DEVARAGAM Review
S.Jagadish
Devaragam from "The Hindu" homepage ARTS section
``Devaragam''
A subject many directors may not dare to touch has been handled
on its merit by director Bharathan in Viswa Film Internationals'
``Devaragam''. The theme is about a ``soundi'' Brahmin
``soundi'' is the 11th day function of the 13-day obsequies
conducted in a Brahmin family. On that day a bachelor Brahmin
will represent the ``dead'' and accept the offerings. It is
believed that the person who agrees to it will not propser in
life and hence it is difficult to find such a person, however
handsome the payment may be. The circumstances make the son of a
scholar, himself a budding pundit accept such a low status and
this theme is intermingled with a love story that has touching
situations.
Bharathan's screenplay is rich, catching the Brahminical
atmosphere prevalent in the village right from frame one and
giving way to a long flash-back as the ``soundi'' Brahmin, being
brought from a distance place in a bullock cart goes into a mind
travel to recollect the events that had reduced him to this
hapless position. The camera of Ravi Yadav joins the director in
the exploration of tradition bound human values, its erosion in
the present-day life and the strength of true love that defies
man-made barriers.
S. S. Mani's Malayalam story is bold in concept and the dialogue
of Kannan (``Vedam Puthithu'') in the Tamil dubbed movie is
strong, generating the wanted power to the drama of hearts. There
are three major turning points in the story where the director
surfaces handsomely without hurting the community concerned. The
love that blossoms between Bhagyalakshmi (Sridevi), the only
daughter of Sankara Bhagavathar (Nedumudi Venu) and Vishnu
(Arvind Swamy), the scholarly son of well-known pundit Rama
Ganapadigal (Narendra Prasad) is enriched by the ploys the girl
uses to catch the attention of Vishnu. The large, still sparking
eyes of Sridevi do much of the acting, though the usual charm in
her deportment is fading.
The next key happening is the wedding of Bhagya with
Parthasarathy (Rajeev Menon), the son of Sankara Bhagavathar's
widowed sister Alamelu (Lalitha). The girl's protestations fall
on the deaf ears of her father who threatens her that he would
end his life if she wants to marry the person of her choice.
Ironically it is Vishnu who performs the wedding rites and the
hand that should have tied the ``thaali'' hands over the sacred
thread to another in an arrestingly beautiful scene where the
lead pair hogs the limelight, their silent looks pouring out the
inner tumoils of the aching hearts. This mood is further enhanced
when on the first night Bhagya wants to make a clean breast of
her affair only to find her husband, an embodimert of all virtues
according to her mother, being exactly the opposite, a nice piece
of portrayal by Rajeev Menon, of a sick mind finding the right
expressions. To ``cap'' his confessions he shocks the heroine by
saying that he is impotent. Bhagya is already pregnant and the
husband asks her to have the baby so that his drawback may not P{=3
come to light. The dialogue and the director's forthright
approach make these adult segments worth the time.
By turn of events Vishnu also performs the ``abthapoorthi''
(first birthday function) of Bhagya's baby, not aware that it is
his own offspring. And the last crucial phase occurs when Vishnu,
cursed by his father for having lost his sworn bachelorhood, is
brought to the village where the last rites of Parthasarathy is
being conducted. He is asked to take the offering for the
``dead'' man from his son when the unexpected happens. Bhagya
mustering courage, reveals to all the real father of her son. The
action Vishnu takes then dumbfounds the orthodox community and is
a fitting finale.
It is a difficult role for Arvind Swamy no doubt. With his soft,
unruffled voice and a contenance that reflects the moods easily
he carries the part with assurance. The Hindi influence is now
and then evident in Sridevi's work, she being exceptionally good
in the closing stages. The senior artists perform efficiently
while Ravali has nothing much to do. Three of Keeravani's numbers
``Azhagiya Karthikai deepam'' (Chitra and chorus), ``Ya ya ya
Yadhava'' (SPB and Chitra) and ``Chinna chinna megam'' (SPB and
Sujatha) are very pleasing.
--
S.Jagadish
mailto:SF91...@NTUVAX.NTU.AC.SG
Nanyang Technological University
Die hard Kamal Haasan visiri ... "Vaazhga Kamal, Vaazhga Kalai"
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nice acting..goodtheme
