Vellore Maavattam (2011)

Cop movies generally follow the same template. A honest, upright police officer who comes up the hard way and a villain, generally a politician who has the entire place under his control through his corrupt network.

This movie also follows the same template. Set in Vellore, the corrupt politician in the movie looks like Kalanithi Maran. The hero Muthukumar IPS (Nandha), succeeds in putting him behind bars after a major struggle. He also has to deal with the middleman Gurumurthy who helps the minister with his deals. Muthu almost gives up at the half way point but, lives to fight on.

We have a comedian (Santhanam) who doubles up as the driver for Muthukumar. Santhanam succeeds in giving us some laughs as he deals with his perverted father. The ravishing Poorna is the wife of the IPS officer who falls for his charms and stands beside him through thick and thin. Their initial love track is a bit interesting. We also have the hero's father who wants his son to rise in life through education and hard work.

The songs are lackluster though the BG score is decent. The major weakness with the movie is the absolute lack of the 'imposing' element with the villains. Nanda puts in his earnest efforts but looks sad in the scene when he cries. His screen presence is good.

VERDICT: Average at best. A predictable police story. 

Thoonga Nagaram (2011)

What’s it about

The tale of 4 friends, Kannan, Maari, Aiyyavu and Rajamani, who come from different backgrounds and meet and develop their friendship in Madurai, the Thoonganagaram. They have their fun and also the small misunderstandings and are thick friends. Kannan is in love with his childhood neighbor Radha and is ready to marry her after some opposition from his family due to an old conflict.

        The 4 friends get into trouble with one of Madurai’s bigwigs when they expose the bigwig’s son who is into voyeuristic pleasures at his clothing outlet. In a drunken state, Kannan and his friends come to know of this atrocity from one of the affected parties and they go and attack the bigwig’s son, ultimately blinding him. The bigwig is obviously pissed off and orders his men to nab the 4 and kill Kannan in particular.

        The 4 friends leave Madurai and go back to their home towns to save their lives. The bad men slowly come to know of these 4 through Maari, the mute guy. Kannan’s 3 friends are threatened and are forced to kill Kannan to save their families. Everyone assembles for Kannan’s marriage with Radha and there the 4 friends plan to clear the mess and execute it to perfection. All is well in the end.

                                                                     

Hits

• Very good songs by Sundar C Babu
• The initial half an hour or so is really lively.
• Fairly interesting though it could have been crisper
• All the lead actors have done a fair job of what is expected from them.

Misses

• The climax is quite implausible and the 4 friends have their way so easily.
• The main villain is very bland. A better choice was needed.

VERDICT

Fairly good show by the debut director cum actor Gaurav. An average movie that starts promisingly but could have been more crisp and taut.