Of Trains and Tribulations

While sitting through "Rhythm", one realises that director Vasanth is quite a chip off the old block. Right from his choice of story to his characterization to his script pattern to his directorial style, Rhythm has K Balachander written all over it. Choosing a progressive theme like widow remarriage, making the highly conservative Iyengar Mother in Law (Lakshmi, superlative performance in a strong cameo) force her widowed daughter in law (Meena, full of grace and poise and lending a natural charm to her character) to remarry, the very identifiable conversations between the hero's wife (Jothika, a delightful special appearance) and his friend (Ajay Rathinam) which is a major turning point in the plot, the characterization of the hero's old parents (a brilliant Nagesh and an aptly cast Valsala Rajagopal) and having the train and railway station as integral backdrop to the plot- all these show how faithful a disciple Vasanth has been of the illustrious KB.

That being said, it is unfortunate that Vasanth seems to have been caught in a time warp. Rhythm is not a bad movie, but it is definitely not for the 2K crowd, the reason why in spite of AR Rahman's fabulous compositions, brilliant camerawork, endearing performances, excellent star cast and good production values, the film did not find much favor with the audience when it was released in the early part of this decade. The only commercial compromise that Vasanth has made in this feel- good family drama is the inclusion of the item song "Ayyo Pathikichu" that stands out like a sore thumb (while I completely agree that Ramya Krishnan looks ravishing on screen)

Rhythm brings with it a certain kind of nostalgia- you would feel like watching all those wonderful family movies of the 70's and the 80's made immortal by KB, Balu Mahendra and Mani Rathnam again while sitting through this one. However, nostalgia is not what the crowds throng the theatre for and hence, Rhythm stays fit for home viewing with the entire family on a lazy weekend afternoon.

Oh, did I say that the usually muscle- flexing Arjun goes natural and subtle here? Watch him play the police officer turned photographer and you will end up wondering where this actor was hiding all this while!