NAAN KADAVUL (2009) - AN EPIC

CAST: Arya , Pooja , Rajendran , Krishnamoorthy.

DIRECTOR : Bala

MUSIC DIRECTOR : Ilaiyaraja

Nearly four years of hard work of the cast and the crew has finally paid off. This movie has created quite a buzz in Kollywood. This flick being considered as Bala's magnum-opus has been the talk of the town for the past few weeks after the release of the trailer. Well what makes this movie so impressive and special, Is it Ilaiyaraja's background score? Or Bala's script and screenplay? Or the lead pair's performance?

Bala who is known for his naturalistic films has come up with “Naan Kadavul” (I’m God) this time not differing from his genre. Well, what is this story all about? Candidly speaking there no strong storyline in this movie. Viewers who go with expectations are taken aback. This story broods on the austere realities of the life that prevail in this society and is being narrated in Bala's inimitable style.

The film kicks off with the song Om Shivom and mind-blowing visuals of Kasi, where a father along with his daughter, rambles on the streets of this city in search of his son who he abandoned 14 years ago after the prediction of an astrologer that the son would bring bad luck to the family. Then with the help of the priest Sharma who initially berates them for their act goes in search of the boy.

Then they locate Rudhran (Arya) who is now an Aghori.Rudhran is trained to live on the cremation grounds and inhale the smoke from the burning corpses and is devoid of human relations and emotions. He has great physical power and calls himself God - Aham Brahmasmi. Sharma helps in seeking permission from his guru to send Rudhran to his native village Malaikovil in Tamil Nadu. On return, his mom is traumatized on seeing his state of Aghori. She tries to caress him with her love and affection and tries to prove that she is not responsible for abandoning him but in vain.

A remorseless criminal Thandavan runs a network with hundreds of beggars with distorted children, physically handicapped and aged. Thandavan is assisted by Murugan, who is unwilling to do these cruel deeds, but still scared to go against his boss. Hamsavalli (Pooja) is being kidnapped by Murugan because she has a great voice and is handed over to his boss. Mean while another gangster who runs a similar group in Kerala comes to Thandavan to buy some beggars for price with the help of a local cop. And Thandavan tries to make a bigger deal out of Hamsavalli.This is when the pace of the story increases.How the prayers of the poor are heard by Rudhran who is always in a state of mediation and how he takes hold of the criminals is what the remaining story is all about with a spellbinding climax.

As far as the movie is concerned it is a simple story with a transfixing screenplay. Bala has taken immense care to give this realistic flick. Arya has definitely stepped up to the next level of acting through this film and has very few dialogues, his flaming looks and yogic physique is worth a mention. This is one of the best performances of Pooja till date and is sure of sweeping the awards nationally. But after watching the life of beggars for a long it gives you a ghoulish feeling, creating an impact even after the movie. The places where the beggars are held captive and the train sequences of Rudhran reminds us about Sethu and Pithamagan respectively. The stunts are always natural in his Bala's films and this one is no different.

The director has not let the audiences down. This film is definitely WORTH THE WAIT. 4/5.

CHANGELING (2008) - REVIEW

CAST : Angelina Jolie , Michael Kelly , John Malkovich , Jeffrey Donovan , Jason Butler Harner , Eddie Alderson and Gattlin Griffith.

DIRECTOR : Clint Eastwood.

GENRE : Drama / Mystery.

Well this story is based on a couple of actual events that occurred in Los Angeles in the 1920's. Clint Eastwood's Changeling is a story about a woman who is driven to take on a corrupted LAPD after her kidnapped son is retrieved, but she begins to distrust that the boy is not her son.

Christine who works for the Department of Telephone Exchange, says goodbye to her son Walter and leaves for work. And on returning home, Christine was dysphoric to see that her son was missing. The despairing mother tries to launch a search which seemed to be of no use. And several months later Christine was informed that her son was found alive and a reunion in front of the press is arranged in order to neutralize the criticism of the department.

After seeing the boy, Christine abnegates that he is not her child. Even though the boy claims to be her son, Captain Jones of the juvenile department tries to prove that he is her son presses her to take the boy with her on a trial basis. After bringing the kid back home she identifies that he is 3 inches shorter than Walter and he also been circumcised which she confronts to Jones. He sends a Doctor to visit her who tells Christine that, the boy is shorter because the trauma he has been through over the couple of months has shrunk his spine and the guy who took the had him circumcised. Mean while there is a newspaper article that connotes Christine is unfit to be a mother. One day she meets up with Briegleb, and he says that the story was planted by the department to disrepute her and he also tells her about the corruption prevailing in the department. Mean while Walter's teacher and dentist give Christine signed letters confirming the boy is a shammer.And Christine in a press conference arranged by her tells the truth.Agitated Jones puts her in the Hospital's psychopathic ward. Christine bonds with Carol one of the inmates, who tells Christine that she is one of the several women who were incarcerated for confronting the police. Dr.Steele reckons Christine neurotic and forces her to take pills. And he says he will release if she acknowledges that she was mistaken for Walter which she refuses.

And Detective Ybarra is called to a ranch at Wine Ville to arrange the transportation of 15 year old Clark to Canada. Gordon who is the boy's uncle has fled after being alerted by Ybarra to his visit. Clark confesses to Ybarra that Gordon forced him to assist in kidnapping and murdering kids and identifies Walter one of them. Jones tells Briegleb that Christine is in protective custody following a breakdown. Jones decrees Clark deported, but Ybarra makes Clark reveal the murder site and the man behind the scene. Briegleb secures Christine's release by showing Steele a newspaper that details the Wine Ville killings and names Walter her son could be a possible victim. And after interrogating the boy who is assumed to Walter he confesses that his motif was secure transportation to LA to see his favorite actor Tom Mix and also added that the police told him to lie about being Christine's child.

Mean while Gordon is arrested in Vancouver, Canada at his sister's place. Christine has an attorney secure a court order to release the women unfairly imprisoned by police. On the day of the hearing into the case Christine and Briegleb arrive at the city Hall where they bump thousands of protestors asking for answers from the city. The council concludes that Jones and Davis the Police Chief should be removed and Gordon is found guilty of murder and is held to solitary confinement for a period of two years and sentenced to death by hanging.

Two years later Christine has still not given up her search for Walter and she is informed that Gordon is willing to admit killing Walter on condition Christine meets him before his execution. Gordon refuses to tell whether Walter is killed or not and he is executed the very next day. And Five years later, David one of the boys assumed to have been killed was found alive and after he was interrogated by Ybarra it reveals that David, Walter and another boy escaped but were separated. Thus giving Christine hope that, Walter is still alive.

On the whole CHANGELING is definitely worth a watch. 3.5 / 5 .