Date:04/11/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/11/04/stories/2005110402330200.htm

Back Entertainment Bangalore Chennai and Tamil Nadu Delhi Hyderabad Thiruvananthapuram

The dream continues

BELIES EXPECTATION: Adhu Oru Kanakkalam

Adhu Oru Kanakkalam
Genre: Romance
Director: Balu Mahendra
Cast: Dhanush, Delhi Ganesh,
Priyamani, Usha, Karunas.
Storyline: About an angry young man and a disapproving father.
Bottomline: Thin storyline.

Balu Mahendra's films always raise a lot of expectations. Vishwa Films' ``Adhu Oru Kanakkalam" is no exception. Excelling in technical aspects the film falls short in the area of storyline.

The film starts, with convict Srinivasan (Dhanush) escaping from custody. Then the title card .The director uses flashback to answer why, when and how the boy lands in jail.

Srinivasan is an unemployed graduate. His father Ganesh (Delhi Ganesh) disapproves of his behaviour and it is the mother's love that prevents the boy from running away. When both parents have to leave home for a short while, they ask the servant maid to take care of Srinivasan. She falls ill and sends her daughter, Tulasi (Priyamani) to do the work. Both are attracted to each other and the parents, who return, notice the development.

One night Ganesh gets a phone call from the police station that Srinivasan has been arrested along with his friends for drinking and causing nuisance in public. The angry father asks the inspector to keep the boy in jail just to teach him a lesson. But Srinivasan runs into trouble there, gets involved in the death of a prisoner and is remanded to custody. He escapes and is caught while coming to meet Tulasi.

Stealing the show

Dhanush has matured as an actor and performs with conviction. But it is Priya Mani as Tulasi who steals the show. The last scene reminds one of "Moondram Pirai." But here again it is Priyamani who stands out.

Delhi Ganesh and Usha do a good job as parents of Dhanush while Kalai Rani portrays a typical servant maid. Karunas is one of the convicts in the jail. Ilaiyaraja's music, particularly the re-recording is excellent.

Only the screenplay slackens in places. Balu Mahendra is in charge of story, cinematography, editing and has also written the dialogue.

SRA