In the last 4 decades, there is only one tamil actor who tries hard to come with something different, who experiments, who thinks ahead of his time and while doing all this, sometimes overindulges and spoils the final outcome. He has done exactly the same this time too but it is for this actor Kamal, that you should watch the film. It is a complicated story that Kamal has simplified for us. It is the story of a leading actor who gets to know about his terminal illness and decides to make one last movie with his mentor. There are two stories: the melodrama involving the real-life actor and a period-comedy film that he acts in the movie. It is a perfect film which pays homage to Balachander who has acted in this film. There is also a huge star cast and all of them have done their roles very well. Kamal as a screen writer has also done well. While Andrea has been wasted, Pooja Kumar is excellent in her Princess role. The period film within the film is supposed to provide relief to the audience. Though it succeeds to some extent, it is also the film’s liability. The ancient tamil language used is not going to reach majority of the audience. To add to the complexity, songs are used to narrate some of the happening which even the so-called multiplex audience will find tough to follow. We all know that Kamal is a great actor, yet he tries to prove himself and this extends the film within the film. A simpler comedy would have made the film crispier and more entertaining. It is the main plot and the emotions around the plot that make this film worthy of a one time watch. I especially loved the scene between Kamal and his son. The one where his daughter reads his letter is also exceptional. Ghibran’s music is the soul of this film and he is brilliant in both songs and BGM. Kamal should stop trying hard to prove that he can act because it is now an established fact. Most importantly, when the characters in the film (including Balachander), start glorifying his acting talent and start singing his praise, you wonder if you are watching a movie or a documentary on Kamal’s life. Ofcourse, as a fan, I would love to watch such a documentary.
