Rakshadikari Baiju Oppu

This is simplicity to the core and it starts to permeate from the outset without any customary cinematic introduction. With visuals also beginning to talk and remind us of several things, the real intention of the film gradually unfolds. The feel it evokes about the memories of village cricket tourneys and commotion is remarkable. One of the positive aspects of "Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu" is that the plot does not fail to relate to us. But there is a prolonged wait for an epilogue till you are led to a relevant question.

"Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu" is the latest outing by writer-director Ranjan Pramod. It's all about Baiju (Biju Menon) and Kumbalam Brothers, a cricket club in the Kumbalam village. An ardent cricket fan, Baiju enjoys playing cricket with youngsters on the ground near his house. Captain Baiju is the cornerstone of the club. He is a lethargic government employee, who shows a devoted attitude to the club.

For the youngsters in the team, he is a mentor and they often seek his guidance too. Baiju's wife Ajitha (Henna Reji) and his parents are not happy with his attitude. His emotional attachment to the club and the ground, where he started playing at the age of eight, is still strong even after 36 years. The story revolves around the fate of Kumbalam club.

By presenting the drug addict, Chandran (Padmaraj Ratheesh), the filmmaker also shows the intrusion of unwanted elements that sully the sanctity of a village. There is a notable attempt by Ranjan Pramod as he assembles two generations on the ground and leaves the scenes to us to ponder on the changes that took place in us and the Nature.

Comments

Kuthiraivaal

Kuthiraivaal Movie Review: Manoj Leonel Jahson and Shyam Sunder’s directorial debut Kuthiraivaal brims with colours and striking imagery. This is apparent as early as its first scene, where its protagonist Saravanan alias Freud squirms in his bed, suspecting a bad omen. As some light fills his aesthetic apartment wrapped with vintage wall colours, his discomfort finally makes sense—for he has woken up with a horse’s tail! The scene is set up incredibly, leaving us excited for what is to come. But is the film as magical as the spectacle it presents on screen? Kuthiraivaal revolves around Saravanan (played by a brilliant Kalaiyarasan) and his quest to find out why he suddenly wakes up with a horse’s tail, and on the way, his existence in life. Saravanan’s universe is filled with colourful characters, almost magical yet just real enough—be it his whimsical neighbour Babu (Chetan), who speaks about his love for his dog and loneliness in the same breath, or the corner-side cigar...

Maaran

Even as early as about five minutes into Maaran, it’s hard to care. The craft seems to belong in a bad TV serial, and the dialogues and performances don't help either. During these opening minutes, you get journalist Sathyamoorthy (Ramki) rambling on about publishing the ‘truth’, while it gets established that his wife is pregnant and ready to deliver ANY SECOND. A pregnant wife on the cusp of delivery in our 'commercial' cinema means that the bad men with sickles are in the vicinity and ready to pounce. Sometimes, it almost feels like they wait around for women to get pregnant, so they can strike. When the expected happens—as it does throughout this cliché-ridden film—you feel no shock. The real shock is when you realise that the director credits belong to the filmmaker who gave us Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru, that the film stars Dhanush, from whom we have come to expect better, much better. Director: Karthick Naren Cast: Dhanush, Malavika Mohanan, Ameer, Samuthirakani Stre...

Valimai

H Vinoth's Valimai begins with a series of chain-snatching incidents and smuggling committed by masked men on bikes in Chennai. The public is up in arms against the police force, who are clueless. In an internal monologue, the police chief (Selva) wishes for a super cop to prevent such crimes. The action then cuts to Madurai, where a temple procession is underway.then we are introduced to ACP Arjun (Ajith Kumar), the film’s protagonist, whose introduction is intercut with scenes from the procession. Like a God who is held up high, we see this character rising up from the depths. In short, a whistle-worthy hero-introduction scene. We expect that Vinoth has done away with the mandatory fan service given his star's stature and will get around to making the film he wanted to make. And it does seem so for a while when Arjun gets posted to Chennai and starts investigating a suicide case that seems connected to the chain-snatching and drug-smuggling cases from before. Like in his pr...

Movie Reviews

Search This Blog