VISITOR COLUMN

A multi-starrer film involving the winning crew of Billa was the most expected film for months and it doesn't disappoint its billing. Film starts off in Mumbai with the hero (anti hero it seems) at the start planting bombs in 3 different places and warns the cops. Serial blasts rock the city and within a very few minutes you are impressed with the technical team of the movie. Particularly Sreekar Prasad's editing and the graphic works. 

 

After that 'Arrambam', the film enters a time period that's spoils the start. In Chennai airport, Arya (Arjun) catches up with Nayanthara (Maya), a college mate and the flashback with a fat Arya isn't good but Taapsee's (Anitha) bubblines makes up for it. When the rewind scenes end in Mumbai, the friends were kidnapped by Ajith (Ashok Kumar) who once again makes his walk. 

 

     Arya is made to hack a TV channel and shut its telecast, which he does as Ajith threatens to kill Nayanthara. After the work is over he refuses to free him and Nayanthara frees herself and shows that she is in Ajith's team. When they drive to home from their work space, Arya comes to know that Ajith is involved in the bomb blast. Taapsee, Arya's lover, too gets into this troubled gang without her knowledge as she thinks them as good people who helped her to get a job in a TV channel. 

 

Film gathers pace like a train accelerating after moving out of the junction. 

 

In the next scene, Ajith kills an auditor and take away his laptop to crack the details of money. Arya tries in vain to approach police -  Kishore(Prakash).  

 

Arya is asked to crack the hard disk, in the meantime, Ajith and Nayanthara make some arrangements to kill a man; who is also a client of the man dead. But the news he gave changes the plan to kidnap him. Arya cleverly comes shopping seeking computer parts for the extraction process. He uses his tricks and calls Taapsee to warn her about the situation. He manages to inform Kishore too. When Taapsee's not-as-per-plan activities are informed to Ajith by Sundar Ramu who keeps eye on her, Arya was to be questioned and at that minute cops arrive to the spot. The kidnapped businessman was bombed in the escape process but Arya was in no mood to escape as he forces an accident. They were caught up by police marking interval. 

 

Arya tells that he will give full cooperation to police so they let him out. Expected flashback follows in Nayanthara's words. It shows the friendship with Rana Daggubarti and their police operations together. As Nayanthara's brother and a married man he makes a good impression with his looks in his small space. An unwanted song looks more ugly despite being colorful. In an intense police operation Rana gets shot and he passes away despite wearing bullet proof jacket. Ajith brings out the scam involving some big names including the home minister in the purchasing of bullet proof accessories. When he threatens to take action and approach a TV channel - Flash TV, they blame him falsely for brutally attacking a criminal in enquiry who died. And they shot him and throw him off a cliff. Nayanthara and family were poisoned by the lady (Suman Ranganathan), who is the TV channel chief and also a member of the cheating gang. Somehow Sundar Ramu who is placed on train track escapes and saves Nayanthara.  

 

Back in reality Arya decides to be supportive to the now justified hero. Ajith who is undertaken by Atul Kulkarni escapes and shoots him as he is the senior officer who approved the jackets. Arya reveals that money in Swiss Bank is now transferred to a bank in Dubai. The duo along with Nayanthara arrives at Dubai. The unwanted song no.2 comes in. By some planning, money gets transferred. As per climax norms villain-home minister (Mahesh Manjrekar) kidnaps Taapsee and demands his money which they took from his daughter's account. But an allied(!) terrorist gang to whom the money is to be transferred; who wanted a captive terrorist to be released from him kidnap his daughter for the delay. And now, Ajith out of nowhere captures the terrorist.  An-exchange-of-persons meet takes place in which suddenly Kishore arrives with force along with Nayan. A gun fire exhibition takes place and what about home minister is the end shot. 

 

In the end they even hint us that there might be a sequel.

 

Vishnuvardhan seems to be an expert in delivering stylish action movies but definitely not a genius. Yuvan Shankar Raja didn't do anything spectacular like Billa or Mangatha, but definitely the best of Yuvan BGMs in a long time. Om Prakash's frames were stylish and also beautiful. Dialogues by Subha very much suited the subject. Technical team and cast had given their best. Ajith Kumar has the role that carries the film forward in every place. Arya was used well, playing the second hero role to perfection. Taapsee who is to some extent underused in Tamil has delivered a lovely role, but I'm sure it will go unnoticed. Nayanthara was not in any place shown as a pair to Ajith and despite that she has a plenty of things to do and does it with perfection.

 

To destroy the buildings of the baddie, why bomb them and kill public lives. From where on earth did Ajith get information about terrorist escape route and location. But an applause to make a movie out of the scams that is infecting the country like a bad virus. Even though you are not a Hollywood watcher, you can relate many scenes with a very few movies you've watched.

 

Arrambam overall is not well began and not well ended but you can count it as a winner for the rest of the movie. Worthy of a Diwali treat. 

 

Marks 7.5/10