GOLI SODA – Needs more fizz!
Back story: - (English: Banta) is an Indian Tamil film written, directed and filmed by
cinematographer-Director S.D.
Vijay Milton. Produced by his brother Bharath Seeni under Roughnote
Production, Edit-Antony, Music-S.N.Arunagiri &
A.Seelin (BGM)
The film is
distributed by N.
Lingusamy's Thirrupathi Brothers.
Budget: - N.A.
Cast & Crew
Kishore, Sree Raam,
Pandi, Murugesh, Flower A.Manoharan
Genre- Drama/Thriller Language- Tamil
Soundtrack- 1.Jananam Jananam 2. Kadhal Pannaen 3. All Your Beauty 4. Aaru Adi
Veedu 5. Silusilunu 6. Ponnankanni 7. Killadi & 8. Oyyaale
The story, backdrop and setting (Screen
play), this film opens with the
visuals of the Koyambedu wholesale market. This half serves to highlight the
lives of 4 adolescent boys (orphans) who are made to bear the burden of poverty
by the ‘creator’ (both god and the director). The one and only source of solace
in their lives is a woman popularly addressed as ‘Aachi’ a widow who happens to
be a small trader in the market. The boys dote on her. The Market is totally under
the control of the usual ‘don’ Naidu. Naidu’s ‘adiyal’ is Murugesan who also is
the b-in-law of Naidu by virtue of both his sisters being married to him. During
the first 20 mins or so of the first half the director has woven the
characterization of all the actors quite well to the point which sets the
viewer to believe that he is really going to score and present an outstanding
story till the very end but to my utter dismay one is deeply disappointed and
pained when the film moves to the early part of the 2nd half.
The second half the moment the boys are separated the
director and the script goes apart into the usual tizzy. This half becomes so
stereo typed with the usual violence associated with Tamil cinema. The only
difference being that we have 4 macho heroes instead of the usual one! It is
the same ‘don’, the adiyal, the blood and gore with a bonus-two female school
going girls. If it is of any solace to the viewer the fight scenes are more
realistic than the usual ‘masala’ punching bag & flying bodies fight scenes
which are a regular feature in most action Tamil films these days. This time the
Koyambedu don and his ‘adiyal’ mete out harsh, violent and barbaric acts of violence
on 4 innocent, orphaned, poor adolescent boys, their girl friends and their
adopted mother. Finally the boys reach the end of their tether and decide to
teach the don and his cronies the lessons of their lives. A lesson which the
don will never ever forget!
The Climax being the best feature of the
otherwise ordinary second half!
DISCUSSION BOARD: - I felt that the director had a great
premise but somewhere in the middle strayed and took off on a tangent totally
alien to the beginning and the climax.
I therefore thought that it would have been great to have been
a part of his story discussion team, but since that was not possible, I
could let him and his team know that I really
liked a few scenes but there were quite
a few that really stumped me.
The one’s I liked, especially the performance of the 4
boys, ‘Manthravathi’, the 2 girl friends, along with ‘Achi’ & ‘Naidu’,
Murugesan and the rest were really good and in place. The first half pulled me
into the story and made me eager with anticipation because, 1. The 4 boys were
playing their respective parts almost to perfection. 2. Their antics and
adolescent innocence was well established. 3. Their love antics with the 2
girls was portrayed well and bought a smile to one’s lips quite a few times.
4.‘Manthravathi’s’ characterization was a big plus throughout. 5. Achi,
Naidu,Mayilu and the rest also contributed a great deal to keep the story
moving though slowly but with a definite sense of purpose. 6. The song
sequences and the BG score did not come in the way of the story telling.
Highlights: - The smoke ring & the cell
phone scenes. Fair & lovely & the church scene featuring ‘Ugly’ Betty!
The one’s which I found
wanting, a few more
of the visuals of the ‘Koyambedu’ market and its surroundings would have
helped. Was rape the only recourse available to the director to visually highlight
the evil doer? Booze & Women seem to be the sole and favorite pastime to
Tamil cinema’s Politician, Don, and the proverbial Adiyal.
The one’s I liked in
the 2nd half, the climax.
(Though Vijaykanth was probably one of the pioneers to use this idea)
The one’s which I found
wanting, the
separation of the boys totally unnecessary. The boys’ miraculous survival
powers and even more unbelievable re union. Tonsure of the girl (very retro and
archaic). Far too many scenes depicting violence, blood and gore however
realistic or inspiring they may appear to be. Instead the director could have
made the boys use their brains to outwit Naidu instead of brawn. After all they
are just boys and can never match the superior physical attributes of fully
grown and physically fit ‘Adiyals’ in spite of the infinite burning anger
burning within each of them.
The biggest Plus:- The dialogues by Pandiaraj
Finally to sum it all
up:- Goli Soda without the ‘usual’ Fizz!
Left right & Centre:
- The man on my left
is a film buff who watches Tamil films quite regularly had a few points to
make. “It’s an OK film. Probably watchable once. The acting of the boys is very
similar to that in the film ‘Pasanga’.” Finally at the end of the film he
remarked “I think directors should start making films within a duration of 1
and half hours”.
To my right was a film director friend of mine, “I think the
next film will have babies knocking out villains with feeding bottles.”
Bottom Line: - The film started with a bang
fizzled out in the middle & flickered at the very end!
Until next time,
Director Haricharan
Chennai
25/01/2014
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