Manmadhan Ambu - Disappointing

Before I start saying why the movie was a disappointment for me, I confess I am a die-hard Kamal fan since my childhood. This may sound typically like a Tamil cinema, the first movie I saw in the theatre was Nayakan - when I was less than three-years-old. All I could remember from that movie was that song nan siricha deepavali... and the actor, Kamal Hassan. (I lost count on the number of times I watched this movie later). Thus I go to a Kamal movie with tons of expectations.

Now, let me say why the movie was a disappointment.

Firstly, the trailer and the movie was such a mismatch. The trailer projected Manmadhan Ambu as a comedy, something like PKS or Panchathanthiram types. But, its a drama, with tinge of humour spread across the movie. This was the first disappointment.

Then, there is a huge star cast like any other Kamal movie and most of them wasted. Ramesh Arvind, Oviya and Usha Uthup especially. I don't think Usha Uthup acted in any other movie before. If this is her debut, I feel sorry for her.

Kamal has multi-tasked as usual by handling the story, screenplay, dialogues and penning the lyrics. There are some note-worthy dialogues like the one in which Trisha explains with anger why caravans have inter-connecting doors. Still, how come none in the crew spotted the cliches and questioned the logic in the script. Maybe because of KAMAL?

The Trisha-Kamal happy(?) ending was just like Mumbai Express. They fell in love for the sake of falling in love. It is understood that Ambu (Trisha) has sympathy for Major (Kamal). But why love? The movie doesn't answer.

Same with Madhavan's character. Would a suspicious fiance of an actress accept a divorced mother with two kids as his new lady love after the break-up? But Maddy stands apart with his class performance. Just like Anbe Sivam, Aayutha Ezhuthu and 3 Idiots.

Kamal's comedy movies ends with a chaos-filled climax. But, for how long? There are better ways to end the movie too. In the slow-paced Manmadhan Ambu, the climax is inappropriate.

Mr. Kamal Hassan, there is conservatism everywhere, why confine it to Brahmins?

It is said the actors underwent rigorous rehearsals before the actual shoot. After seeing many movies of Trisha and Sangeeta, the rehearsals have indeed helped them. But the crew, could have spent more time in the pre-production stage to create a flawless script.