It's buddies, animus and action again - Naalai
WHERE THE LEAD PLAYERS ARE ACTUALLY VILLAINS: Naalai
Genre: Action
Director: Udhayabanu Maheshwaran
Cast: Richard, Nataraj,
Madhumita, Nasser
Storyline: Two orphans find asylum in a bad man's den and he shapes them into hardcore criminals.
Bottomline: Crime time crisply treated.
You have to hand it to writer-director Udhayabanu Maheshwaran. Rarely do you get to witness a short, succinctly told narrative on screen. Grey Films' `Naalai' (U/A) is such a one. Well aided by crisp cuts at Krishnamurthy-Sivanandham's editing table, Maheshwaran maintains the tempo throughout. If you mistake the musical piece towards the end for a colophon and begin to move away, you could actually miss the final act in the action drama.
A tale of two orphans turned henchmen (a la `Pattiyal') who remain inseparable till the end, `Naalai' has friendship as its bottom line. On it is built an edifice of betrayal. But again when heroes are actually villains, the viewer is unaffected by the backstabbing and treachery they eventually face.
Justin (Richard) and Nataraj (Nattu) are a duo devoted to Nair (Nasser), a heartless underworld kingpin. They would do anything for him and would brook no insult to their master. But the boss does not want their honest services. To save his skin, without qualms he turns them over to another bad man, Thanigai (`Kadhal' Dandapani), who is thirsting to avenge his brother's murder.
Noticeable performances
It's been a long sabbatical for Richard as far as Tamil films are concerned. He returns to do a neat job without any melodrama. Nataraj Subramaniam's casual lingo (though the dialect isn't always consistent), devil-may-care attitude and apt body language result in a commendable show.
The item number, and that nauseating song sequence on the beach (If you have to have skin and sleaze, at least the actor in question should have the figure to show it off.) are a blot on the treatment of `Naalai.' Suddenly, without relevance or explanation a group dance emerges!
Who is this Adi? The sober demeanour and ruthless eyes spell danger. How Justin and Nattu don't notice it is puzzling. Nasser comes out with a natural portrayal yet again. It's surprising that the slim and svelte Madhumita is not seen more often on screen. A dignified essay from Nirosha warrants mention.
The euphony of Karthik Raja's score (be it the songs or the re-recording) in `Naalai,' will ring in your ears for a long while. The music and the sound of silence aptly used in the background are other elevating aspects of Maheshwaran's movie. Cameraman Ramesh G. makes you pause to admire the `freezes' and chases. Maniraj's art works harmoniously with the cinematography — Ilavarasu's junkyard is an appreciable example.
As is the trend `Naalai' is action-packed, with the lead characters being a law unto themselves. From boozing and womanising to mafia and murder nothing is taboo. They are today's `heroes,' you see. But thankfully even amidst the rough and tumble, to a great extent Maheshwaran keeps violence and gore under leash.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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