Directed by: SimbudevanProduced by: Kalpathi S AgoramStarring: Lawrence Raghavendra, Sandhya, Lakshmi Rai, Padmapriya, NassarMusic by: G. V. Prakash KumarCinematography: AzhagappanEditing by: Raja MohamedStudio: AGS Film EntertainmentRelease date(s): May 7th, 2010Budget $3 million
Tamil Cinema is growing really fast and testimonial to that is ‘Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam’ (IKMS) directed by ‘humour-in-blood director’ Chimbudeven. Produced by AGS Entertainment, makers of family entertainers like ‘Thirittu Payale’, ‘Santosh Subramaniam’ etc, and forthcoming movies like ‘Madharasapattinam’ and ‘Bale Pandiya’, the producers have not compromised in the quality of film making. Exquisite sets, classy costumes, AGS entertainment has made a gem of a movie that would be talked about for a long time to come.
Hollywood is a kingpin in the cowboy genre, with a lot of heroes in fact carving a niche for themselves including Gregory Peck, Clint Eastwood and a host of other cowboy heroes. ‘IKMS’ is an inspired movie of one such page from the big book of cowboy history. Firstly, credit and two thumbs up to director Chimbudeven to make such a movie that needs a lot of effort and specially attention to detail. He has brought out a wholesome entertainer.
Starting the movie with the narration from the director himself about the evolution of cowboy culture in the world, he gives examples of different cowboys in different countries with conclusion of the narration with cowboys in India, in particular south India. Here is introduced Jayashankarapuram, (the director’s tribute to Tamil cinema’s most popular cowboy Jayashankar) a village that has a lot of cowboys (even cow woman) and horses! Jayashankarapuram is in the clutches of the villain Nasser as Kelaku Kattai (the director’s tribute to evergreen cowboy of the world Clint ‘EASTWOOD’!) who lives in the Irumbu Kottai or ‘Iron Fort’ in US Apuram. Kelaku Kattai also dictates terms on five other villages. He is a wicked man, mind you! With only one eye and the other being a dummy!
In between all this, hero Larencce as ‘Singamuthu’ is introduced as a helper. He is good at heart and has adopted four children in his village ‘Sholaypuram’. Due to unforeseen circumstances he is ordered to hang till death and this is where a group of people save him from the hangman’s platform. Larencce is saved by this group headed by Mouli who is Bilagiri James. His men are Ilavarasu, Ramesh Kannah and Vaiyapuri who want to save their village from Kelaku Kattai. They find Singamuthu similar in appearance to Singam, the brave Marshall who is not to be seen for sometime A deal is negotiated with Larencce who is taken to Jayashankarapuram as Singam.
Larencce is shown as the same brave Marshall Singam who is faster than his shadow. He is as fast as lightning when it comes to shooting the gun. So the new Singam gets accustomed to all the antics of the original Singam. In the village, veteran actors Manorama as Keluthi Amma and Delhi Ganesh as Paandu are introduced to Larencce. At this juncture Padmapriya is introduced as Bali who instantly finds a soft corner for the hero.
Lets leave the hero’s village now and go to the Villain’s camp at Irumbu Kottai. Nasser is always in the company of his close aides Lakshmi Rai as ‘Pakki’ and seasoned Telugu actor Sai Kumar as ‘Ulakkai’. Ulakkai is the right hand of the villain who goes by the order of his boss. In between the hero’s and the villain’s camp is a Red Indian village where the tribals are pure vegetarians. With the introduction of this village in the movie, MS Bhasker as Aathirikesa the leader of the tribal group, his father Senthil, and his beautiful daughter Sandhya as Thumbi are also introduced. The funniest character in the movie Sams as Lee the translator of the tribal language is also introduced in this point. The Red Indians are pivotal in the story of the movie. It is for you to find out at the theatre!
The gist of the story: The villagers at Jayashankarapuram find a map that is hidden in their ‘MGR Timesquare’. But it is only one half they have. They have to find the other half to hunt for treasure that is preserved and hidden somewhere far away. But the villain, Nasser has other plans. He negotiates a deal of freeing prisoners in exchange of the treasure. Does the Marshall Singam along with Sai Kumar, Lakshmi Rai, Vaiyapurai, Ilavarasu, MS Bhasker and Sams find the treasure? The answer awaits your presence in this not-to-be-missed entertainer!
Larencce as the hero has flaunted his natural style. The man oozes with confidence for having bagged such a coveted cowboy role. But the real hero of this movie is director Chimbu Deven. He has developed a screenplay that is not dragging, not boring and most importantly highly entertaining. He has proved it yet again; he is a director who thinks out-of-the-box! The narration is highly innovative. Sample this – The village priest also wears a cowboy hat, suggesting him to be a cowboy priest! Many more funny things for you to see at the theatre including websites for their village heroes! Translator of the tribal Sams as Lee and his translations are really funny and give the audience a healthy laugh.
Chimbu Deven makes the audience not just giggle but laugh out loudly at most times of the movie. The director has also chosen his team very carefully. The cinematographer Azhagappan has done a tremendous job of handling his camera. The adventure scenes, the horse chase sequences and even picturing the songs are truly appreciable. At this juncture, one would be in awe of the sets that have been designed to get the feel of the cowboy film. Be it the guns in the movie, the Jayashankarapuram village, the Irumbu Kottai, the imaginary mountains (help of computer graphics) or the treasure caves, art director Muthuraj receives full marks for his extraordinary art direction. He has crafted a true cowboy village and the visuals will transport you to that world.
Equally receiving praise is costume designer Sai, who has got the right clothes to suit the story. Every character in the movie gets a hat! The Red Indians and their costumes are designed well! Make up for the actors, especially the rotten teeth of Sai Kumar and the empty eye of Nasser is significantly noticeable by Nehru.
The pace of the movie is thoroughly enjoyable. Songs are not at awry places and the screenplay does not have a lag, especially handling a few flashback scenes in the middle that talk about the original Singam. Editing has been immaculate. Editor Raja Mohammed, the national award winning editor for Paruthi Veeran, has done an amazing job.
Moving to the music, with a dancer like Larencce as the hero, G V Prakash has done a good job composing a few peppy numbers. Re-recording in the movie is appreciable. Choreography in a few songs is admirable. Larencce as the choreographer for ‘Nenjam Nenjam’ along with dance masters Sridhar and Siva Shankar for the other songs receive appreciation.
The movie scores marks in almost all departments. Minuses exist but not in large numbers. Heroines Padmapriya, Lakshmi Rai and Sandhya could have been used effectively. The background music by G V Prakash is heavily inspired by adventure classic ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.
Comedy forms the basis of the movie. Chimbudevan has evoked laughter many a time and like his all his movies, the absence of vulgarity makes this a family entertainer. Cowboy hats, horses and the shelling guns, ‘IKMS’ succeeds in entertaining you effortlessly! Kudos to the ‘IKMS’ team! Just like the movie’s tag line ‘Vecha Kuri Thappadhu Mamae!, You have hit the bulls eye at the Box Office!
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