A movie not to be missed. "Varusham 16" is one of those films that has a rare combination of great performances as well as a great script. It also scored at the box-office. Karthik, who has worked with some of the best directors in tamil cinema, teams up with noted Malayalam film director Fazil in a film which tells the story of lost love, painful memories and ultimately, redemption through time. I don't want to say anything else, as I will just ruin the movie if I do. Just go out and see this brilliant film for yourself.
Everyone associated with "Varusham 16" does a wonderful job. Khushboo, who was just up and coming, struck gold with this movie playing a sweet and lovable character. Poornam Viswanathan and Sukumari (Fazil's regular) also give solid performances. Jayapradha, as Karthik's mother, springs a wonderful surprise and gives a heartfelt performance. Even the comedy track by Janakaraj and V.K. Ramasami is funny and doesn't disturb the film's narration. Finally, it is Karthik who owns this movie and gives quite possibly the best performance of his long career. From the very first scene to the climax, Karthik is "Kannan" - a man who is passionate, sincere, determined, and ultimately a failure. Karthik, one of the best actors during that time, gives an amazing yet natural performance. The awards he won for this movie were fully deserved. Fazil also does a neat job directing, but where he really scores is in the narration. Ilayaraja provides some of the best songs in tamil cinema. "Pazhai Mudhir Cholai" and "Gangai Kara Mananadi" are two songs that will stick with you long after the movie is finished. Overall, a classic movie.
