Pokkiri Pongal Video Song Download
Shawnda Mangicavallo
The soundtrack has 8 songs composed by Mani Sharma. Two of the songs from the original Telugu version were retained and remade in Tamil. The soundtrack also features a remix of the song "Vasantha Mullai" from Sarangadhara (1958).[12][13]
When I saw the Telugu original of Vijay's Pokkiri after news of the remake had been announced, I felt that Vijay would have a real hit on his hands if director Prabhu Deva toned down the violence and improved the comedy track. He has done the latter but not the former. And that violence is the only sore spot in the otherwise entertaining masala film that should help Vijay bounce back after the dismal failure of Aadhi.
Thamizh(Vijay) is a rowdy who is ready to align himself with either of the two big gangs in the city as long as the money is right. Priya(Asin), a dance teacher, is impressed with Thamizh after he helps her and her liking slowly turns to love. Thamizh finally becomes a part of the gang of Ali Bhai(Prakash raj), who is holed up abroad and rarely comes into town. Things come to a head when Thamizh eliminates most members of the rival gang led by Narasimman(Anandraj). Thats when Priya sees his true nature too.
When a movie's hero is a rowdy, how acceptable the romance is comes down to how it is presented and Prabhu Deva, who is no stranger to directing romances, does a good job here. Vijay and Asin have a number of cute meetings and the fact that she develops feelings for him doesn't require complete suspension of disbelief inspite of his 'profession'. Though their track does start off a little vulgar, it proceeds decently from then onwards. The two have good chemistry and encounters like the one in the elevator are good proof of that.
While Prabhu Deva adds something original to the romance and the comedy, he has imported the action sequences almost scene-by-scene from the Telugu version and that makes the movie quite violent. The body count is real high and people are disposed off in gory ways using a wide variety of sharp instruments. But the film proves that the situation and the picturization do have an impact on how the violence comes across. The sequence just before the intermission is relentless, bloody and sustained. But because of the location, the unexpectedness of the violence, Vijay's fury and Asin's horror at his acts, it is thrilling and intense.
By Vijay's recent standards, Pokkiri is quite a classy movie. The entire movie has a nice sheen to it and Prabhu Deva uses techniques like quick editing, split-screens, etc. to add some style to the visuals. Vadivelu is his usual crude self though and pulls the movie's classy tone down. While he does have a link to the main story, he mostly has his own segments and they decrease in quality and laughs as the movie progresses (the water tanker bit is the worst of the lot). But his short dance for Suttum Vizhi Chudare... almost makes up for all his other misses. His near-perfect imitation of Surya's steps for that song brings down the house. Apart from Vadivelu's track, Prabhu Deva's touch is evident in the way Dhamu and his mother, after a hero-centric scene to boost Vijay's image, make appearances in the rest of the movie.
The film's pace is upped a little once Prakashraj makes an appearance. The big twist is quite predictable but manages to be thrilling because of the way it is presented. A couple of other revelations do manage to be surprising(i.e. if you haven't seen the original) though. Like the pre-intermission sequence, the climax is also very violent and bloody. But here, the violence comes across as gratuitous and over-the-top.
Vijay has really cleaned up after Aadhi and probably looks the best he has ever looked. He has obviously tried to imitate Mahesh Babu with a low, understated dialog delivery but it doesn't look very natural since we're familiar with his style and it makes him look less energetic than usual(except in the song sequences). Asin looks gorgeous though she doesn't get a lot of chances to show off her acting talent. Prakashraj has by now perfected the art of combining villainy and humor and makes us laugh when he tries to stave off sleep in jail. Nasser is solid as usual while Mukesh Tiwari makes a really detestable cop.
The combination of Prabhu Deva and Vijay doesn't produce as many sparks as expected in the song sequences. While all the songs have their moments, none of them stand out on the whole. Vasantha Mullai... is the most entertaining of the lot while Dolu Dolu... contains some nice visuals and sets.
I almost agree with you 100%. The violence and body count was the main grouse. The songs didn't spark enough for the combo as you rightly put.
I enjoyed Vadivelu's comedy inspite of it being in repeated lines. Mukesh Tiwari reminds us of Ashish Vidhyarthi (Dhil) and many other similar screen cops. Prakashraj did a wonderful job (esp the keeping awake scene). His confrontation with Nasser was a well executed scene.
Vijay should avoid all these self-praising scenes("Naan siricha azhaga irukkunnu solraanga". "Ini pokiri pongal" (though the scene had no reference to pongal). the irrelevant opening song (showing the hero caring for thaikkulam et al)). Only thalaivar is natural in these kind of scenes :)
Vijay's usual takes on women, Prakashraj using "Chellam" in almost every other movie are minor sore points.
Overall, a good masala mix :)
Balaji.. good to see your review. I should tell you that Krishna and I enjoyed Pokkiri a lot (but each of us for different reasons, of course! Imagine Krishna liking a Vijay film?! What are the chances of that happening? Forget that, I can't believe he agreed to come see the film with me!).
And I did something that I have never done before after watching the Tamil Pokkiri. My curiosity killed me so much to see what Mahesh Babu had done in the Telugu Pokkiri, that I rented the DVD and saw over last weekend. I will send you my Pokkiri PhD shortly. Interestingly, I found the tamil Pokkiri to be a lot classier than the Telugu Pokkiri, obviously because the budget was a whole lot more and I felt the songs were much better picturized than the original Pokkiri.
I had the same gripes about Vadivelu, but I also feel that maybe he didn't write his own material for the film or had a lot of unnecessary artistic input from Prabhudeva or Vijay. Either way, he lost out. But you have to give it to him:
Him looking at the mirror and asking the salesman: "Indha karadi bommai enna vilai?"
Salesman: Adhu Kannaadi, sir!
and his nice retort "Vara Vara namma karadi maadhiri aayitu varomO?"
brought the entire house down laughing. Of course, I laughed so hard during the Suttum Vizhi sequence that Krishna told me that I laughed too much! :-) ;-)
bart, all those vijay fans in udhayam sure enjoyed those scenes. namakku thalaivar madhiri avungaluku ilaya thalapathy. so no surprises in vijay catering to them, esp. after a flop in 'aadhi' :)
srivatsan, i don't think vadivelu's ever been classy. he's been very funny for sure but i can never imaging him in, say, a manirathnam movie. but u're right, except the song clip and a few lines, he was far from funny here...
sandya, i think the main reason for the telugu version seeming less classier was the comedy track. it was less classier than even vadivelu's track. i do think mahesh babu was better though...
"Interestingly, I found the tamil Pokkiri to be a lot classier than the Telugu Pokkiri"-Vijay's film classier than Mahesh Babu's?It is the greatest joke.
"obviously because the budget was a whole lot more and I felt the songs were much better picturized than the original Pokkiri."What is obvious is that you have no knowledge of the economics of Indian films.
Balaji,the next superstar of tamil films has tried to shamelessly copy his much junior telugu counter part
I didn't like this film. The only plus for this film is the gradeur look and presentation. Instead of watching thi, we can shuffle some of old vijay films and watch. There won't be any difference. Vijay chases behind Asin, but when asin says ok, vijay says that he is not the man for her. WHY? Also, if you see the sequence then it will be song/fight/comedy/song/fight etc. There is no point in remaking frame by frame. instead if they could dub teh telegu version that would have earned more profit. ULTIMATE WASTE OF MONEY... When did vijay gave a direct HIT ?????
Balaji,
sorry u too got sucked in by the hype..may b i'm wrong..no offence meant...but i think vijay imitating mahesh or our own beloved superstar is "edhayo parthu yaaro soodu potukitta madhiri"..honestly vijay has no intensity whatsoever...his portrayal of angst/intensity is just a constipated expression..pls dont compare him with mahesh,who IMHO oozes fire,style & charm in his roles post okkadu..
The only thing that was likeable in Pokkiri was vijay in Raja get up, which was truly the comic highlight..i thot maddy was most hilarious in that get up remember desingu raja song frm dum dum dum
Nice review Balaji but I felt the movie was worth watching only once and that too with great difficulty. The thing I hated most was some of the romance between Asin and Vijay. Me and my friends (who are Vijay fans) agreed that it was boring especially in the second half: for example, the scene where Asin calls Vijay and tells she knows he is looking at her, is that really necessary? And Vijay trying to imitate Mahesh Babu ended up in him looking like he has an expressionless face. And the hype for Ali Bhaai was all false in the end since he ended up being a comedian than an international don who is being chased by Interpol.
I also felt the action sequences before the interval and in the climax were too long and violent. In fact, the action sequence I enjoyed the most was inside the closed room with all the lights flickering around which comes in the middle of the first half. And the two songs in the second half were totally unnecessary especially En Chella Peru Apple.
I found the comedy track very crude and detestable from Vadivelu even the Suttum Vizhi bit (and me being a Surya fan has nothing to do with it). I felt like Tamil Cinema comedy has lot much of its natural humour (like in the days of Nagesh) and is beginning to look very crude with Vadivelu and Vivek and is relying a lot on comedy that comes from making fun of others. The only scene I liked best was the once which Sandya mentioned with the mirror and the monkey. In fact, the scenes with Asin and Vijay (like in the lift) were more funny than the comedy track.
On other notes, I expected a lot when Prabhu Deva made his entry in the Pokkiri Pongal song but it ended up being very ordinary like others have suggested.The movie had style as you said, I liked most of the camera work and the way in which the twist was revealed. The scene which begins with Prakash Raj questioning Nasser to Vijay's entry in the Police uniform and his arrival with dozens of officers by his side was very well taken and looked very stylish unlike Vijay's recent movies. Overall, the general opinion of me and my friends is that Pokkiri can be watched once and is better than Aadhi. Even my friends who are Ajith fans are asking to stay away from the theatre for Aalwar. If you have not yet watched it, please don't.
And I would ask you to watch Guru, the best of the Pongal Indian releases in my opinion. It has some flaws especially in the climax but definitely better than what the tamil pongal releases had to offer.
PS: Sorry for the long post.