Padayappa

Entertaining to the core, this is another in a line of commercial Rajinikanth movies. Rajini is certainly the typical hero who can do no wrong! The usual Rajini magic with his one-liner (roughly translated as: My way is unique), stunts and songs about how grateful he is to Tamil Nadu and the people who have given him his fame are all there in this movie. Soundarya is rather aptly cast as the sweet servant who captures Rajini's heart. The real highlight is Ramya Krishnan as the villain. She plays the role of an egotistical and haughty woman who falls in love with the hero and has to deal with his rejection and ultimate marriage to her servant and yet remains undefeated! All in all, typical "masala"!

Being a 90s kid while this movie was released it was like a festival. Even now if you watch the film is fresh. One could not ask for more from Rajnikanth. Such a splendid style that goes hand in hand with his dialogues and ARR music. So much of plot in the movie. A very well written family drama with lot of Goosebumps moments. One can go and watch it and feel energetic.

PADAIYAPPA the movie with RAMYA KRISHNAN made records in the cinema shows but even today it is a movie to appreciate as central to our thinking of cinema in it's years of adolescence which was not well received by us in school like with our mother tongue from the subcontinent. Correcting those basics are now forgotten time but in order to progress like a disqualified student from a qualified school spoke.

My friends this is one of the best movies in Tamil Cinema especially the best style of Rajnikanth sir. This is a celebration of the time when he first became superstar and a trend setter. I don't know what is up with the reviewers of this movie. Sure this movie is set in the village but this is the best movie that is based in the village as nowadays village movies are not that great anymore. The story is nice and the plot was good. Sure there were some illogical parts but come on its a superstar movie. Ramya Krishnan just stole the show I mean her performance was amazing and she was the one of the highlights of this film. Soundarya was good as well especially her shyness and innocence. Nassar is good and Manivannan was quite funny. Senthil as usual his comedy is good and keeps the movie going. Abbas had an amazing presence as Padyappa's son in law and one of the best actors of the '90s and '00s. The whole supporting cast performed well as they really helped the main cast. Of course I couldn't forget about the one and only Sivaji Ganesan who had a memorable presence in this film especially as the father of Padayappa. It was a rare occasion to see even more than one superstar in one movie. To see Sivaji Ganesan as superstar of one generation and Rajnikanth the superstar of the next generation. A.R. Rahman gave the best songs and BGM for Superstar Rajnikanth's movie. This is among his best works and among the best music for Rajni sir among Ilayaraja, MS Viswanathan, and Deva. Sivaji Ganesan even to this day is one of the best actors of all time. May his soul rest in peace. Soundarya was one of the most sought after actresses during the '90s and '00s may her soul rest in peace. Manivannan may his soul rest in peace. Padyappa is among one of Rajnikanth's best movies. This is style done gracefully and not only a treat for Rajnikanth fans but a treat for Indian movie fans. I would definitely recommend this to a friend.

Padayappa (1999) : Brief Review -

80s Family Drama formula blended into superhit mass action saga with Rajinikanth's larger than life image. Everything about Padayappa is overwhelming and outbreaking for mass lovers. We have been through family dramas about pride and promises but none of them had such a terrific mass appeal. Tamil flick Nattamai was a trendsetter in that family drama genre with king sized characteristics and Padayappa is very much like copy of it except for the fact it gives you Rajinikanth in larger than life avatar. Remember Bahubali recently and how Rajamouli took his protagonist to almost god level with his extraordinary vision? If i can say so then Padayppa had the same vision then, of course considering the limits of filmmaking during 90s. The death of Padaiyappa's father destroys his family. But his luck changes, and he is able to lead a prosperous life, until his nemesis plots to ruin his happiness once more. That later half is quite similar 80s formula where we see the incomplete of Revenge of one generation is carried forward to the next generation in their old days. All said so, the writing doesn't really matter much because it's a out an out mass film so it just had to take care of basic storyline. Rajinikanth goes all out, full of his swag and on majestic level as Padayappa. He's unbeatable, he's the KING! Rajini was expected to do these marvelous things but Ramya Krishnan came as a Big Surprise! What a great female antagonist she had played. First she looks damn hot in the beginning, the sex appeal is too high. Later, she turns obsessive and reckless yet delivers a cracking performance. Rajini vs Ramya was like a Clash of Titans! Ravikumar goes completely out of the Box from narrow minded mass filmmaking and presents a larger than life mass Flick in Family Drama genre which was a rare thing, it still is actually. Overall, a Super Mass Entertainer for contemporary cinema.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.