'BLEAH!' to the pseudostars, cos SAROJA does Kollywood proud!

SAROJA entertained me for three hours today. From the first scene, until the end. The movie refreshes Kollywood to say the least. Even though I am yet to watch 'Chennai 600 028', I did learn about this entertaining film from a friend (www.spotlightsu.blogspot.com) and when I got the opportunity to spend my Monday midday with Saroja, I just upped and went.

The film is mainly about friendship between four friends. It is also about other things -- a missing girl, another friendship, unrequited love, and so on, and everything is the main plot! Yes, plot it is. Even if you did anticipate somethings in the film, which is unlikely, it is a very well taken film.

Now, I don't usually do film reviews, nor can I call this one. But, I so enjoyed it that I felt it deserved a post on my blog.

I enjoyed it because...
1. I was watching a film after a long time (3 weeks to a month;))
2. It was unscheduled...
3. I expected it to be good (weird logic I know, but it worked for me)
4. The friendship portrayed between the four guys was wonderfully painted and so realistic...such as fighting with each other in a crisis, finally standing by each other, working together against odds, showing weaknesses openly, sharing 'two-aside' secrets, inviting a spouse's irritation by 'just being' , etc.
5. The fights seemed real, unlike in most films when the hero lifts a leg and sends the opponent flying through a glass wall, or he punches / gets punched fifty times and the fight still stays fresh with the fighters quite unscathed. Also, the fights did not have the hero (es) fighting gunmen with his/their bare hands, oblivious to lethal weapons. Oh and people got hurt even when you did not want them to...
6. The songs were pretty good and entertaining with one song showing Macarena-like steps, except it was just A step;) Cute and ...doable. Watch the film and go back and try the moves. Hoo hoo. and upload to youtube or at least pass it to me for MY entertainment.
7. Imagine, I was not even interested in my popcorn and cold coffee. The film was enjoyable enough. Now, that's a first!
8. The dream scenes were scarce, but when they appeared, they were as funny as they ought to be.
9. There were no idiotic duet songs with a couple dashing around or rolling around.
10. The pace was racy.
11. The actors all delivered. Except perhaps for Prakash Raj (who was average), whom the other actors with less experience, simply outshone!
12. Because of one of my favourite actors' presence -- Jayaram. Now, HE delivered.
13. THERE ARE NO SIX PACKS! Whew. Relief. These guys look real and act it.
14. The girls look their age and part. AND, they are attractive; even the siren is super good looking.
15. THE HUMOUR in it...and not always from the designated comedian (although it seemed there was one*), but from the entire cast.
* The guy (Premji) truly brought out the full meaning of the phrase 'comic relief' with not just witty, meaning-to-be-funny remarks...he was funny as a person, and never-endingly so.Definitely a must-have guy in any gang of friends!
16. Fairly good looking villains;) (Sampath, his cronies, etc.)
17. It actually made me long to be part of the cast!
18. The 4 guys -- SPB Charan, Shiva, Premji and Vaibhav were all believable and likeable characters and not because of their looks or screen presence but because of how well they were 'in character'.
19. The film made me laugh heartily, loudly, scream in frustration or fear, yell suggestions and egg the characters on...basically, I lost myself in it and reluctantly found myself again at the end;) Even the end credits were entertaining with not unusual clippings of funny takes.
and
20. The background score...scores. Yuvan Shankar Raja I think. Damn good.
21...Oh, dear! I wish could go on, but the rest will be the story, which I ought not to divulge and rob anyone of their enjoyment. I will just stop now and say...FINALLY, it's not a bad thing after all that Rajini and Kamal, the original Kollywood superstars are getting old....cos there are some super duper films being made and excellent performers being served up. As for the pseudostars, even if you pull up your socks and work at those six packs to make them five and a half or whatever (Sheesh!), or deliver more of those lame punchlines, you DO have some great guys to compete with, who don't even have THE so-called LOOKS to brag about. Well, pseudostars, 'BLEAH!' to you!

It's a Venkat Prabhu film, by the way.

Cheers!

Yours truly entertained,
Teesu.