Film Review: ''Manasu''

THIS SEEMS to be a season of new faces. The latest in the kind is Sheela Cine Arts' ``Manasu''.

Though the hero Shakti, who in some angles reminds you of actor Vijay as he looked a few years ago, was seen in the NFDC film ``Karuvelam Pookal'' earlier, it is in ``Manasu'' that he is a full-fledged hero.

As a young man of very few words who is always serious and pensive, Shakti makes a mark.

The heroine Oviya could have been a little more expressive, especially in the initial stages.

Villain Vicky (Sanjeev Kumar) is ``Manasu'''s another new face. But the sinister eyes and overtly evil laughter are only too similar to what we have seen in so many of our cinema villains over the years.

Nandini (Oviya) is in college. Her mother Pankajam (Jayachitra) is over protective and in the process becomes too prying and suspicious of her daughter. The mother's unwarranted strictness makes Nandini's life miserable. On the rebound and in a fit of anger she decides to get back at her mother. And what better or easy way to do it than to fall in love? The consequences however take a gruesome turn. The story in parts brings to mind yesteryear films such as ``Panneer Pushpangal'' and ``Maro Charitra''. But the final act is somewhat unexpected. It is here that the story writer Abdul Rahman shines. He is in charge of the screenplay, direction and camera too.

The dialogue at every point, seems to have been written after giving a lot of thought to the questions that would arise in the viewer's minds. The arguments and counters of the characters bear evidence to this fact.

``Manasu'' has its quota of pitfalls. Why are college campuses and classrooms in our films always examples of dystopia? The cacophony and confusion are too exaggerated and unrealistic and hence unbearable.

The music of ``Manasu'' matters little. Deva is the composer. Again the director's smartness lies in not inserting songs in the usual situations. For instance, the hero and heroine do not burst into a duet as soon as they fall in love. Of course, it does comes a little later. And then too there is no exercising or gamboling in the name of dance, only simple, natural reactions.

Listening to S. N. Surendar who voices the dialogue for the hero, is a near nostalgic experience. A wonderful voice with proper modulation and intonation that somehow remains under-utilised. The list of singers has variety. Except Chitra and Unni Krishnan, the others' voices (Suresh Peters, Malgudi Subha, Shiela Siva and S. N. Surendar) are not often heard ones.

Sanjeev's childhood (told in a flashback) rings of pathos. The same goes for the climax too. It is predictable up to a point but the final act of catastrophe is definitely different.

MALATHI RANGARAJAN

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