Starring: Vijay, Tamannah, Vadivelu.,Direction: SP Rajkumar,Music: Mani Sharma,Production: Sun Pictures
The much anticipated Ilaya Thalapathi starrer Sura hit the marquee today. With Sura being his 50th film, movie buffs and Vijay fans were looking forward for something different from their star. However, there is no variety in the film and it happens to be a usual Vijay fare. The script seems to be a combination from his earlier ventures. Of course, the actor does not disappoint his hard core fans, as Sura has all the elements that will satiate them. Sura is about the lives and plight of the fishermen living in Yazh Nagar, a fishing hamlet in Tamil Nadu. The story, no doubt centers only on Vijay, who is known as Sura.
It is Vijay’s attempt to thwart the efforts of villain Dev Gill (who played the villain in the popular Telugu film Magadheera) from acquiring the hamlet to develop it into a resort. In chips the hero, fights for justice and dramatically obtains patta for the land so that everyone living there could build a house. However the duel between the hero and villain could have been more gripping.
The role of the heroine in this film leaves a lot of room for debate – is it really essential to have one in Sura? Tamannah appears in some dance sequences, a few scenes and in all adorns the movie as a glamour piece. This is perhaps the first film, where Tamannah marries on screen! Yes, Sura ends on a happy note with the lead pair entering wed lock.Talking about the heroine, her introduction itself is very amusing. Tamannah attempts suicide by drowning in the sea, for the simple reason that the pet dog goes missing. Of course, the hero makes his dramatic appearance to save her. Somewhere in the middle love blossoms and then follows a couple of duets. While talking about the hero Vijay’s introduction it is even more amusing than the heroine’s and needs a special mention here. The movie begins with a cyclone hitting the fishing hamlet and all the fishermen moving back to the shores for safety. Vijay, of course is missing and everyone is in search of him. Being the hero, he saves one and all before making a very dramatic appearance from mid-sea.The fights in Sura could have been choreographed well, considering Vijay’s performance levels in other films. Though there are some gravity-defying stunts, the fight seems to lack the punch and force that one usually associates with a performer like the Ilaya Thalapathy. For an excellent dancer, this film offers very little scope for exhibiting his dancing skills too. The Bommayi – Choo Mandra Kali song happens to be that ‘once more’ type of song, while all others except En Peru Saravedi does not turn up the heat.Vadivelu’s mere presence is enjoyable and there is nothing much to say about the comedy track. The scene where Vennira Aadai Murthy renders the popular song Marudamalai Maamuniye in a concert and Vadivelu gestures not to exert too much but thinking that Vadivelu is coercing him to sing even more forcefully, Vennira Aadai Murthy sings with full gusto, had the audience in splits of laughter. There are umpteen numbers of irrational scenes in the film that has even the Vijay fans squirm in their seats with dissatisfaction. The classic example is when the actor lights up the stove with the flip of his fingers.Vijay has made sure to draw the attention of the Tamil audience by addressing the sensitive Sri Lankan Tamils issue and the Rameswaram fishermen’s plight. These scenes were probably included to pacify the Tamils. The negative aspects of Sura are no doubt the music, illogical, if not slow screenplay, gravity defying stunts, slow moving scenes.
Verdict: In all, Sura is a usual Vijay fare that will be a treat for his hard core fans.
