to the help of his ailing mother. Thereafter, Malayan was always a faithful servant for his master. He could not tolerate even the slightest insult to his master. Sarath Babu’s business rival, Sakthi Kumar is one of the persons whom Malayan detests the most. He is depicted as a tyrant of an employer who doesn’t care much for the people who toil for him, nor for others in society.

Malayan also has a lady live, played by Shammu. The pair is devoted to each other and is happy with what life has offered them. But, true to the adages mentioned at the start, Karan realizes one fine day that all his life has been a worship that went in vain. A cracker factory is a premise of imminent danger, where even the slightest mistake can cause a huge disaster. The disaster rocks Malayan’s life. But, it shakes him even more when he realizes the truth behind what happened.

Director Gopi must be appreciated for capturing the rustic milieu of Sivakasi and more importantly the conditions under which people work in the cracker factories. It can act as an eye opener to people who are sensitive. The premise is interesting and does keep us engaged for some time. But, the director has not been able to maintain the momentum. The tempo flags and goes a bit flat towards the end. The point where the focal truth of the movie is revealed should have been handled better. It does not create as much impact as required.

Karan is adequate for the role. He has underlined the fact that if given the right role and the right mentor, he will be able to deliver the goods. Shammu has come across well as a bubbly and lovable girl. Kanja Karuppu’s comedy does not work much. The Late Rajan P Dev plays an important role in what might well be the last Tamil movie he acted in.

The technical aspects don’t stand out much. Dheena’s music hardly adds anything to the movie.

Malayan is a good attempt which could have been done with some more grip towards the latter portions. Its raw and earthy treatment might work to its advantage in the B and C centers.

Verdict: Good attempt, passable results