chembai

...this film was a major hit. Why, I have never been able to understand. Was it the music, or was it the campy college atmosphere, or was it the fact that the hero is a lower middle class guy who finally gets the affluent English-speaking girl? Perhaps a combination of all these factors. Like in countless other stinkers, Murali plays a medical college student and falls in love with Heera. Of course he's got a huge inferiority complex and is unable to express his love to her. The movie meanders along, helped by some wonderful songs by Ilayaraja, before screeching to a halt at a railway station. Somehow I can't stand films where the hero is tongue-tied and pines away for his love, and she finally understands what true love is and reciprocates. What a load of you-know-what! Apart from some lovely songs like "Pottu vaitha oru vatta nila" and "Poongodi thaan poothathamma", there's nothing much to save this film. Watch out for a young Prabhudeva dancing away in "April Mayile", which was on everyone's lips back then.

When the cable TV boom happened down South, every channel made a scramble to lay hands on any available title of Superstar Rajinikanth. The best ones were grabbed by the rich guys and their poorer brethren had to be content with airing films like this one. That's why many forgotten early Rajini movies, like Aaru Pushpangal and Bhairavi, end up being shown on TV, again and again. Still, I am yet to see Sivappu Sooriyan, Kuppathu Raja, or Aayiram Jenmangal, on the small screen. Bhairavi is certainly not a rotten film; just not very engaging. Tired old tale of master betraying henchman. I guess it was different for its time, and of course, anything with Rajini was a hit in the late 70s. I am told that this was the first film in which Rajini had a positive "heroic" role. Any fans around who can verify this?

This movie is a big disappointment for anyone expecting to see Bhagyaraj the actor. He could have been replaced by anyone else. None of his trademark expressions or funny dialogue. The comedy department is wholly handled by Nagesh. He is the pivot of the film, the guy who creates all the funny situations and the one who gets to say the funny lines. I think Bhagyaraj intended this film to be some sort of tribute to Nagesh and let him dominate the proceedings. Did I mention the storyline? Oh, it's about a guy who marries two women and all the troubles he has to go through as a result. Praveena (Bhagyaraj's real-life first spouse who died in the early 80s) and Radhika star as the two women sharing Bhagyaraj. Recommended only for Bhagyaraj completists.