| Year | 2000 |
|---|
Life€™s eternal truisms can be baffling. How can one€™s strength end up as one€™s weakness? It can. You get an insight into this when you see Vikraman-directed Cheppave Chirugali. Human emotions and sentiments are his typical stock in trade. But the very same let's him down very badly here.
The only thing spicy and that hold your attention in Cheppave Chirugali is the popcorn you had during the interval. It is that kind of a film where lachrymal gland works overtime as if to undo the water scarcity all across the country.
The film understandably revolves around Venu (Venu) and his altruistic sacrifices for the sake of a girl in his heart. Venu, a hardworking and sincere hotel manager, helps out the down-at-heel Mouli€™s family that includes Nirmala (Ashim Bhalla). Venu helps them out financially too as he has a soft corner for Nirmala.
But when a rich man comes along, the family dumps Venu and decides to give Nirmala€™s hand to him. Venu is crestfallen. But he is still steadfast in his love. In the meanwhile, he also meets Radha (Abhirami) who is in love with him. But by now, Ramji dumps Nirmala and family and their dreams lie shattered. So what does our here do? He sells his property and helps Nirmala become a doctor (her cherished dream). So the climax is all about who Venu decides to marry.
In this tearjerker, there is hardly any moment of mirth. The narrative is also plodding and there is hardly anything redeeming in the plot. The performances of the artistes are just plain mediocre. Venu, in a new kind of role, is in obvious discomfort. Ditto for Ashim Bhalla. The saving grace is Abhirami who steals the heart with her peppy performance. But she is undone by a sketchy role. The comedy (of Sudhakar, Sunil, Ramesh Khanna) is a plain irritant.
The production values are nothing to write home about. The music of SA Rajkumar is on expected lines --- mediocre and mundane.
Vikraman just fails to whip up any kind of momentum. Right at the start, he lets the film soak in treacle. And that is where it remains all through. It is indeed surprising that somebody should pay money to Vikraman to remake his Tamil film (Unnai Ninaithu) that sank quicker than a dead stone.
In the event, it is such a pleasure when they ring the curtain down --- the sole high point of this insipid fare.