Why you must watch it:
- Bharathiraja returns
- Good thriller that steers clear from the beaten track and the formula Tamil films
- Nana Patekar debuts in Tamil
The Good: Gripping screenplay without too many de-tours, Good performances from the lead and supporting cast, Cinematography and Direction
The Bad: Songs disappoint (Thankfully just 3 songs!) and are quite unnecessary
Look out for: Vivek in a brief role who finally finds some comic form after a string of not-so-funny appearances
Bottomline: Bharathiraja's last film Kangalal Kaithi Sei (2004) was one of his worst and most of us thought he would find it impossible to bounce back from that abyss. Bommalattam is everything you don't expect from a Bharatiraaja film - no village backdrop, no heroine surrounded by goats and no angels that tail the lead pair during the customary duet. Nana Patekar makes his Tamil debut and plays Rana a moody director who is under scrutiny for the unnatural death of his heroine Trishna (Played by Ragini). The investigation pits him against CBI officer Vivek Verma (A subtle role sans all the flying kicks for Action King Arjun) and what follows is a gripping film with a terrific climax. The film's cinematographer Kannan has ably supported the director who deserves full credit for attempting something new. I only wish Nana Patekar had dubbed in his own voice instead of using Nizhalagal Ravi's voice. In a year when all the over-hyped films failed to deliver here's a film which didn't promise much but exceeds expectations.
