Movie Review: Charukesi

-

 Charukesi ( YG Mahendra) is a respected carnatic music singer. But as Alzheimers starts getting the better of him, his life changes as pieces of his memory begin fading.


As his wife Bhagyam ( Suhasini ) and friend  (Thalaivasal Vijay) try to help him, his son ( Raj Ayyappa) and daughter-in-law ( Ramya Pandian) bring to the surface bitterness of  past incidents and their own dissatisfaction, to the forefront, making life an emotional struggle, adding to his woes. How does he cope? How does all this affect the family?

The film directed by Suresh Krisshna , presents the prolific singer Charukesi in great detail,highlighting the past glory and  well earned laurels of his life as a singer and respected member of the community. YG Mahendra breathes life into the character with his emotionally charged energy, and superb performance of a vulnerable man. Suhasini, is the perfect choice for her role, playing the coping wife  with a sincere and graceful performance.

All the actors do justice to their roles, adding layers to the story, highlighting the conflicts of and drama. Sathyaraj in a cameo as a spiritual mentor makes his presence felt.

The film touches a chord with the audiencd  and skilfully brings out the contribution and way of thought of another generation.The struggles of the medical condition affecting the family and not just the patient, are also well  brought out in detail. 

Music is an integral part of the plot and Deva does full justice,  with his music stirring emotions with Shankar Mahadevan's voice adding additional value. 

Sanjay BL's camerawork brings to the fore visuals of the rich musical background of the film. The dialogues by Pa Vijay well depict the themes of regret, forgiveness and emotional churning the characacters go through. 

The slow pace of the film in certain instances, tinges of melodrama,  and theatre backdrop of the story, which brings in certain stage elements, make the film feel a bit stretched and dated at times.

However, the mainstay of the film,  exploring battered  family relationships in a medical crisis, clashes between past and present, terrific performances by a superb cast, the soulful music integral to the plot, and rich storytelling, all make the film a worthy watch.


Rating 3/5




Popular posts from this blog

Dubbing for “Athiradi” in Tamil Was a Memorable Experience – Director-Actor Basil Joseph

-
Image
 *“Athiradi” Will Surely Connect with Tamil Audiences – Director  Directed by Arun Anirudhan and starring Tovino Thomas, Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Riya Shibu and several others, Athiradi is gearing up for a grand multi-language release. Jointly produced by Basil Joseph and Anandu S., the film has been written by Arun Anirudhan and Paulson Skaria. Athiradi is slated for release in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi. The pre-release event of Athiradi was held recently in Chennai in the presence of the cast and crew. Adding to the excitement of the occasion, Indian cricketer Sanju Samson attended the event as a special guest. Director Arun Anirudhan said, “Discussions regarding the title of this film began nearly two years ago. It was Basil Joseph who suggested the title Athiradi. The word itself has a strong impact in Tamil, and similarly, the film too carries an energy and impact that suits its title. We sincerely hope audiences celebrate this film in theatres...
Read more

Web Series Review: Thadayam

-
Image
 SI Adhyaman ( Samuthirakani ) investigates a gruesome twin murder of 2 couples in a village. While his superiors dismiss his intelligence, his senior officer Lakshmi ( Sshivada ) believes in him and makes him part of a special team to nab the culprits. Thanks to Adhyaman's skills the task force manages to trace possible suspects in a hamlet in a border town in Andhra Pradesh. As they begin to dig deeper, several layers emerge which link the case to events dating back to 1995. Who are the kiĺlers ? Do cops Adhyaman and Lakshmi manage to nab them? What obstacles  and dangers come in their way? The crime story allegedly based on true events is a slow burn but gripping cat -and- mouse investigative cop thriller. The first few episodes  set the backdrop and character details. What follows is a chilling series of encounters between the cops and villainous characters (played by Prem and Raj Tirandasu ). While both look menacing and are superb choices, Raj ( Pushpa, OG, and othe...
Read more

Movie Review : Parasakthi

-
Image
 Director Sudha Kongara's Parasakthi hit screens on 10th January. The film is based on the TN students anti Hindi imposition movement in the 1960s. The story revolves around a student, Chezhiyan (Sivakarthikeyan) who starts an agitation against Hindi imposition along with co-students, on one dark night on the railway tracks. But when a tragedy befalls one of the members in the fire that ensues, he is shaken and  gives it all up to continue with life.   However, years later events come a full circle when Chezhiyan is drawn again into the agitation, when his younger brother Chinnadurai ( Atharvaa Murali) is fired up by the circumstances prevailing, when Hindi imposition begins to affect lives and livlihoods of the common man.  Chezhiyan finds a compatriot in Ratnamala ( Sreeleela), his neighbour, who aids the cause along with other youngsters.  But the past catches up with him in the form of the ruthless KGB trained special  intelligence officer Thirunaa...
Read more