Puthagam Movie Review

Cast : Sathya , Jagapathi Babu , Rakul Preet Singh

Director : Vijay Adiraj

Producer : S.Manjula

Music : James Vasanthan

Famous television personality Vijay Adiraj’s debut film as director Puthagam with newcomers fails to be an exciting page-turner. Half way through, this ‘book’ of 150 ‘pages’ (minutes), makes you fall asleep.
There is nothing fresh or absorbing in story, cast or presentation. Three guys led by Satya (Arya’s brother),Sanjay Bharathi (Santhana Bharathi’s son) and Vignesh are young guys living in a mansion in Triplicane. Sanjay and Vignesh are employed while Satya is still studying.

Soon, Satya falls in love with Rakul Preet Singh a television reporter. The three guys discover the ill-gotten wealth of a local politician (Suresh), and have a good time before nemesis catches up with them.

Then there is a detective (Jagapathy Babu) and his side –kick the glamorous Rachna Maurya clearly modelled on Pankaj Kapoor’s comedy television serial of 80’s Karamchand.

Puthagam is a mish-mash of various comedy films and serials and has no proper script or narration. Popular television stars pop in and out like Uma Padmanabhan, Fathima Babu, Thalaivasal Vijay and Manobala.

Why did the characterisation of Satya a mild mannered guy change in the climax to a one-man fighting machine in the climax? Heroism cannot be injected; it has to be a part of the narration.

Among the new faces, Rakul Preet Singh passes muster and is promising, while Satya tries to imitate his more famous brother Arya and needs improvement in all departments. The music of James Vasanthan is nothing much to rave about. The one silver lining in otherwise an insipid film is the camera of Laxman Kumar.

Vijay Adiraj intention was to make a commercially viable comedy thriller, but it has not worked out. Commercial entertainers should not have long drawn out scenes and it should be crisp and a bit more racy.