CINEMATIC GEM : VAZHAKKU ENN 18/9
Once in a while in Tamil Cinema we have a movie that rises above commercial cliches and leaves an indelible mark on us. Balaji Sakthivel has carved a niche for himself in making realistic cinema based on real life incidents. Vazhakku Enn 18/9 is one of the rare gems. It is hard hitting realistic cinema at its best. It is cinema that we can feel proud of.
Plot
Revealing any part of the plot would be a spoiler. The movie basically exposes how the corrupt and influential can make scapegoats out of the poor and play havoc in their lives. It also educates us on the misuse of technology and the need for women to keep their eyes wide open all the time. Cinematic liberty has been thrown out of the window and what we see is, real life incidents unfolding before us.
Cast
Nothing is artificial about the performance of anyone in the film. The four youngsters whose lives meet at a point come up with a neat and spontaneous portrayal. That none of them is a well known face is a boon for the film as we are able to identify with the characters they play on screen almost instantly. The young kid playing Chinnaswamy, the lady playing Jyothi’s mother and the police inspector catch our attention.
Technicalities
Prasanna's background score by its presence and also its absence at certain places enhances the feel of the film. The solitary song that comes without any BGM is soothing. Vijay Milton's camerawork is another asset. The candid camera-style works well considering the nature of the film. There are places in the film where the director could have resorted to some amount of skin show and nobody would have questioned him. The subject is such. But Balaji Sakthivel has steered clear of all that and our respect for him grows manifold. Editing is slick and the film is engaging throughout its running time never losing its grip on you.
Bottomline
Balaji Sakthivel's previous film “Kalloori” was about an incident that not many filmmakers would have dared to touch. It was actually a master class that somehow failed to enjoy the glory that his earlier “Kadhal” did. One sincerely hopes that Vazhakku enn 18/9 does well at the box office. Because it might take a long time before we get to witness work of such class again.
Please don’t miss it!!!