Film Review: Kannukku Kannaga

A heavy dose of melodrama ... that is how one can describe director S. Dayalan's debut venture. Unlike in most films where the heroines shed buckets of tears, in ``Kannukku Kannaga'', it is the hero Murali who seems to have used more glycerine!

The story is about how a horoscope can destroy the strong bond between siblings. So we have the rich, loving `anna', Dharma (Murali) and his only `thangachi' Devi (Devyani) who `will give her life for him' (sic!). Enter Arun (Raja). He wants to marry Devi and vice versa. So `anna' goes to the `josiar' (Charuhasan) to match the horoscopes. But the astrologer predicts doom. If Devi and Arun have a male child, Dharma will die! But Dharma is willing to `sacrifice' his life for the sake of his sister's happiness!

So Devi and Arun marry and Devi delivers a son (obviously, otherwise the story can't go on!). After a `family' song that sounds exactly like an old Hindi number, the baby grows up to be a naughty, talkative boy who is extremely fond of his uncle. This irks father Arun (naturally!).

And reels of weird coincidencs later, Arun concludes that Dharma wants to kill his child. So he walks out of the house with wife and child in tow. Then Devi learns of her brother's `sacrifice'. So it is her turn to do something. So she decides to kill her child and herself (too hard to digest?). And the tale goes on and on...

It is Murali's film all the way. He is restrained through most part of the film. But does he have to cry so much? It is a routine role for Devyani as the sister, who is all smiles in the first half and all tears in the second half. Vindhiya as the hero's fiancee, has nothing much to do. The little boy looks cute but somehow it seems unnatural to hear such a small kid mouth such heavy dialogue!

The director could have easily done away with the comedy track provided by Vadivelu. He is not only crude, but too loud. Such scenes do not do much to move the plot ahead. The only redeeming factor is the pleasant camera work by Thankar Bachan. Deva's music score is ordinary and functional.

This domestic drama suffers because of lack of originality and exaggerated sentiments.

SAVITHA PADMANABHAN

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Section  : Entertainment
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