Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Angadi theru

It’s been quite a while since I wrote… Hope I can complete this successfully. First, loads of thanks to Prasanna who actually inspired me to see the movie and write a review on it. This post is dedicated to you Prasanna, I think you are one person who never misses any of my post. Thanks !!!

Angadi theru – Directed by Vasantha Balan starring Mahesh and Anjali is a reality movie. Tamil cinema can be proud of having a handful few directors who really dare to work on such a script. First hats off to the director and thanks to his guru Director Shankar for encouraging his assistants with such films. Veyil from Vasantha Balan under the production of Shankar has given him a break and a new recognition in the film industry after his first debut Album.

The movie is about people working in shops in Ranganathan street, T Nagar and reality around it. Youngsters from remote villages are brought to Chennai to work in these shops. With heaps of desires and compelled by situations to work they come to Chennai as sales persons. To their disappointment, they end up in differnt situation. They are tortured and gals are abused by the supervisors. Employers treat them as slave and black mails them. They are forced to lead life like slaves in a jail. The shop is has lodging place and mess for food. We find they cant even stretch properly and sleep. Staffs mess can never be worst. After the movie I couldn’t eat my lunch without thinking about this mess scene. Wake up alarm is beatings from a supervisor. Amongst all these pressures and worries they start searching for happiness among them. When they fall in love, the situations worsen. Management punishes them and forces them to quit the job when they are caught. Jothi lingam – Hero (Mahesh) and Kani – Heroin (anjali) are one of the staffs in a such shop. They are also not exceptions from these. After distrust they start liking each other and they fall in love. When they are caught. How they face the problems and come over is the story.

Don’t expect our Hero to become a super human to take revenge on Owner of the shop and save all the people. If it’s a commercial movie you can expect such screenplay. But this is a reality movie. It is simply how they escape from the clutches and saves their love.

The story also has few small time sellers in the street who completely depend on this street for the survival.The script actually starts from present and goes back.

The star cast is very neat. Mahesh, Anjali, Black Pandi and A. Venkatesh performance are impressive. Anjali is not like a routine heroin who just plays glamour roles and comes only for songs. She is simply superb. Background score is neatly done. They have not forgotten to even add train sound in bg keeping in mind that Ranganathan street is near Railway station. Cinematography by Richard and edited by Sreekar Prasad.

Vasantha Balan has definitely proved again in this film. I am actually shocked to see the background research made in each every detail in the frame. Though this is not a complete entertainer but this is a film which will be cherished.

Angadi Theru is a must watch for cinema lovers.



5 comments:

Prabu said...

Good post somaa.

Somaasri said...

Thanks Prabu :)

Prasanna said...

Thanks for loading of thanks to me.. Your review is nice as like the movie…

As you said we could not even take food after seeing the movie as it shows the reality by as it is with out any glorification. Hats off to the director for taking up this unexplored real world..Brave attempt.

Actually I was waiting for the movie from the day one when they started the movie because I have the same concept in my mind for a long time when ever I see the employees coming from distant villages and staying together, working together and yet sharing good times with each other.. I wonder we (including myself) used to say .we are under stress.. life is not going in my way. we have all the materials (ipod, laptop, wi-fi wtc..) which are giving comfort and ease for our life but without happiness.. The characters shown in movie and living in the Angadi theru (street) do not have anything which I above said but with full of happiness ,love, romance ,friendship, and humor .

I enjoyed the introduction scene of anjali who tries to cheat her abusive and cruel supervisor which shows their humorous part of their life. If the director gets its first place in the movie, the second place goes to anjali. She lived with the character, especially when she dwells in to her routine work by helplessly even after the sexual harassment by her supervisor. One of the best actress tamil has got… the place where jothika left is waiting for anjali..

Its amazing to know that it’s the first movie for a Cinematographer Richard. It’s a great challenging task .From the interview of director vasantha balan I came to know they have shot most of the outdoor scenes in renganathan street by hiding the camera in mini truck with full of clothes. There is no exaggeration to say that director vasantha balan is an asset to Tamil cinema industry.

He studied all the characters in tit bits (annachi without wearing slippers, Marriage life of sexual worker, Platform shoppers( Blind man).. ) Hero Mahesh perfectly fits in to his role. Background music gives life to the movie. I feel songs could have been better!

I thank and congratulate arunpandian (former actor and current producer of ayngaran) for giving 100% freedom to director and took the risk of taking this new concept. As the audience we should also encourage this film by going to the theaters instead of seeing the revenge soaps in televisions.

Somaa…. continue your good review work, Hasini pesum padam (Jaya TV) with interviews of anjali and vasanthabalan was quiet interesting.. I try to get the video .but could not get it.. Hope it will be uploaded soon to youtube. She said its very difficult to find fault in this movie.. I am also endorsing her view.

After a long time I enjoyed to write the stuff which I like.
Thanks somaa

Angadi Theru is quiet gritty , grim but yet enjoyable….

Somaasri said...

Hi prasana thanks for such a long review.. it def added value for my blog..
When u were talking abt comedy in the movie.. one thing which keep popping up in my mind is kavidhai written by Black pandi to sophie... It was great and a different thought... Leaving the serious part, i think director has taken lot of efforts to add comedy n the film which is very natural and casual.. hats off to the entire team.... Without them director might not have achieved wht he dream... CONGRATS TEAM !!!!

Jayaram said...

Hi Somaa here is what u've serched for

http://tamil.techsatish.net/file/hashini-pesum-padam-04-04-10/

if u've already got it, pls ignore it