Saguni Movie Review
Cast : Karthik, Praneetha, Santhanam
Direction : N. Shankar Dayal
Music : G V Prakash Kumar
Production : Dream Warrior Pictures
Karthi`s Saguni is a commercial mass masala movie made purely to work overtime at the box-office.
And it works to a large extent dues to its hero and his side-kick who provide the necessary ingredient in large doses.
Shankar Dayal formula is simple, a larger than life hero who comes to the city with a personal agenda. In the big bad city he is caught up in the turf war for power among rival politicians. Our hero, the street smart guy using brawn and machiavellian tactics cleans up the political system of the scums. He also gets what he wants from the new chief minister and takes the next train back home with the heroine in tow.
Don`t look for a story or logic, the hero has to win at all cost in commercial potboilers. The major highlight of the film is the rocking Tom and Jerry type comedy scenes between Karthi and Santhanam and the one-liners they say.
New girl Pranitha is there as Karthi`s love interest and the idea of naming these three characters as Kamal, Rajini and Sridevi brings the house down. And to add to the mirth there is Anushka playing a cameo as a Malayalee cop who falls for the handsome Kamal!
There are only black and white characters, an essential requirement for mass movies. So you have politicians as baddies - Prakash Raj as the malevolent and cunning chief minister, Radhika as an Idly Kada lady and moneylender who becomes the Mayor, Kota Srinivasa Rao as the idiotic politician, Kiran as the wicked and ambitious concubine of Prakash Raj and Roja as heroine`s mom.
The film laced with humour is packaged as a mass entertainer by Shankar Dayal who has woven certain recent political happening into the story. The film hints that money, muscle power and political horse trading are what win elections.
GV Prakash music is foot tapping and plays to the galleries. Velmurugan`s "Pottadhu Pathalai Maapillai.." has people dancing to the kuthu number while the melody sung by Sonu Nigam and Saindhavi, "Manasellam Mazhaiye..", is the pick of the lot. PG Muthiah`s camera is ok with some good top angle shots. Nani (Sreekar Prasad) forgot his scissors as the film needs trimming. On the downside the film at 2 hours 45 minutes is too long; characters disappear half way through the film.
Karthi is one reason to buy a ticket for the film. He has evolved as a bankable commercial mass hero and his dancing in "Vella Bambaram" song is a revelation. The moment Santhanam appears on the screen people burst out laughing, and he is too good. His comedy timing and his combination with Karthi is the perfect mix. Heroine Pranitha has nothing much to do other than looking glamorous. Radhika is impressive in a role with shades of grey, no better political villain in south screen than Prakash Raj .
On the whole if you are looking just for staple masala entertainment, Saguni is the right prescription.
