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EDITOR'S PICK
`Sundattam`
- racy thriller
Rating: ***
Coming from a debutant director, Sundattam is undoubtedly one of the
better films of recent times with its share of ups and downs. Thankfully, it
doesn`t get swept away in the tide of commercialism and even succeeds in
producing a simple yet convincing thriller.
We have had movies about outdoor games, but this is most likely the first time a
film about a game of carrom has been effectively used to weave a story with
twists and thrills. It is set in the 1990s of Chennai, where carrom contests
were played for money.
Prabha, a happy-go-lucky guy, to whom the world is the game of carrom, earns the
wrath of a local gang headed by Guna after having locked horns with his men. It
is later that he comes to learn that Guna is don Bakkiya`s sidekick. Meanwhile,
Prabha falls head over heels for his sister`s best friend Kalai. However,
Kalai`s brother, an angry cop who has been suspended for manhandling a criminal,
doesn`t like the idea of seeing his sister with Prabha.
Destiny has it; Prabha beats Kasi, a drug-addict, hands down in the game of
carrom. The win not only earns him a reputation, but also wins him the
admiration and friendship of Bakkiya and his gang. Having lost to a young
player, Kasi yearns to kill Prabha. Don Bakkiya too has a sworn enemy, who wants
him dead.
How will Prabha save his life from the clutches of Kasi? Who is Bakkiya`s enemy
and why does he want him dead? And most importantly, will Prabha get to live
happily ever after with Kalai? This forms the rest of the story.
As a viewer, one is quickly arrested by the racy screenplay of the film and
there are hardly any dull moments that may likely push someone into boredom.
Debutant director has shown prowess in handling a subject that`s hardly been put
to use in Tamil cinema. Come to think of it, it`s a usual revenge story that is
dealt with a backdrop involving a game of carrom. Brilliant!
Since the film is set in the 1990s, it was every important to do justice to the
milieu of the bygone era. Surprisingly, the film succeeds in capturing every
fine detail with perfection and recreates it beautifully on screen.
Cinematographer Balagurunathan and art director Mohanamahendran have
collaboratively worked towards one common goal - to ensure the film doesn`t slip
from the 1990s mode.
The performances are not extraordinary, but considering the fact that most of
the actors have meagre or no screen experience, one can`t stop lauding their
effort. Irrfan shines in his title role and breathes life into the role of
Prabha, while Arundhati portrays her character with poise.
Sundattam struggles occasionally to convince the audience that the
game of carrom was merely used as a backdrop to build the narrative. However, it
scores high with its deft screenplay that stays away from cliches.