Vetri Vizha

This movie may have inspired the super hit malayalam movie- mumbai police and the blockbuster telugu movie evadu.

The simple one liner is- a man loses his memories and he goes on a journey to find out who he was and ends up finding his dark past.

This movie deserves a 10 star but the screenplay was not interesting at some places. I feel some fight scenes, songs and love portions were deliberately added because that was the thumb rule of vintage Tamil movies.

These slow down the movie's pace and might make you bored sometimes. So you have to skip those scenes!

If this movie was released today, with only on the main plot, I am sure there will be a 'vetrivizha' celebration.

Sunday Afternoon Regional Film!

In the weekly Regional show this time I saw yet another popular Kamal Hassan Tamil film-the action packed Vettri Vizha-1989 on Amazon Prime with English subtitles.

The film is about an attack on a man (Kamal Hassan) and how he loses his memory.

He somehow realizes that there are many who want to eliminate him but as he is suffering from amnesia,he cannot find out its reason. In a quest to save himself and also find his true identity he solves bigger conspiracies.

Robert Ludlum's action packed best seller novel "The Bourne Identity" has had more than its share of Indian fans. Infact Indian films have been so impressed with it that many top actors have worked in their own versions on it. Salman Khan in Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge,Naseer uddin Shah in Zee Tvs episodic serial Tarkash,Mithun in Avinash and Cheetah were all based on the novel. Infact Amitabh and Tinnu Anand were also working on their own version Shanaakht but it was shelved. Vettri Vizha is Kamal Hassans version to the suspense action novel directed by Prathap K. Pothen and was the most successful version commercially.

The film is a big budget action saga where Kamal is in full form as the action star. The film has Prabhu,Khushboo,Amala, Sasikala and Salim Ghouse in important roles. The film is technically very well made and shot interestingly in Goa and Madras. The background music is great and the action sequences are excellent. The film has very fast pace and though kind of predictable now still manages to keep one interested. Infact one can see some sequences of this popular Tamil film being re-used in some scenes of Soldier,Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai and Wanted.

The film ofcourse has its share of flaws. For me the Prabhu-Khushboo romantic and the forced comedy scenes were unrequired. Then the eccentric Sadhu angle and following song looks very odd and breaks the mood of the film. The film leaves a lot of open points which are not fully closed like the karate master,the court twist etc.

Performances wise also I didn't find Prabhu appealing and Khushboo were ok. Sasikala was decent but Amala with limited screen time creates maximum impact amongst the screen.

The film however remains really entertaining due to Kamal Hassan and Salim Ghouse. Salim Ghouse in his big Tamil debut succeeds in being the psychotic villain and he tried using same style of villainy later in Koyla and Maharaja( both didn't work though). The USP of the film remains its Hollywood style action which is very well choreographed.

In the end its again a Kamal show who is at his peak as action hero of 1980s after Sathya and Vikram. His command on martial Arts makes the action sequences particularly the helicopters chase one, the elevator fight and Arnold's COMMANDO hand to hand combat climax stand out.

All in all an entertaining actioner though flawed yet interesting to the source!!

Another Kamal movie that these boomer 70s and 80s forgot to celebrate.

Loosely based on Bourne identity by robert ludlum released in 1980. Hollywood took 22 years to make this movie. But Kamal made it in 1989 itself. Way ahead of its time. It's difficult for people to understand this film as I said they're 70s 80s boomers who want 5 songs, 5 fights, comedy track, rajini style, mass scene, item song.

Prabhu kushboo scenes are useless and not needed in the movie. That's why it's not getting a clean 10/10. Rajani Parveen stole the screen with full beauty. Salim ghouse as usual gave his best villainism.

This movie is an adaption of the novel "Bourne Identity". The film was produced by Sivaji prodcutions. It was launched with Prabhu as hero & kamal in a guest role. But kamal changed the script & Prabhu was redued to a minor role.

The movie has nothing to rave about. Salim ghouse makes an impression. Kamal seems disinterested & prabhu is wasted. Khushbu & sasikala, as heroines have nothing much to do.

The movie was dragged to 100 days in chennai & had an average run in the box office.