Kanden Seethaiyai

Movie Name: Kanden Seethaiyai
Cast: Vikram , Soundarya , Vivek
Music: Udhaya
Direction: Kranthikumar
Rating: 1.5 / 5.0

Following Aandavan and Relax,Kanden Seethaiyai is another import from a different language that hopes to make somemoney based on the newfound popularity of one of its stars. This time its Vikram, who hasnot had a single release since Sethu brought him back into thepublic eye, giving him another shot at a successful, cinematic career. His role is nothingto talk about in this woman-oriented film that is obviously made for Soundarya. It boastsof a rather unique theme but cinematic trimmings make the proceedings quite prosaic.

Ever since her parents died, Savithri(Soundarya) has stayed with her aunt and uncle, doingodd jobs for the others living in the same apartment complex. Surendran(Vikram), asoftware engineer living in one of the apartments is in the process of developing asoftware package and already carries dreams of living in the US. By a quick turn ofevents, Surendran weds Savithri. His demonstration of his software is sabotaged bya vengeful peon and distressed by it, he gets into an accident. The operation requiresa few lakhs and the doctor, witnessing Savithri's helplessness, gives her an idea. Arich, childless man has been looking for a woman who will act as a surrogate motherand carry his baby through artificial insemination. If Savithri agrees to be the surrogate mother, he will pay for the operation. With no other avenues, Savithriagrees and Surendran is saved. But her decision affects their married life in several ways.

While the theme of a woman becoming a surrogate mother through artificial inseminationis unique to Tamil(and probably Telugu too), the topic was dealt with in a much moremature and better way in Malayalam almost a decade back. The movie, a Mohanlal starrerDasaratham, dealt with the problem from the man's point of view with Mohanlalplaying a bachelor who wants a child and Rekha as the surrogate mother who carries hischild. While the problems Rekha and her husband faced were present there too, the main conflict was between Mohanlal and Rekha over ownership of the child. Here the movie focusseson the problems between Vikram and Soundarya (the donor is never even seen) and that leadsto an overdose of melodrama and sentiments.

With the story taking off only after the doctor informs Soundarya of her options, the firsthour or so of the movie is nothing more than a filler. There is no romance between Vikramand Soundarya to spice up the proceedings and these portions make us feel like the directorreally did not have his heart in the picture at this point and was filming the scenes topad the running time and was just impatient to get to his real story. To make mattersworse, the opening scene in the courtroom makes it obvious where the story is headed andso there is no suspense about what is going to happen either.

Once Vikram gets back from his operation, the director turns on the sentiments in full flow.Cinematic sequences(like Vikram and Soundarya running into his uncle at thehospital), marked by lame and artificial dialogs, are set up just to drive home the pointabout the neighbors' attitudes towards them. These scenes lack conviction and after a point, seem unnecessarily repetitive. The ending also makes no sense. I could not understandhow Soundarya could make her decision without involving the father of the baby.

Vivek's separate comedy track has been inserted for this tamil version and considering his current popularity, he should do the trick of pulling in the crowds even if Vikram fails. And those crowds will not go home disappointed. This time he turns his attention to television with very funny spoofs of popular TV programs like Koun Banega Crorepati,Arattai Arangam and Naiyaandi Darbar. Familiarity with these programs is essential to enjoying Vivek's antics as he asks silly questions with a white beard orconducts a debate like Visu(including a superbly delivered "Chollu Kannaa"). But the dialogsare rarely as funny as the concept and run out of steam after a short while.

Vikram has some nice moments as the tortured husband thankful to his wife for saving his lifebut unable to withstand the taunts of his neighbors. Soundarya overacts sometimes as theinnocent wife but is good overall. Ofcourse, the effect of her performance is dilutedsomewhat by the dubbing. The songs are distinctly un-Telugu-like with no fast beats ordances.