Poovellam un Vaasam

 

  Director: S.Ezhil
  Cast: Jodika, Yugendra, Sayaji Shinde, Sivakumar, Nagesh, Vivek.

  Release: 17.08.2001

It has a story line and incidents that we have seen in many of the films released recently. All of them tracing their inspiration to the Hollywood film 'My Best Friend's Wedding'. There was 'Parthein Rasithein', 'Piriyadha Varam Vendum', 'Bhadri'. And now one can add 'Poovelam Unn Vasam' to the list.

The two families stay in identical bungalows, adjacent to each other, tracing their friendship to over forty years. Their respective progenies Chinna and Chella (Ajith-Jyotika) are childhood buddies, their easy camaraderie and strong bonding carried over to their adult years. The two study in the same college, same class, zoom together on the motorbike, their togetherness at home and college, as accepted a fact as it was in films like 'Piriyadha Varam Vendum', etc. Somewhere along the way, the duo fall in love, throwing some soft glances at each other, when the other is not looking. Their college mate Karna (Yugendra, son of Malaysia Vasudevan) makes devious plans to separate the duo and make Chella his. He doesn't seem to have any running feud with Chinna, is quite friendly with the duo, nor does he seem to be particularly in love with Chella. So his behaviour is strange and he seems to be around for no other reason, except that the film needed a villain. Strangely again, Chinna laps up all that Karna tells him about Chella loving him, and is heartbroken. And Chinna never bothers to ask Chella about it, despite their great friendship. Chinna goes out of station on a business trip. 

Chella, persuaded by both families to marry an NRI, boldly informs them that she loved Chinna, and would marry him. The two families are of course happy. Why Chella never bothered to be open about the matter is unexplained till the end. Chinna returns home and learns of the preparation for his engagement ceremony. Surprisingly no one seems to have informed him about it either. Feeling that since Chella loved Karna, it must be family pressure that must have forced her to agree, Chinna backs out. Now it is Chella's turn to be indignant about Chinna's mistrust of her love, and after giving him a piece of her mind, she backs out, with Chinna pleading for acceptance. After some more confusion of the forced kind, the director finally pushes the story to the desired end.

No effort has been spared to make it a lavish production. The songs are pleasantly picturised, with Arthur Wilson's camera capturing the richness of the sets and the colourful ambience. But what is lacking is a clear script and freshness in narration. Ajith and Jyotika do whatever is required of them, and that is not much. There are about a dozen top artistes in the film, but there is no depth in the characterisation. Sayaji Shinde (Bharati fame) has this perpetual grim look (as Jyotika's father) as if he has just walked in from the sets of his 'Shool' or 'Daman'. The much hyped dance of Yukta Mukhey turns out to be a damp squib, what with the former Ms. World walking across the screen like she would do on a ramp, leaving the dance-bit to Ajith and his troupe.

 

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