after.......
On Rahman
Doesn't know a wee bit about folk dance. Knows a little about acting. Has a feminine face. Total misfit in his role as a folk dancer. Cause since he is trained in
bharatnatyam, even his folk dance looks like bharatnatyam.
On Vindhya
Most of you who have seen sangamam, wouldn't even remember this heroine. But anyway here's my two cents on her. She is another total misfit in this movie. She is so chubby and fat.
Difficult to accept her as a bharatnatyam dancer. She doesn't have the nalinam that Rahman has. Probably they must have switched the roles. She should have been folk dancer and he a bharatnatyam dancer.
Acting was ok.
On A.R.R
I read in a review that his music has been lost in a bad story. Well i am of the view that his bad music compliments a bad story. All that he knows of folk music is dappanguthu. He takes
that instrument with which they play saavu molam and has tuned all the songs in the same vein. Master please take a vacation in Brazil or somewhere where u would get some inspiration (a la Anu malik, inspired
by some stolen tapes of brazilian music or samba music !!!).
On Vairamuthu
Honestly Vairamuthu is the non-playing joker in this movie. The most humorous part of all is the songs penned by kaviyarasar. Take for instance these lines,
"Nam kaadhal jodhi, kalayum jodhi"
"jodhi eppadi jodhiyai erikkum " and so on...... Here are my versions of it (thanks swami for them !!!!)
"Neer eppadi neerai kudikkum"
"Nilam eppadi nilathai virkkum"
"Kaatru eppadi kaatrai swasikkum"...........
Aandava !!!! How can someone write some blabberings like this kaviyarasu has written. Someone teach meeeeeeee.
And the ultimate song "Sowkiyama kanne Sowkiyama.........". Here A.R.Rahman think he is M.S.Viswanathan (correct me if he is not the music director for
thillana mohanambal) and Vairamuthu thinks he is Kannadhasan. Guys bring some originality ok.
My Pulambals
My pulambals are quite less cause this movie was seen courtesy Swami's credit card. But this movie
made me cry. That is tears began rolling down my cheeks from laughing. If this movie were marketed as a spoof on present day movies then this would get 80/100
but if suresh krishnaa is hell bent in trying to convince me that this is a serious movie then it gets 5/100 (for deceiving me in to thinking that it is a serious movie !!). This movie has one scene in which Rahman catches hold
of Vindhya's hand (they are just lovers at that time !!!) and vindhya's mother just watches them. Even if she is in favor of their love a mother remaining silent
when some other guy catches her daughter's hand, is just too much !!!!. If you are looking for a movie in which everything is a misfit for everything else, don't look very far.
This is the one you are looking for. This is one of those movies even if you are offered a free video casette you should say no. But wait.
Why should u say no. Take it, watch it and laugh ur hearts out at our directors immaturity......
Thanks,
Karthik