Bothersome experience for a mediocre movie :-(
[Courtesy: newstodaynet.com]
Vettayadu Vilayadu was showed in Chicago at The Lakehurst theatre, Waukegan. One of my friends asked me to book the ticket through Sulekha. Hence, booked the tickets for Friday 10.00 pm show, with zeal to watch the long awaiting movie. I am now confused which one to explain here, about the movie or the way I watched the movie. I want to say both of these, "என்னன அநத விடுங்க!". It was an irritating experience at the theatre. My whole weekend got screwed up due to this night show.
Around 8.00 pm, I got the news that the 7.00 pm show was cancelled. I then called the theatre and asked is the 10.00 pm show still on? He said no problem at all, please do come. I was relaxed and started around 9.10 pm for having the dinner and then to theatre. I reached around 9.40 pm to the theatre. The moment I entered the theatre I can feel the Chennai air. Oh yeah! People were crowded around the ticket issuer with their print outs and photo identities. They completely encircled him and there was complete disorderliness. In between many other movie watchers thought that the line is for them and after getting their ticket still stood in the line. I was really having fun at the scene. As a fellow Chennaite, got into the sandwich crowd to be part of and rushing to the ticket issuer. Everybody were speeding him as if the movie is running. That’s we; I was feeling really at home. Finally got the tickets and went into the theatre. The theatre was average and Pilot theatre at Royapettah was much better.
The slide shows were running and to highest cardinality, quotes by Jennifer Lopez were screened repeatedly. What should I say, just laughing! One more point is, two of my friends who have come doesn't know Tamil. They have just because the others have called them. At that point we really don’t know the subsequent things that were about to happen. I can see many confused Desis particularly sweet girls of course with westernized clothes. Not just dress to mention but the way they behaved and the postures were itching. I was told by my another friend that a old mama sitting besides him with full butler peter and saying "In Toronto there used to be posters but here nothing. Oh! I could have got my iPod, to listen songs." With a full pan inside his mouth, he was revealing his old stories to heights. Yeah truly fun and time pass to see such characters.
Around 10.15 pm with these interesting things happening around, the movie wasn't still started. I was just commenting with the friends "மச்சி! பொட்டி வரலயா?". After sometime went out to checkout what’s happening??? Still there was good amount of crowd around the ticket issuer and thought myself, may be after everybody getting in they would start the movie. So went back and again waited. It was 10.45, 11.00, 11.15...time was just tickling but still Jennifer Lopez was saying quotes. It was irritating and the crowd started to murmurs, children crying all over and the young professional dads were at critical state with this situation where nobody thought of.
[Confusion at its peak;Click snap for a blow up]
When we went out now again a group was speaking with the ticket issuer and he said the movie box hasn't some yet, it’s near the theatre and be here in 10 mins. Oh man! What was said as a joke was happening. "நெஜமவே பொட்டி வரல ஹி!ஹி!" .Every 10 mins you go and ask the organizer, he would say next 5-10 minutes. Time was running and it was 11.30 pm. The crowd became cut loose and started yelling at the organizer. Actually it was bad planning. When I got a chance I asked one of the organizers, why the hell did you posted ad for movie tickets when you haven't got the box. You should have posted after you got it. It’s bad to make people wait for such long hours in night with entire family. Kids were really suffering a lot which was pathetic. At 11.40 pm the box had come but they haven't started the movie. When enquired the movie reels has to be loaded into the projector manually and there are 9 boxes. Each would take around 5 mins and so more 45 mins. Shucks! It’s getting worse. People who did not see 7 pm show which was cancelled were waiting for the 10.00 pm show. Since they have come long way of 100 miles. But things weren't under control of anyone.
Finally the movie started at 12.30 am and by that time few already left. Around 1.45 am interval slide was shown and the movie was continued. After interval the characters in the movie were upside down. I was thinking its something Gautham was technically doing. But no it was the reel loaders work. Alas! The frustration was to the core. The projector guy has loaded in the reverse direction. Again the organizers were held but this time more vigorously. Since after waiting for hours and half way the movie of it’s said no more movie. Nobody accepted. The projector guy had left the place when the movie started and he was called back. Full chaos around the place. He came after 45 mins running and started looking into the issue. Around 3.00 am the issue was fixed. The movie started again and ended at 4.30 am. Came back home with pain and the following days got screwed up. It was one of the irritating and worse experiences that I had for an ordinary movie.
The movie started right away with entry of Kamal with no heroics stunts in 2 minutes of opening. I was thinking Gautham would have done a different approach. Kamal was looking really big on screen. Though he is getting older, I can't assume that he hasn't payed attention at his looks on screen. He was blotting and did not fit in the dresses of a cop. The movie was about a story of cop investigating a case and finding out the culprits. This is the tagline of the story. All the expectations and interest of Gautham were broken. It can be said as an extension of Kakha Kakha or part II of it. If Gautham wouldn't have taken Kakha Khaka and taken this as first, it would have been a sure shot hit. But after that, this has nothing special in it. The story line, casts, song picturization, fight sequences, screenplay, characterizations...everything has strong resemblances of Kakha Kakha. I think the same story with Kamal and with a different climax was taken.
Gautham with yet another cop movie, chasing two cyco serial killers. He could have taken the story here in India but what is the need to go till New York and shoot is not clear. Might be to get a richer look?!?!?! There are many loop holes in the screen play. What’s the reason for the cyco serial killers to be like it, what was the reason that a heroine leaving behind 2 months child back in home and search a job in USA, is it so easy to get a ticket from JFK to India as just boarding a moffusil bus in our town, How can a taxi driver with blood spots all over the short allow the serial killers to drop in the airport...So many questions raise in our mind which are unanswered. He could have made the plot more interesting as the first half which he fails miserably to do in the second part. Also the usage of same person’s everywhere from his earlier movies makes even more bore. As a director, with the big add on Kamal, he could have done a much better script. I doubt that he hasn't got out from his earlier cop flick and still want to pursue with it. But if he continues to head on with these stereo type movies, he is sure to burn his ass.
Kamal has done his job. But we miss the old Aadhi in him. He is lost in this movie. Few more care could have given to his looks as cop which definitely he would have thought about. But what had stopped him in executing is a question. Apart from it, this is like a usual Kamal movie. Actually he doesn’t have much to do for his caliber. His character can be done by another upcoming hero which would have boosted him. But for Kamal...hmm...not for him. Also few dialogues weren't acceptable for Kamal or the cop characters of Gautham. Like "Back home its called Raghavan instinct". "I feel good when I speak with you. Actually everybody says the same when they speak with me." Such self proclaims is neither good signs for Kamal or Gautham’s cop characters. It should be implicit but not explicitly specified. It’s yet another Kamal flick and fans of him would enjoy seeing him on screen.
Jothika has done pretty neat job. She reveals her emotions with the body under control. Its one of the good movie she could add on in her list. But she looks pale in most of the places. As if she hasn’t slept properly and also she has reduced a bit. Another heroine Kamalini Mukherjee, Wow! She looks damn cute:-) She just comes in for couple of scenes. But marks you with her pleasant smile and the romantic compositions with Kamal. She would be a noticeable person in the upcoming movies. Her looks really kill you; with a small portion of teeth coming in front adds more romantic effect to her face. The acting scope is less but with the given chance she has done well.
The camera work was awesome and few places it was really appreciable. Technically as the earlier flick this has good camerawork. But technical things alone don’t make the movie different. Truly, Harris has done a remarkable work in his music. I like all the songs and the way it’s been captured on screen is worth watching. He has done his job well and deserves a loud applaud. Apart from it most of the characters come and move along the movie.
The movie is going to be a sure shot box office hit. But it cannot be tagged as a good piece in Gautham’s diary.
