Period films have been sporadic in Tamil cinema for the past two decades and not many directors are daring enough to give a fling at such genres. But the young director Vijay breaks the mould and comes up with an artistic portrayal of pre-independence Madras. In fact, he succeeds in his attempt with utmost ease.
The plot of "Madarasapattanam" is quite simple. It deals with the romance between a brawny Madarasi wrestler and an aristocratic English belle at a time when the Freedom Movement was at its pinnacle. Arya, as the young wrestler (Parithi) is impeccable. His penchant for offbeat roles is evident from his choice of movies. Amy Jackson, as the royal damsel (Amy) allures you with her innocent and snowy charm. The way she has acclimatized to the Indian pattern of film making is quite amazing. Kochi Haneefa, who plays Amy's interpreter, manages to tickle you in his typical style. All the actors including Nasser (Parithi's father), M.S.Bhaskar, RJ Balaji (tourist guide), Jeeva (of Lollu Sabha fame), Kumaravel (taxi-driver) and the actors who play Parithi's friends make their presence felt.
The narration smoothly swaps between the modern day Chennai and the 1940's Madras. Thanks to some crisp editing by Antony. Cinematographer Nirav Shah guides us through a virtual tour through the streets of vintage Madras. It is fascinating to see the Madras of the yore adorned by trams, bullock-carts, the crystal-clear Cooum, the dhobi ghats of Washermanpet, and a busy Buckingham Canal! Art Director Selva has to be commended for recreating the yesteryear Spencer's and the Central Station. But at times the back-drops seem to be like wallpapers, which could have been avoided. G.V.Prakash Kumar seems to have inherited a lot from his uncle (A.R.Rahman) which is very much evident in his "Pookal Pookum" number. And his background score blends well with the period flavour of the movie. Vijay's dialogues are note-worthy.
Traces of "Lagaan" and "Titanic" can be felt here and there. Especially, the wrestling match between Parithi and the Englishman, and the aged Amy searching her love with the necklace ('thaali') reminds you of the yesteryear classics. Nevertheless, Vijay manages to trigger the spirit of Madras by showcasing the rich cultural and historical heritage of our city in this poignant love story. He leaves us yearning for the glorious Madras of the past.
A must-watch for all Chennaiites. Come, and cherish the vintage Madras.- Deepak Kumaar Manoharan.
