CUCKOO

CUCKOO – Sings! But its heart is elsewhere!

Cast :- Dinesh, Malavika, Elango, Nandhini, Raja Murugan, Jilaka, Adukalam Murugadoss & others

& Crew:- Story,Screenplay,and Direction- Raja Murugan, Camera –P.K.Varma, Music-Santhosh Narayanan, Editor- Shanmugam Velusamy

Studio- Fox Star Studios/The Next Big Productions

Track list:- 1) Enda Mapla –Lyrics-Gana Bala/RK Sundar-Sung by- Gana Bala/Sathish/Dhee-04.22mins 2) Manasula Soora Kaathey- Lyrics-Yugabharathi- Sung by-RR/Divya Ramani- 04.26mins 3) Potta Pulla- Lyrics-Yugabharathi, Sung By-RR – 04.15mins 4) Agasatha-Lyrics-Yugabharathi-Sung by- Kalyani Nair, Pradeep Kumar-05.02mins 5) Kalyanamam Kalyanam – Lyrics-Yugabharathi- Sung by-Andony Dasan- 03.55mins 6) Kodaiyila- Lyrics-Yugabharathi-Sung by- Vaikom Vijayalakshmi/Kalyani Nair/Pradeep Kumar-04.03mins Total duration of songs: - 26.03mins out of 2.11mins.

The story, backdrop and setting (Screen play), the director has, by his own admission, been deeply inspired by a true incident while he was working as a journo that he decided to bring it to life on the big screen. The film is about the blossoming of love between two unlikely protagonists – Dinesh a railway platform peddler of sorts (selling cheap flash lights) doubles as a singer in a performing drama troupe which specializes in showcasing look a likes of yester year stars like M.G.R, and present heroes like Ajith & Vijay (straight out of the TV show ‘Kaalakku Povathu Yaaru’). The female lead Malavika is a final year student of BA in education (training to become a teacher). The two visually challenged protagonists meet on the sidelines of a metro station (Vyasarpadi) and sparks fly! Initially they cross swords but finally end up madly falling in love with each other. The film opens to a pitch black background and instantly showcases the theme of the film. It not only characterizes the role of the two protagonists it succeeds in explaining to the discerning viewer the background of the two main leads, their friends and family without the usual monologue used by most Tamil film makers these days. The story then very slowly moves on almost till the interval point. The director bravely attempts to capture the increase in intensity of their love and the lives of those closely aiding and encouraging the two unite in wedlock.  Dinesh’s close friend Pitchai (V.C) and Malavika’s girl friend Sangeetha (V.C) are the main supporting characters other than the drama performing and singing troupe owner, his three wives ( if you can call them that), the performing artistes. At this point the usual villain of the piece appears in the form of Malavika’s brother. At the brothers behest, his friend, an auto driver and suitor, subtly stakes his claim by lending a large sum of money to bribe a local politician to supposedly land Mllavika a job as a teacher after her graduation. Finally using a number of rather convenient and contrived situations the two lovers are forcefully separated this time not only by the villain but also by the director. Finally the link to all this is a talking pocket (cuckoo) watch and after a lengthy play of emotional, melodramatic and predictable drama we come to …………

The Climax a very predictable tear jerker of a climax that simply fails to get the desired effect which such a film should! It probably would have served the film better if the two had ended apart!

Acting: - Dinesh as Tamizh, though he has tried his best to put on a great act somehow you get the feeling that the director failed to get the best out of him. In fact one could see shades of Vikram (Kasi) throughout the film. His delivery of dialogues somehow lacked the conviction and intensity and forcing his eyes into a cockeyed position lacked continuity and did not help the actors overall cause. In fact children may not be able to empathize with his looks on the whole. A rather melodramatic performance. It may work for some but for me it was like looking at a repeat of Vikram in Kasi .

Malavika as Sudhandhirakodi, her body language, intensity, expressions was the biggest plus point and asset to this film. During the second half somehow the director seems to have misdirected her which brings her performance by just a notch. This actor has it in her to go places. 

Elango as the friend has done a decent job and played his part well. His cackle is amusing to start with but becomes an irritant during the later part of the film. His mokkai jokes are very realistic in the sense they are not at all amusing.

Nandhini as the girl friend has performed well. The pain of being visually challenged can be clearly seen on her face!

The actor who played Malavika’s brother has performed very well. He suited the role to the tee and his performance is noteworthy.  He fits the environment and backdrop he has been cast into.

Jilaka as, the auto driver essayed his role well. Full marks to the director for casting him. Such actors should be used more often than not.

Eashwar (Chandra Babu) as, the drama troupe owner has underplayed his role well. He has never tried to overreach his portrayal. His performance and all those probably from the TV show have been an asset to the director.

Murugadoss as the benefactor has done a decent job and has lent support to the film.

The actor who played the politician:- adequate.

Special mention:- The director Raja Murugan’s cameo in this film. He is another in the long list of Tamil directors of late who should stick to direction and refrain from acting.

The rest were adequate. A few watchable and a few not so!

Camera:- The D.O.P has done a commendable job. His lighting and camera plays a major role in this film. In fact it could probably be termed as one of the leads in this film! Some of the shots were very well thought off and conceived. The scenes shot in black and white and colour. The slow motion shots to visually create the music of silence. The panning of camera from the auto to the heroine. 

Music: - The songs were there only as fillers. On the whole the pace of this film being slow, the music slowed it down to a literal crawl. The B.G score looked out of place in a number of places and at times jarring. In fact in most places where the director uses the music of silence it worked wonders.

Edit: - At least half hour of this film should been effectively trimmed.

Art: - On the whole appropriate. The drama troupe scenes stood out.

Choreo: - Mostly montage but those of the drama troupe were well balanced and choreographed though it was mainly copy cat dance sequences.

Stunts: - Looked comical and took away the seriousness of the scene.

The songs the cuckoo ‘SANG’ well: - The bold premise. Malavika’s performance in the first half very good and praiseworthy indeed, in the second half good! The supporting actors especially the friends though first timers have worked really hard. The drama troupe helps in reducing the lag to a great extent. Screen play in parts laudable. Brother and the auto driver’s performance worth a mention. Parts of the Police station scene works. The church power cut scene works but could have been bettered (showcasing of fear and their insecurity to face darkness by the ones with sight would have helped the premise). The van owner’s disguised (assault/molesting) threat to Malavika after rescuing her on the highway. The van owner’s care and kindness in admitting Dinesh in the hospital and settling the treatment bill.

Special points of interest

1)*the passenger who never looks up. 2)*Dinesh and Malavika’s extraordinary sense of hearing may work cinematically but fails. 3)*Malavika’s late father’s golden pocket watch which doubles as a cuckoo clock once again may work cinematically but fails.

The songs the cuckoo sang that were ‘OFFKEY’:- The slow pace of the first twenty minutes. A few incidents do bring out the trials and trauma of the visually challenged to a certain extent but on the whole definitely falls short. The humour and light hearted moments too far and few unlike in the film ‘Mozhi’. The situations overall were rather forced and at times stretched to test ones patience.  The dialogues on the whole lacked depth and failed to impress though a few of them leave an impression. Malavika’s environment fails to match (brother/sis-in-law/auto driver do not jell). Failure to check the hospitals for all possible accident victims admitted on that particular day. Dinesh travelling with plastic bag all over without anybody accompanying him (in spite of the supporting dialogue) appeared contrived. Far too many forced coincidences.

Special points of interest:-

1)*the passenger who never looks up (is this once again a caste fetish? If so, not acceptable). 2) *Dinesh and Malavika’s extraordinary sense of sound defies science and logic. 3) *The talking pocket watch (I have not come across such a piece. If it is a part of the director’s fantasy, so be it!)

Finally to sum it all up, a quote:  “The film fails to linger after one leaves the hall!”

Left right & Centre: - Each to his own! But those who liked this film please watch the following films 1) A patch of blue 2) At first sight 3) Blind 4) Proof 5) Blind dating & 6) last but not the least Kamal’s Raja Paarvai. Look, I am not trying to compare films. That is definitely not my intention nor am I trying to act like a bloke wanting to impress with my knowledge of world cinema. All I want is for people to watch and appreciate the performances of artistes who have done similar roles in the past.

Bottom Line: - If only the cuckoo had sung a better tune!

Until next time,    

Director Haricharan

Chennai 21/03/2014