One aspect of all Balachander films is the way he hits you with bis message..he does not convey the message..he hits you with them and hits you hard...but Azhakan is an exception.....He drives home the story in this film very subtly aided by great music and wonderful performances. Azhakan tells the story of a widowed father (Mamootty) and his 4 children and the twists in his life when 3 women fall for him while he falls for one of them. The movie is not a typical masala Tamil movie with women falling for the protagonist for his heroism. The reason behind each woman's desire is very rationally explained.
Mammooty gives a splendid performance and shows that a hero need not be a 20 something angry youngster wanting to take revenge or correct the society by taking on villains one on one. He is a loving father, a successful hotelier, a respectable citizen, an earnest lover and an understanding person. Geetha, Madhubala and Banupriya have played their roles excellently. Geetha as the Professor, Madhubala as the chirpy teenager are apt for their roles. Bhanupriya as the Dancer who is dedicated to her art gives a good performance with some great dance sequences. The song "Kozhi koovum" exploits her skill to the fullest. Each and every character has a touch of humour blended into it, while Suresh Chakkravarthy's character embodies humour.
The film is a good example for cinema that is not very serious but at the same time does not bore or irritate you with senseless twists and turns. The scenes where Mamootty interacts with his children are a delight to watch and hats off to the director for giving a great family story. A movie not to be missed if you are looking for a soft, simple and interesting movie with some good performances.
