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EDITOR'S PICK
Rating: *** 1/2
Man makes a machine, but the machine wreaks havoc on mankind. The onus is on the
creator to set things right. This is a done-to-death storyline in movies in the
West. For Tamil audiences, Shankar has presented something similar in "Endhiran"
in an interesting manner and Rajnikanth`s magic makes it worth a watch.
A technical milestone in the history of Indian cinema, "Endhiran" is
one of a kind and will be talked about for months. It is one of those movies
where the awe factor lives forever. The script has its highs and lows and it may
appeal to everyone. But if we forget logic, it is a truly entertaining movie.
The story revolves around Vaseegaran (Rajnikanth), a robotics professor who
creates an Android humanoid robot Chitty, which resembles him. The machine is
programmed to be a master of all traits. Vaseegaran creates it with a sole aim
of dedicating it to Indian Army to replace soldiers in the battle field.
Vaseegaran is assisted by Siva (Santhanam) and Ravi (Karunas). The robot wins
the admiration of beautiful Sana (Aishwarya Rai), ladylove of Vaseegaran.
But trouble starts when Chitty is programmed to have emotions like any human
being. As it happens, it instantly falls in love with Sana and leads to trouble
for both Chitty and its creator.
Enters Bohra (Danny Dengzongpa), who was Vaseegaran`s mentor, with an evil
motive. Cashing in on the opportunity, Bhora takes control of the machine after
Vaseegaran dismantles it and throws it away in a fit of rage. Now the real war
erupts between Vaseegaran and Chitty.
Chitty takes away Sana and creates its own army of robots. Their only motive is
to end Vaseegaran. The robots are on killing spree and it is up to Vaseegaran to
end the menace.
Rajnikanth oozes style throughout the narrative. He impresses both as Vaseegaran
and Chitty. The typical Rajnikanth may be missing here. No punchlines or intro
song, yet Rajni is impressive.
Unlike other heroines, who come and disappear in a wink of an eye, Aishwarya has
a substantial role in the movie. Danny is a refreshing change from regular
baddies that we see in Tamil cinema.
Known for his big-budget sci-fi films, Shankar has gone one step further in
this. Nobody other than Stan Winston studios would have carried of the special
effects. "Endhiran" was like watching "Iron Man",
"Transformers" and "Superman".
The first half is a smooth and fun ride with cute Chitty taking centrestage. A
couple of fights set the tone for the fans. A few lighter moments and two songs
make it a light-hearted affair.
However, the second half drags a bit, making the narrative less interesting.
There are portions which could have been edited well. A couple of songs follow
each other in quick succession which dampens things a bit. But, the rest of the
second half is racy, action-packed and intelligent.
Rahman`s music is a mix of east and west. Cinematography compliments the theme,
thanks to Rathnavel. Peter Heinz`s stunts, especially the train sequence, is
fast and interesting.
Overall "Endhiran" is an awesome experience thanks to technical
brilliance, gripping screenplay and good performances.
Filmmaker S. Shankar, here with the team of his 3D sci-fi entertainer "2.0" for a grand audio launch, says he wants it to be known as an Indian film instead of a Tamil project.Read More
Rajinikanth's '2.o' postponed to January next yearSuperstar Rajinikanth's upcoming Tamil science-fiction action drama "2.o", which was earlier scheduled to release for Diwali this year, has been postponed to January 25 next year, the makers announced on Friday.Read More