The
first Vijay starrer in a year; loads of expectation
from his fans; another release along with his arch
rival Ajith. If you are an ardent Vijay maniac and
reading this review with bated breath, we have some
good news, Pokkiri has been worth the wait, it lives
up to all the expectations. The hard work that has
been put into this movie by Vijay is evident right
from the start; the short break seems to have done
him good. Prabhu Deva making his directorial debut
in Tamil has done a convincing job, with a special
mention on the dance sequences.
Pokkiri,
branded as an action packed entertainer is sure
to strike the right chord with Ilaiya Dalapathi’s
fans and the masses. The ‘formula’
has been adhered to well by the script and executed
well by the director without appearing stale
or repetitive. The tempo of the screenplay,
the movie’s single most important factor
does not sag through the entire length of the
movie. The action sequences, especially the
climax stunt have been well shot. Asin climbs
the next step in the glamour ladder; this must
be her most glamorous role to date. She leaves
an impression, even though the movie starts,
moves and ends around Vijay.
The
comedy track, handled by Vadivelu has nothing
special. In fact, at some places one gets irritated
at some ‘below the belt’ stuff that
is churned out in the name of comedy. However,
the spoof on Ghajini’s superhit song ‘Suttrum
Vizhi Chudare’ featuring Vadivelu and
Asin has the entire theater in splits. Amusing
at times and crass at others, the lighter side
of the movie could certainly have been better.
Mani Sharma’s music enhances the movie’s
appeal. All songs have come out reasonably well;
with Vasantha Mullai remix standing out without
demeaning the original. It has also been handled
with finesse. Mani Sharma is bound to get a
few more offers in Tamil following Pokkiri.
The story factor does not seem to hold much
significance in the movie. The emphasis is on
pacy narration and the approach has worked.
Performance
wise, there is not much to mention except Vijay
who looks fresh, young and full of energy; the
title Pokkiri sits well on him. Prakash Raj’s
character is one of the movie’s disappointments;
quite unusual. The way his character has been
built leaves a lot to be desired. The redundant
‘Chellams’ in the climax tend to
blunt the appeal of the phrase. Prakash Raj,
one of Tamil cinema’s finest actors might
do well to sit back and analyze the roles that
he accepts. He must realize that he too has
a fan base that cannot be disappointed. Roles
that dent his image may not be well received.
Technically
too, the movie is quite well handled. The camera work
by Nirav Shah must be appreciated.
Though a sincere adaptation of the original, Prabhu
Deva must be commended for not bringing in the Telugu
hangover. Pokkiri, aimed at the masses might just
cash in on the festive mood and entice the classes
too. A winner, at least it looks to be, after the
first day, the overall box office result can only
be decided after a couple of days performance. Vijay
comes back with a bang, that’s good news for
the Tamil industry.
