Director: Bharathiraja
Producer: Lakshmi Movie
Cast: Vaseekaran, Priyamani, Ilavarasu, Akash, Chitra Lakshmanan, Premnath
Music: A R Rahman

  In the beginning of the film, Bharatiraaja makes an appearance as usual and tells us that for a change this is not going to be another village based subject. This is a film made with a city based subject for Lakshmi Movie Makers. But, fact is- his third film, ‘Sigappu Rojaakal’ (1979) was also a city based film. The previous generation folks remember the film for its very unusual plot and the advanced technology that was used in the film. But, if you go to watch this film with the same levels of expectations you are going to be disappointed.

John Vaseekaran (Vaseekaran) is the fifth richest man in India, but he is kleptomaniac. He loevs to steal tiny things just for the thrill of it. As a result, he steals a diamond worth Rs 10 Crores from his business competitor, Pratap, at a diamond exhibition. Unfortunately, the salees girl Vidhya (Priyamani) is the one who is caught by the police. She had already seen Vaseekaran steal things from shops and withouth knowing his background, she tells the police about her suspicion. The ridicule her for suspecting the fifth richest man in India.

But, Pratap, who had lost the diamond, believes her and makes arrangement for her to become Vaseekaran’s PA.

Vaseekaran didn’t get the parental care while growing up and was very impressed by the Cinderella stories that his nanny used to tell him. So, when he sees Priyamani as his PA, he is convinced that she is his Cinderella. However, Vidhya hates him because he had subjected her to the police torture and is bent on finding the diamond.

When Vaseekaran comes to know that she is not in love with him and that she wantes to get married to her cousin, he puts a condition for returning the diamond- she has to be his Cinderella for five days, of course with no sex.

The film’s climax is about all the things that happen in the five days and their consequences.

Though the film’s plot is like those of Hollywood films, its saddening to see that Bharatiraaja didn’t even try to make the screenplay as good as those of the normal Tamil films. Had he shown the impact that his nanny’s cinderella stories have on the hero and had if the director had really impressed the audience when he starts seeing his Cinderella in his PA, then, it would have been better. But, none of these happen in the film.

You expect Pratap’s character to create a big problem for the hero, but, nothing happens. The agreement between Pratap and the heroine is very absurd. Suddenly he vanishes too.

Vidhya’s cousin Prem (Aakash) is very unnecessary for the story. How long are we going to have psychiatrists telling us that the hero suffers from some rare disease or the other (Kleptomania in this case).

Bharatiraaja shows his mettle in just a few scenes- in the five days that they live together, the shots about the hero are intermixed with the shots about the heroine. The same sequences are videographed by the Police Officer (the producer of the film, Swaminathan) to bring out the goodness in the hero. The fate of the heroine in the end of the film is very irritating to the audience. Therefore, the climax looks very unconvincing.

Vaeeekaran suits the role of a young businessman. But, he didn’t make any big impact with his acting. Not bad, either. Priyamani is like all the other Bharatiraaja finds- emotes with her eyes very well. Did Sujatha write the dlialogues? Unbelievable! GK has done the art direction very well. AR Rehman’s music reminds you of all his previous songs. There’s nothing new about this film. So, it is only mediocre. It is obvious that he wasn’t all that concerned about the background score.

How could Bharatiraaja make such a film?

Wow... The police officer’s video shots that reveal the true nature of the hero
Buss... Screenplay