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have to straightaway hand it to director Singapuli for
having chosen a different kind of story. Though the handling
of the same could obviously have been better and script much
more taut, the point is Mayavi is no run-of-the-mill
potboiler.
To be sure, it is indeed commercial entertainer. But it is
one with some finesse and finish. The film has shades of
Ram Gopla Varma's Mast and a popular Malayalam film of
recent vintage. It is a rollicking and rambunctious tale of a
devil-may-care guide who is also a confidence trickster. What
happens when ends up 'kiddishly' kidnapping a top film
heroine is the film all about.
Abhesh Balaya (Surya), the guide-con man-thief, is
footloose and fancy-free. He and his acolyte Sathyaraj (Sathyan)
have no hang ups in life. He is also a huge fan of actor
Ajith.
Balaya's problems start when he and Satyan land up in a huge
villa on the beachfront. He is there for making some quick
money. It is actually actress Jyothika's house. When they
realize it, they want to replace what they have taken. But,
as it happens, the actress herself catches them and creates a
huge kerfuffle. For their efforts, they are put behind the
bars.
Jyothika just doesn't like Balaya at all. Out of all, the two
have their run-ins, and again Balaya is jailed. So out to
take revenge on her, he kidnaps her. Just about when the
whole industry and her family tries to trace Jyothika, she
understands the real Balaya. All ends in a tacky and slightly
laborious climax.
But the film is propped by decidedly top-notch performance as
the Carry-like performance of Surya. Be it is an 'innocent'
thief or a glib-talking guide, Surya is pure unadulterated
fun. His expressions are quick-silver and there is an
endearing polish to his performance here.
Jyothika as Jyothika is a difficult character to play. It is
not easy to spoof yourself. It is a role that calls for lot
of nuance. Jyothika passes muster. Though she tends to ham on
occasions, Jyothika as a self-centred heroine is really good.
How many of our frontline heroines can play the role of an
actress who hates her competitors (Jyothika is shown to have
no love lost for the likes of Simran and Meena). It is an
audacious characterization. And need we say anything more
about the chemistry between the lead pair.
Sathyan is the perfect foil to Surya and he brings the house
down when he compares Jyothika with Simran.
On the positive side is also the music of Devi Sri Prasad,
though Telugu-style orchestration may sound too heavy for the
Tamil audience. Ratnavelu's camera work is easy on the eye.
Director Singapuli has obviously some flair for comedy and
mirth. Unlike his guru Bala (who is the producer of the
film), he doesn't reach for your grey cells. But he aims for
your funny bone. And on the looks of Mayavi, he seems to have
touched that
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