Banner: Ayngaran InternationalProduction: Karunakaran, Arun PandianDirection: Vasantha BalanStar-casts: Mahesh, ‘Katradhu Tamizh’ Anjali, A. Venkatesh and othersMusic: G.V. Prakash, Vijay AnthonyVasantha Balan’s unique way of projecting realism has been his highlighting USP. If ‘Veyil’ was all about contrastive scenarios of triumphs and failures in the lives of two brothers, he’s back with a powerful bang in ‘Angadi Theru’, which speaks about the other side of T. Nagar.It’s been more off clichés, where our film protagonists head from their villages to Chennai seeking for fortune and indeed fetch it. But Vasantha Balan takes us through a journey with anguishes of youngsters in textile showrooms of Chennai, whose lives are downtrodden and quite pathetic.
Abuse and oppression is what these salespersons are exposed to and how the lead characters survive the badgerings has been well depicted in ‘Angadi Theru’.
But anything in excess is too difficult to handle, isn’t? In simple terms, ‘Angadi Theru’ is an excess baggage of overdosed emotions and pathos.
An unexpected demise of his father in an accident leaves Jyothi Lingam (Mahesh) desolated. Drenched in a high-risk situation, Lingam leaves to Chennai along with his friend Maarimuthu as they get employed in the one of the biggest textile showrooms in T. Nagar. But life isn’t easy as they expected as hundreds of salesmen and women are prone to inhumanity like reducing a rupee for every minute they’re late to office. Girls are molested if they’re found playing during business time.
On the different segments, we are introduced to various characters of a lame husband and wife, an underprivileged person’s sudden change of fortune with a public toilet.
Every character has its own joyousness, upheavals and how they overcome it….Hard-hitting dialogues penned by Jaya Mohan impinges straight into your heart, sometimes wrenches it.
Especially, the perfect reason behind lame man’s wife on giving birth to a handicapped child leaves you stunned. Of course, it deserves a grand round of applause. Vasantha Balan has to thank his technicians for the ability of discerning his motives.
Richard’s cinematography is sharp, exquisite and elegant and the shots captured through hidden cameras have been done awesomely. Vijay Anthony’s ‘Aval Appadi’ is dulcetly resplendent while his background score could’ve been better.
On the performance level, newcomer Magesh has put forth his best efforts, emoting with right momentums. His simplistic comeliness over the screens is appreciable while his outbursts at valid situations are commendable. Anjali comes up with an overpoweringly stunning performance as her overall acting will win her accolades. The others in supporting roles including director A. Venkatesh as the cruel manager have done justice to their roles.
Valuating this film maybe an indifferent situation as it has lots of appreciable factors and on pars, certain emotions that are too heavy to perceive. Doubtlessly, ‘Angadi Theru’ will be prove its high-quality contents amongst single screens and down south audiences while for those moviegoers planning to kill their time, this isn’t a right option.
What works: Jayamohan’s dialogues, director’s ability to present a drama at same backdrop of a textile showroom, performance levels of all star-casts…
What didn’t work: Extended climax with unnecessary pathos, background score, lengthy second half and lots of loud outcries.
