Movie : AnniyanCast : Vikram, Sadha, Vivek, Prakash Raj, & Others
Music : Harris Jayaraj
Camera : Ravivarman & Manikandan
Produced By : Oscar FilmsStory
Screenplay & Direction : Shankar
In filmdom hype never matches reality. Or conversely, the movie we have had the highest expectation really don’t seem to live up to the standard....So when Anniyan had all those teasing promos and tantalizing publicity, there was nagging worry can the film live up to it. Can Shankar and Vikram pull it off? Will Shankar deliver the goods again as his previous hits.....Well, now if u ask me and anyone else they'll say they have not only lived up to the expectations but also gone beyond that.Anniyan in one word is brilliant. A film that is big in conception, immaculate in execution and totally stunning in its entirety. Truly an experience u will never forget....Anniyan is almost a dream movie woven on an ambitiously expanded canvas that has never before been seen on Indian films. Its technical excellence just takes your breath away. And it has taken all the audacity and ability of Vikram and the boldness and brilliance of Shankar to come up with this mesmerizing mind boggling magic. At one level, it is just masala and mass entertainer. But the duo, like master magician, keeps you focused on the marvel of the moment rather than on the essential trick of it. Vikram's sterling skills and Shankar's spunky expertise seem made for each other. Where were both these guys all these days???The story of Anniyan is simple at one level, and decidedly complex at another. Let me try to give u a glimpse of the storyline. Ramanujam aka Ambi (Vikram) is a typical Brahmin lawyer, good in intent, proper in approach, but not so successful in the end. He is a stickler for rules and that doesn't always work. For his strict following he's even called Rules Ramanujan. Though he champions for the cause of the weak of in the place, he just doesn't get what he aims at ---justice.His father Parthasarathy (Nedumudi Venu) tells him that it is difficult for one man to change the system. This message is constantly hammered into his mind. Ambi's love life also does not go anywhere.His affection for the next door girl Nandini (Sada) is also bit of a non-starter as she doesn't find him attractive. To add to this, Ambi's friend (Vivek) also keeps making fun of his going-by-the-book tendency. But Vivek is just for the 1st half and there some really tickling jokes from his side....In other words, Ambi is a loser in life. He is trapped in the cul-de-sac of a relentless system.And then, his life is transformed as he comes across inspiring lines from Hindu Puranas (Garudapuranam) (I too got to know about all this only after watching the movie). So Ambi takes the avatar of Anniyan and sets out to mete his own brand of justice --- instant, violent, but effective.Conmen, goondas, tricksters, robbers, killers --- all get the Anniyan treatment. The ever-vigilant Anniyan seals their fate and please don’t ask how...its too awful to talk about that..... And adding to the engrossing drama, emerges Remo, a sexy, ravishing model who has young girls going weak in their knees in love and anxiety. Nandini falls for his undoubted charms. And guess what we even have sultry Yana shaking her leg with him for 1 song....But i'll tel u guys, it is not so difficult to guess that Remo is none other Ambi himself.Amidst all this drama, an indefatigable (no better word - took sum time to cum up with this) policeman (Prakash Raj) gets down to track all the killings and the mystery behind them.The stunning denouement is about whether the police manage to nail Ambi and how and what makes him change his personality so much. It is a climax that befits such a thriller. Truly I can’t reveal this guy’s sorry ... The movie will loose its charm....The film is out and out Vikram's. As Ambi, as Remo and as Anniyan, this amazing actor is just that --- amazing. He changes into these roles with the same ease and style of ramp models changing into clothes. His acting skills need no new underlining. It has been good.And it has just got better in Anniyan. As Ambi he is believable, as Remo he is lovable and as Anniyan he is bankable and I should say hate able..... His subtle changes of voice and its modulation, the nuances in the body language and the delicate shifts in expressions are all treats. I still can’t forget the climax scene where Anniyan and Ambi come together at the same time minute after minute.... He changes characters at such ease that I forget the multiple personality disorder portrayed by Soundarya in Aptha Mitra and Jyothika in Chandramuki... Though I should say Soundarya has her own charm and grip in acting..... Truly we should be proud having such talents in the south...Sada, a young actress in such a big film, is surprisingly not over-awed. She brings to her role a simple elegance and an attractive grace. She oozes beauty in songs and is easy in her character. It’s so refreshing to see her... I have been seeing her from the past few years... She seems to select her projects so well... Even when she came to the Kannada filmdom for the movie Monalisa... She's so graceful in her acting....Kudos to her.....Prakash Raj as the zealous cop, Nasser as the psychiatrist, Vivkeh as Ambi's friend fit the bill perfectly. Nedumudi Venu and Kalabhavan Mani (hope i got the names right) also do their part very well.Harris Jayaraj's music is a major asset to this spectacular drama. All the songs that sounded good on the audio album sound even better on screen. The extravagance and the agreeable opulence in the backdrop add to the visual richness of the film. If it were lavender fields of Australia in Boys, then it is Tulip fields of Amsterdam here. My God spectacular picturization.In Sabu Cyril, Shankar has found an able ally who has given stylish structure to his grand dreams. The painstakingly re-created Thyagaraja Utasavam is a typical case in point. Treat for all the classical music lovers.Manikandan's camerawork is of the highest order. It is technically snazzy and attractive on the eyes. Especially in the songs the way he gets the camera rolling.Peter Heynes stunt work not only boggles your mind but also your eyes.The fight sequences are a major attraction and rise up to the level of films like Matrix. In Matrix Re-loaded we got to watch Neo defying gravity here we get to see Anniyan doing the same....The technical work, like in most Shankar's film, is astounding. The graphics effects are amazing and keep your jaw dropped all through. I just hope to become software engineer soon doing all those graphics....How I wish I could do it right now...?And what do you say of Shankar? To have thought of a film on such a scale in itself is a marvel, and to make it all work is simply stunning. His technical strength has never been in doubt. And he also knows how to tell a gritty tale. The picturization of songs, always a highlight in his films, have reached a new high in this one. The Iyengar Veetu, Andang Kakka and Kadha Yanai songs have all different backdrops. But each has one common thread running through them --- Shankar conceptual brilliance. He keeps the pace even and exciting all through. Though the film is long by normal standards, Shankar's success lies in the fact that you realize that only when you come out of the theater. In the seats, he makes you stay riveted. Not a minute will u move....I was waiting to c the audience reaction at the end and not a single person did I c not satisfied.... Don’t believe me ... I'll take a bet... Vikram and Shankar make it work. Compellingly, at that.What are you waiting for? Head for the theaters to book your tickets,Cause u can’t go at the show time. I do suggest u to watch the movie in PVR or any other DTS theatre.....
Official Website : www.anniyan.com
