To the average
Bollywood movie goer, the passion and crowd support associated with Tamil
cinema will be alien to say the least. How
can one explain a sell-out crowd for the 1030 am show at PVR Mulund of all
places? Us “Madrasi” fellows follow cinema and our heroes with a passion that only
Bhai’s followers can think of matching and even they will fall short because
Bhai has a following in Chennai which is higher than Mumbai.
Nevertheless, larger
than life director Shankar’s latest Pongal venture is titled “I”. Why? For that you will have to sustain 3 hrs
and 10 minutes of Madras Mirch Masala which the average Bollywood fan may
compare to climbing Mt. Everest. Imagine
the plight of us amateur critics who believe that they know enough about cinema
to write about it.
I is the story
of Lingesan (Chiyaan Vikram) who is a body builder. He is enamoured by a certain model called
Diya (Amy Jackson) who, surprisingly makes a ton of money out of modelling
assignments. Not that she is an actress
and endorses products. She is just a
pretty face with a hot bod who has Softy Ice-cream, Bru, Stayfree and Nature
Power Soap as some of the brands in her portfolio.
Lingesan is all
but in love with Diya and even buys all the products she models for – yes,
including Stayfree. When our hero wins
the Mr. Tamil Nadu he gets an opportunity to meet our heroine and before you
know it gets catapulted into the big bad world of modelling for high end
products. It involves shooting in exotic
provinces in China where a certain flower blooms only in September.
Along the way,
Lingesan becomes Lee and also love (read louv) happens – first as make believe to
help Lee get comfortable in front of the camera and then actual louv
happens. Of course success does not come
without rubbing some people the wrong way who eventually believe that they have
had enough and something has to be done about Lee.
Like most Tamil movies
with Shankar, I is extremely over the top on almost all counts. Amy Jackson’s incapability to act is
compensated through efforts such as a liberal focus on her assets. Gimmicks like morphing her into a phone with
the call buttons on her breasts do little to help.
Refer link for
actual view J (http://content.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/display%20image/300x275%20jpeg/97151571.jpg). The morphing moves forward with a Royal
Enfield, sprouts, fish, a dhobi ghat and of course weights.
There are 3
major fight sequences. One that involves
BMX bicycles over rooftops in China.
Another with Lee’s hands tied behind his back. But the piece de resistance has to be the
first one in a gymnasium before Lee goes onto become Mr. Tamil Nadu. That has Lingesan fighting the baddie body
builders lathered in oil and in nothing but body builder underwear – if you are
into that kind of fetish then it is probably a wet dream come true.
Besides the
liberal presence of brands from Sunfeast Dark Fantasy to 3 roses tea and of
course an entire song titled “i” perfume made in vanilla, I the movie is not
short on everything that stands for Tamil cinema. A transvestite, body builders flexing their
moobs (man boobs), an ode to Beauty and the Beast, some great make-up – everything!!!
But the high
point or 2 high points have to be mentioned.
One that involves replacing weights with human beings on a 7 foot
barbell and performing a lift. But nothing
could probably beat tying your shoe laces by deftly flicking your feet in a
manner that only Chiyaan Vikram could.
Simply sensational. 5 on 10 in
terms of quality but even 10 would be insufficient to rate the antics that make
this movie. Simply awesome.
Watch the trailer
on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3484134937/?ref_=tt_ov_vi
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