This review is stupid!! The film does not sparkle in bits and pieces, the film sparkled from the beginning to the end. Yes, there were parts that were OTT, but they made us laugh instead of making us cringe, like most Kolly films tend to do.
I must admit that the reviews I read were mixed, like the one above. Sify, indiaglitz were amongst them. However, I decided that I would not let these reviews influence me, especially after that disastrous debacle called Ellam Avan Seyal. We went to see that film after reading reviews - all of them flattering - and if I had those reviewers infront of me, I would have hit them with a Netra. So I was glad that I went to see Abhiyum Naanum with an open mind. It was a breath of fresh air. No sexual innuendoes, no violence, no unnecessary silly songs, no screaming, wailing and playing on outdated sentiments. It was simply, a joy to watch.
I will not go into the plot because there is really no plot. There is a story (again, I wanted to bang my head against the wall when I read a review that said there was no story. There is a story, fool. It is a story about a man and his daughter and their relationship). The film focusses more on the father i.e his emotions at the different stages in his daughter's life and how he copes with them - when he holds her in his arms for the first time as a newborn baby, when she goes to school, then to college, then to pursue her Masters, when she comes back with a beau, her marriage and so on. The film explores different nuances and angles to this relationship and the changes that take place, simply due to passage of time as the daughter grows from a precocious daddy's girl to an independent, strong-minded young lady with her own views and opinions. The changes show different angles to this man - the protective father, the loving dad, the jealous and insecure future father-in-law. To this extent, Prakashraj was just superb. His facial expressions, his intonations, his body language - are just mind-boggling. Truly, he deserves an award. The only other character actor (I don't mean the heroes and PJ can even out-act the heroes) besides him in Tamil film Industry that I like is Nasser but even Nasser couldn't have acted the way PJ did.
The stuff that the reviewer calls buffoonery - again, I think he/she is talking buffoonery. All it shows that PJ is a protective father and he gets emotional when Abhi goes off by herself for the first time. However, at the end of the film, when Abhi goes off to Delhi with her husband, it is her mother and Abhi who are bawling their eyes out whereas Prakashraj smiles happily. Why? Because finally he has lost that insecurity and is confident that his daughter would be well looked after and well cared for. He's finally realised that he should, can and does let his daughter go. And what is so strange about the PM calling Jogi? Jogi is a brilliant young economist, wasn't Manmohan Singh a brilliant young economist? And an academic? Academics nurture brilliant young scholars and experts in their field. I do not find this strange at all. Even our own PM has his think-tank of young proteges and mandarins. (Although I personally think that there is no think in the tank!!)
Abhiyum Naanum is different from Mozhi. There would be inevitable comparisons since it is basically with the same team - Prakashraj and Radhamohan. However, they are different in many ways, no less than the storyline. This film is not as intense as Mozhi but it is also a feelgood movie and I promise you that you'll come out smiling. There are many hilarious moments in this film and I must admit that at one point I was laughing so hard that I nearly had an accident with my bladder.
You already know about my opinion of Prakashraj. The surprise of the film was Aishwarya. I just loved her - she was too good, yaar. Really. I thought her character stood out more than Trisha's. The next actor to impress me was the guy who acts as the servant. I don't know who he is but he was brilliant. He falls in love with a Punjabi girl. Oon per enna? he asks. Jasbeer Kaur, she says. Per romba azhaga irukku, he responds. Kia? she asks. Periliye beer irukku!!! Moments like these are plenty!!!
Another part that I enjoyed was the nonsensical exchanges Prakashraj has with this character, played by the guy who acted as Asin's boss in the advertising agency in Ghajini. (I think his name is Manobala). Again, this was criticised by some reviewers as adding nothing to the film. I disagree. It may not have added nothing substantial to the film, but it was a brilliant aside! I mean, does our lives focus on only the serious issues? Don't we have asides in our lives? (One of my asides is my sister spitting out water every time she hears a joke whilst drinking). In fact, every time this character appears on the screen, I would anticipate with relish Prakashraj's response to this character's habit of stating the obvious...and I would be falling about laughing. In fact, the whole cinema was cracking up.
Actually, Trisha's character is the least appealing. She comes across as a shallow, self-centred spoilt brat with scant regard for her father's feelings, especially when she brings a Sardarji as her future husband. Even though we live in the 21st century, caste and religious differences still prevail and you would have thought that she would have dealt with this matter more sensitively. Even if that was not the issue, she should have realised that her father would have had a hard time accepting the fact that there is another man in his little girl's life - and indeed this is shown again and again. The little Abhi was more nicer than the grown-up Abhi.
The dialogue is yet another winner. Beautifully written, beautifully delivered, beautifully emoted. I remember one piece of such dialogue. The servant - who was a beggar Abhi had found by the roadside and brought home - tells Raghuraman (Prakashraj) who is brooding by himself over Abhi and Jogi - When Abhi was 10, she brought me and you took me in without question just because she asked you to. Now she is older, more mature and intelligent. Why is it difficult for you to accept the man she has brought this time?
Surprise of the film: Aishwarya.
Gem in the film: Prakashraj
Disappointment of the film: Trisha's character. Trisha herself was very under-stated, and did a good job. (but I could not help but wonder whether Jyothika could have done a better job!!!)
Rating: 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼 👍🏼
ETA: There are many gems of moments in this film. I intend to watch it again to appreciate and relish them more. I won't say what they were because I don't want to spoil your fun. 😃
Edited by Karthikka - 16 years ago
