Thamizh Padam - Review

As they rightly told Thamizh Padam is the first full fledged spoof movie of Tamil cinema. Though Venkat Prabhu did the same treatment to all his scripts, CS Amuthan, the debutant, overtakes him and make comedy as a serious business and tastes his maiden hit.

Making a spoof on Tamil films, particularly the icons of Kollywood is not an easy thing. But Amuthan's careful treatment and the background of the producer (Dayanidhi Azhagiri is the producer who is son of Union Minister M K Azhagiri and grand son of Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi!!) made it possible.

The film works to a large extent because Tamil cinema has more cliches than any other cinema in the world. The director hits out at our larger than life heroes who specialize in mass masala and their cardboard heroism.'Mirchi" Shiva suits to the role very aptly and carries the film to the victory with help of witty dialogues written by the director in excellent manner.

Hero Shiva (Mirchi Shiva) is born on a rainy day in a village and the new born speaks to his grandmother (Parvai Muniamma) that his dream is to go to Chennai to become a man for all seasons like a typical Tamil film hero. In Chennai, the boy pedals on a cycle and as years pass become a larger than life hero who takes on the evil things in the earth and became the savor of the world. Like all Tamil heroes he goes to college and hangs around with his friends Nakul (MS Bhaskar), Siddharth (Manobala) and Bharath (Venniradai Moorthy), a dig at Tamil cinemas ageing comedians who pretend to be students.

Shiva falls in love with a classmate (Disha Pandey) and sings duet like a usual Tamil hero to win the heroine in films like Kadhalukku Mariyathai, Mouna Ragam etc. When the heroine"s father says he will not allow his daughter to marry a poor man with no job, Shiva does some odd jobs like newspaper hawker, fruit seller and becomes a tycoon overnight just like what Rajinikanth did in Annamalai, Padyappa etc. Meanwhile it is revealed that he is an undercover cop who wants to exterminate the criminals in the city.

Shiva"s method of eliminating the criminals are far better than what Vijay did in Tirupachi and Pokkiri, Surya in Ghajini and Kaakka Kaakka, Vikram in Anniyan and Kamal Hassan in Apoorva Sahodrakal. Even more hilarious is how Shiva goes back to his village in search of his father who abandoned him many years back. And the climax is when he discovers who runs the 'D" company is hilarious.

Some of the most enjoyable moments are Shiva"s classical dance piece to impress his girl friend and the happenings in Cinemakkaranpatti (the birth place of Shiva!) and the family song that helps our hero to reunite with his parents.

When a newborn baby utters actor Vijay's 'punch-dialogues', the audience appreciates the idea behind it. When a 10-year old asks his grandmother when would he be old enough to fight injustice, she tells him to get on the top of a cycle. As the wheels roll on, the 10-year-old turns into grown up guy within seconds.

Apart from Shiva, Venniradai Moorthy, Manobala, MS Baskar, Shanmugasundaram and Paravai Muniamma done their part excellently. As usual there is no scope for heroine in this 'Thamizh Padam' too! Nirav Shah"s camera and Kannan"s music add more strength to the film. Particularly the song O Maha Zeeya.. (Particularly when Shiva's lip movement and body language when he pronounce Lalakku Dol Dappima!) makes our time most hilarious. But the film is very enjoyable for those experienced with Tamil films in the past 3 decades!

Movie : Thamizh Padam

Cast: Shiva, Disha Pandey, Venniradi Moorthy, Manobala, MS Baskar, Paravai Muniamma, Shanmugasundaram

Music: Kannan

Cinematography: Nirav Shah

Director: CS Amuthan

Producer: Dayanidhi Azhagiri

PRO: Nikil Murugan