PITHAMAGAN (/5)
	: Vikram, Surya & Laila
	Music: Illayaraja
	Direction: Bala
Remark: Violent but different

A different film. Start to end it is a director's movie. Director Bala makes it three hits in a row (SETHU, NANDHAA and now PITHAMAGAN). The movie is on how a person who has no emotions in life and who has not shed a single tear in his life, burst his emotions out at a critical incident of his life. For the first time in tamil cinema, there has been a deviation from a commercial path to record certain incidents in people's lives. Vikram plays the role of Chittan, an orphan, leading his life as a undertaker. In the entire movie he speaks for hardly a minute. His mannerisms, actions, psychotic fight in the end, etc. may fetch him an award. Great job! Vikram moves to the village to work for a drug lord. Surya is a petty thief (Excellent performance. Has matched Vikram in acting). Surya evokes laughter throughout the film. Laila is a polytechnic student, meets Surya in a Betting Game. Surya cheats her and she gets him arrested. In the jail, Surya meets Vikram, and is stunned by the latter's violent actions. The jail fight is very interesting but too violent. Slowly, they both become good friends. When they leave jail, they stay together. Surya's adopted sister (Sangeetha), develops a soft corner for Vikram. The Drug mafia, one day, kills an informer, asks Vikram to burn him, Vikram now gets arrested, with the charge that he killed the informer. Surya fights with the drug lord. Drug Lord wants to kill Surya. What happens is the fine climax. The Director, needs appreciation for running the first half at full speed, but in the second half, there is some loss of rhythm. Excellent music by Illayaraja. The background score is amazing. "Yelankaathu Veesuthey" is the best melody in recent times. Simran dances for an old song melody. All the actors and actess, have played their part to perfection. There are a lot of questions unanswered in this movie, such as why Vikram is so silent?, How Vikram and Surya become thick friends? Why Vikram is violent?, etc. The movie is too violent. The cinematography, by Ratinavelu, needs special mention. Not a flawless film but would help tamil cinema move in a new direction.

- Gokul Santhanam & Prem Anand S