Director Vijay’s first attempt at making a straight Tamil film Madrasapattinam should be lauded. He had the courage of conviction to set a film in the Madras of the 1940’s under British rule and work out a love story between a Dhobi and an English Memsaab against the backdrop of an important chapter from history.
The entire feel of the film and its narration basically the romantic thread could well be Kollywood’s answer to James Cameron’s classic epic Titanic.
However having said that, Madrasapattinam is something different from the normal run of the mill Tamil movies. Vijay and his team of art director V Selva Kumar, cinematographer Nirav Shah and music director GV Prakash have done a brilliant job of recreating Madras of the 1940’s and his lead actors Arya and Amy Jackson are extraordinary.
The film continuously shifts from the present to the pre-independence Madras, as the whole story is recollection of an 84 year old Amy Wilkinson (Amy Jackson) now living in England and waiting for a brain surgery. Just before the operation she flies into Chennai with her grand daughter to search for one Ilamparithi.
A special word, about the late Cochin Haneefa who as Iyer the British stooge and translator brings the house down. His pose when the box camera in the film is focused on him is hilarious; the comedy and soft romance has been well worked out.
GV Prakash music and back ground score and the theme music gives it a soothing touch. The pick of the songs are the romantic Pookal Pookkum.. and Vaama Duraiyamma…, beautifully picturised against Madras landmarks of that era. The de-saturated look given by Nirav Shah and costumes are major plus points of this period film.
Lavishly mounted and recreating the era with precision, Madrasapattinam gets you transported to the last days of the British rule in India. To sum up, the film is a brave attempt on the part of its makers.
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