Anandha Thandavam

Story in short:

As usual Thamizh movie, hero falls for the heroine (love-at-first-sight). Heroine's side is rich and hero is just from a middle-class family. They mingle and get to know each other. Engagement happens in a fraction of seconds but later hero will be rejected for a US maapilai.
Hero tries to attempt suicide but saved. He then, off to US for higher studies. In the meantime, heroine will get married to the US maapilai and settled in US. Of course, they meet there. Another girl falls for the hero and wants to return to India to lead a simple life. Sad climax ends this triangular love story.

Casting and Acting

Tamannah is the first plus point in this movie I would say. She carries herself beautifully as a happy-go-lucky teenager with kid-like behaviour. There was beauty in everything she does - be it innocence, angry, cry, miserable etc etc. She looked awesome in some frames, especially in sarees. :noteeth:
Rukmini in the other hand is decent. Kitty as the hero's father commendable. The rest of the cast is just ok.
The hero fails miserably, I don't think audience will be impressed with his acting. He is yet to attain perfection but on a whole he is ok in submissive role. Being a newbie, lets give him a break. :)

Technical Aspects

I loved the cinematography which is very good in the first half but turns a little bit bad on the second half (when the story moves to US). Good camerawork for all songs especially for the last song with creative work and backdrop, thanks to the art director. Background score is impressive but songs didn't stay in mind eventhough choreography deserves good marks. There is not even a single hounting tune.
The film suffered huge joits from editor. For me, the tempo of the first half spoiled here and there by the disturbing scene cuts. I have no complaints on dialogues. Passing Malaysia like New York in some scenes is bad. For instance, the accident scene and the climax at airport.

Direction

Faithful adaptation of the movie can sometime be an issue, that too, a story from a famous writer. Besides, two hour and 30 minutes for this movie is too long. Direction is a bit pale in first half but picked up little momentum in the second. Lack of crispness I would say. He messed up the Mudhumitha's character. what is she? She was shown as a blend of naughty, stupid, puppet, unstable, weak and rootless...

The climax is not that predictable but a sign was conveyed in the beginning of second half. Speaking about climax, it's definately and totally outdated. I was moved by the sad ending but overall, it just fails. A R Gandhi Krishna as a film maker could have sharpened his screenplay.

My Analysis

I really liked the core story which indirectly sends a message to youth not to simply carry away by infatuation in the name of love and ignore parents and others those spell true love. On a whole the movie stands for class audiences and masses cannot relish this at all. The fate of this film is purely dependant on class audiences who can bear more pathos and drama.

P.S For those who have read the novel, let me say this again. Anything is possible in writing form. Most of the times, the authors leave the readers to imagine/interpret on their own. But, in a movie, we are shown things the way director understands or how he looks at it. So, it won't necessarily appeal to all. So, lets see this movie as it is and not as an adaption from a famous novel. :)