The film starts with a sprightly Karthik (Madhavan) speeding off on his motor bike, oblivious to his surroundings. He is on his way, happy and excited to pick up his wife Sakthi (Shalini), a doctor, from the railway station. He has reason to be happy too, because his software company for the first time has got an order for a huge amount. He can't wait to inform Sakthi but she is nowhere to be found. He is informed that she has left the hospital after duty but Sakti fails to reach home. Karthik continues his vigil at the station in vain till the last suburban train has left. The director narrates through flashbacks in between Karthik's vigil, the story of the 'electric train kathal (love)' of Karthik and Sakthi, how they are compelled to have a secret marriage, which ultimately shatters Sakti's family.
Being thrown out of their homes they set up home independently with the help of Karthik's colleagues. Tears soon appear in the fabric of their marriage and the death of Sakthi's father takes them almost to a point of no return. Karthik succeeds in setting right the aborted alliance between Sakthi's sister Poornie and her suitor. Sakthi even suspects the close camaraderie between Karthik and Poornie but feels on top of the world when she knows the truth from Poornie. She is eager to join Karthik. But here fate intervenes in the form of a car accident...
Madhavan who makes his screen debut in Alai Payuthe will be no stranger to small screen addicts. Both he and Shalini as the young lovers have done a good job. Madhavan with his soft smile that lights up his expressive face and abundant talent can go a long way provided he gets meaningful roles. One hopes the movie will be a hit at least for his sake as his film career depends a lot on the fate of this film.
Shalini breaks out of her shell in the " Snehithane, Snehithane..." song sequence. Swarnamalya as Poornie is adequate. Others have only cameo roles in the film. What makes established veterans like KPAC Lalitha and Sukumari accept such two-minute roles except that they can also stake a claim of having been in a Manirathnam film? Cult figure and herd instinct syndrome mentality?
Aravind Swamy and Khushboo appearing in guest roles as the couple involved in the car accident have done full justice to their roles.
The movie is also a study in the contrasting genres of love: whole-hearted and self-effacing like Aravind Swamy's, egocentric, impulsive like Karthik-Sakthi's. But concentrating more on technical perfection has affected the emotional content of the film.
The song "snehithane rahasiya snehithane...", sweet and melodious ,will ring in the ears for a long time. "Pachainirame ..." is the next best. The rest are just o.k.
The best award in this film should go to the camera. The beauty of the seascape and landscape has been beautifully captured like a painter on canvas. The colours are soothing and some of the shots, like the long shot of Karthik standing on top of the overbridge, later his silhouette on the high ridge, and the last scene where Shalini slowly opens her eyes like a bud blooming as if in answer to Karthik's pleadings, all these shots with their sheer aesthetics give you goose pimples. Through a riot of colours P.C's camera paints a sensitive picture of love in the scene picturising the lines 'kaathalukku niramundu...'
Manirathnam this time, has steered clear of terrorism (Roja, Dil Se) and controversy-raising subjects (Bombay, Iruvar) and chosen a simple love story. Instead of saying it in a simple manner he depends on flashbacks, past and present interspersed, though successfully retaining the suspense till the second half of the film. There is nothing new in the story and what the director achieves by trying to be different in narration has been neutralised by the cliched ending.
The film fills you with a sense of dejavu throughout. Similar scenes, similar settings as we have seen in earlier Manirathnam films. Karthik and Sakthi meet at a marriage the same as in the film 'Bombay'. Same is the case with their first union. Both the settings and picturisaton are reminiscent of the "hamma...hamma..." song sequence of Bombay. Same with the locales too. Haven't we seen all this once before?
Manirathnam should be lauded on two counts- for bringing back the gifted singer Kalyani Menon (the song 'alai payuthe' ). Then for putting Vivek's toungue on a tight leash not allowing him to indulge in his forte of innuendoes and double entendres. Good thing he was stammering and could not speak much!
Maniratnam, in keeping with the title of the film should have paid more importance to the seascape instead of the 'trainscape'. It is more of 'train payuthe ' now than 'alai payuthe'!
|
