Film: Thalaimuraigal
Starring: Sashi Kumar,Ramya Shankar,Master Karthik
Director: Balu Mahendra
Producer: M. Sasikumar
Banner: Company Production
Music: Ilaiyaraaja
Story:
Thalaimuraigal is a simple tale on the
relationship between a Grandfather and his city cultured grandchild.
Anand [Master Karthik] is son of a doctor couple, who get tied through
an inter-caste marriage. Due to circumstances Anand had to stay back in
village with his grandfather played by Balu Mahendra, an overzealous
retired Tamil teacher craving about his religion, caste and language.
How would an old man turns his English speaking city bred grandson
Aditya into a native Tamil child, forms the crux of Thalaimuraigal...
Performances:
Balu Mahendra, who is
known for his cinematography and direction has turned an actor and the
veteran has proved he is also a best performer on screen.
Master Aditya has done his parts well. Especially, the scene where he teaches his grandfather English in return are well portrayed.
Other cast namely television stars
Sashikumar, Ramya Shankar, Vinodhini did their parts well and director-
actor-producer M. Sasikumar cameo is worth mentioning.
Technical Analysis:
As ever Balu Mahendra has come up with a
typical off-beat film. Cinematographer turned director, who has done
many path breaking films earlier has come up with an interesting
nostalgia for the present generation being brought up in cities.
Simultaneously, Balu Mahendra has
handled cinematography and editing for Thalaimuraigal. For the first
time Balu Mahendra has used digital camera 'Canon 5D DSLR' for
Thalaimuraigal and shot most of the film in the real locations such as
the old house without using artificial lights.
Thalaimuraigal is tight and crisp with
only 105 mins running time. Tough there are no songs, Ilayaraja made his
presence felt with fascinating background scores for the movie.
Analysis:
Thalaimuraigal is a Tamil family drama
that speaks about the relationship between a grandparent to his
grandchild and the importance of traditions and culture that is to be
adopted by present young generation.
Balu Mahendra has come up with a
affective script after Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam in 2005 and Thalaimuraigal
has succeeded in striking the audiences chords. Fist half of
Thalaimuraigal is fizzy with the scenes of slowly building relation
between Master Karthik and Balu Mahendra. Comparatively, second half of
the film as it is filled with melodrama and sentimental scenes towards
the end.
Final Verdict: Nostalgic Tamil Movie by Balu Mahendra