Movie : Kalakalappu
Director : Sundar C
Producer : UTV Motion Pictures, Avni Cinemax
Music : Vijay Ebenezer
Cast : Vimal, Shiva, Santhanam, Oviya, Anjali
Over the years, director Sundar C has evolved as the comedy king of Tamil mass masala rib ticklers. He has always been able to provide his audiences with their quota of laughs, and his 25th film Kalakalappu turns out to be another fun ride.
The film operates on a wafer thin story line and depends more on the belief that having funny people and slapstick comedy is enough to get the laughs. Sundar C is a past master in comic mass masala and here again he manages to bring a smile on your face.
The milieu is Kumbakonam where Seenu (Vimal), tries to keep the fire burning in the kitchen of his famous ancestral restaurant Masala Caf’. It is tough job for Seenu to keep the place running, but with the help of the old chef and grand-daughter, Maya (Oviya), he somehow manages it.
Our hero also borrows liberally from Anjuvatti Alagesan (Ilavarasu), and in no position even to pay back his interest. Enter Madhavi (Anjali), the new Health Inspector who wants the place to be sealed, but soon ends up falling in love with Seenu. Meanwhile Seenu’s brother Reghu (Shiva) a smooth talking con man enters the scene and creates more complications and also falls for Maya.
The brothers soon get entangled in a case of missing diamonds of the comic villain (Subbu) and local corrupt funny cop Dharman (John Vijay). To add to the comic mayhem ‘Murai Mamman’ of Madhavi Vettupuli (Santhanam), joins the fray!
The film works as the director is able to raise the bar as several humorous story strands criss-cross across this comedy riot. Every scene has been worked out to provide the maximum laugh. It reminds you of early Priyadarsan comedies mixed with Crazy Mohan style comedy of errors.
The best scenes in the film are the car chase in the village where everybody runs around in circles, and the dog running away with the diamonds. Among the comic characters it is Ilavarasu as Ajuvatti Alagesan and his many disguises and misadventures who steal the show. The laugh spinning line-up includes Santhanam, Vimal, Shiva, Anjali, John Vijay and others with their unpredictable running gags. Oviya looks glamorous but her comic timing needs more honing.
Vijay Ebenezer’s music is quite peppy with Angelina being the pick of the lot. The melody Unnaipattri Unnidame has also been picturised well. On the whole, Kalakalappuis good fun while it lasts, with the second half better than the first. Sundar C and UTV have provided 2 hours 30 minutes of jolly good fun and slapstick madness.