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.
