It is a long time since I reviewed a film.But the tamil new year saw films from both the greatest heores of tamil industry, Kamal and Rajni, each being great due to completely different reasons. I am starting with Chandramukhi. The film could have better started with a statuatory warning “Not for Rajni Fans”. Just because after a loooooooooong time, we are having a movie where Rajni acts rather than a Rajni movie.
The story and much of the screenplay is a high quality Xerox copy of the malayalam film ‘Mani Chitra Vaazhu’ which got shobana a National award. The film revolves around Jyothika, wife of Prabu. She is a split personality and imitates ‘Chandramukhi’ who was once a dancer and was killed by a king ‘Vetayan’. Otherwise Jyothika is normal and she is also not aware of her other personality. Rajni comes as a phychatrist and how he saves Jyothika putting his own life in danger is the rest of the story. The film is really good and the flow is also very well controlled. There are no boring scenes and long-time-nothing-happens sort of delay in the film. The songs are really good and worth hearing again and again. Job well done by Vidyasagar. Vaasu’s direction and the art direction is also good. Vadivelu has done an excellent job with Rajni in the comedy section which keeps the film alive and entertaining, though there are a few adult jokes. The film is a family entertainer and from kids to grandpa everyone will enjoy it.
Jyothika has done a wonderful job. Though she has shobana for inspiration it still required quite some effort from her to portray Chandramukhi in the climax scenes. But for her, the climax would have become a comedy affair. Now coming to the Rajni fans, I can tell you confidently that most of them will be dissappointed, especially because the introduction scene for Rajni and the accompanying fight is so good that one expects a lot of such things and punch dialogues in the entire film, but find them missing. It is very hard to have a very good story going and also conforming to the ‘Rajni Fans Requirement Specification Version 10.0.1″. In the end it was decided that the story will be given preference but still give room for some Rajni-only-doable scenes. That is where they have amended the screenplay of the malayalam original where Mohanlal comes only after half of the film is over.
I can safely say that if you are not a Rajni fan that it is a must see as you may probably never see such a wonderful Rajni movie in your life time devoid of all his usual stupidities. But if you are an ardant Rajni fan, then may be you should leave the theatre once the introduction scene is over and come back and enjoy the climax.
Rating :: 80/100