Not that I've seen every movie in the annals of Tamil Cinema... But among all that I've seen and heard of Panchatanthiram tops the list. The slapstick humor of Crazy Mohan's script is hard to describe - the spontaneity of his jokes is somehow both hilarious and believable.
Kamal Haasan is at his comedic best. He has distinguished over nearly half a century as an actor capable of playing characters that are psychotic or amusing, pathetic or heroic. Ram, who he plays here is a playboy who discards bachelorhood when he meets his wife, played by Simran. She is always suspicious of his amorous nature (possibly due to the fact that she found him giving a Frencher to an ex-girlfriend at their marriage reception). A comic series of misadventures finally culminating in their separation lays the plot for the movie.
Throw in the comedy of Ram and his four quirky friends (particularly the one played by Yugi Sethu) stuck in the middle of a murder they did not commit, pestered by Yugi's father-in-law (who thinks whiskey is cold coffee), threatened by the charismatic (oh, sorry, I meant sexy) Ramya Krishnan, all the while trying to bring Ram and Mythili (Simran)back together.
There are some unforgettable scenes, like the dead body caught in a laundry chute. A lot of the verbal humor is based on colloquy in Tamil, one of Crazy Mohan's characteristics; they might not come across well in subtitles. Nevertheless, several of the jokes and actions will throw even people who don't know Tamil into hysterics. Kamal Haasan fans will be committing treason if they miss this one; even those who are not crazy about him (few of them out there) will enjoy this masterpiece of the master of Tamil cinema.
Kamal Haasan is at his comedic best. He has distinguished over nearly half a century as an actor capable of playing characters that are psychotic or amusing, pathetic or heroic. Ram, who he plays here is a playboy who discards bachelorhood when he meets his wife, played by Simran. She is always suspicious of his amorous nature (possibly due to the fact that she found him giving a Frencher to an ex-girlfriend at their marriage reception). A comic series of misadventures finally culminating in their separation lays the plot for the movie.
Throw in the comedy of Ram and his four quirky friends (particularly the one played by Yugi Sethu) stuck in the middle of a murder they did not commit, pestered by Yugi's father-in-law (who thinks whiskey is cold coffee), threatened by the charismatic (oh, sorry, I meant sexy) Ramya Krishnan, all the while trying to bring Ram and Mythili (Simran)back together.
There are some unforgettable scenes, like the dead body caught in a laundry chute. A lot of the verbal humor is based on colloquy in Tamil, one of Crazy Mohan's characteristics; they might not come across well in subtitles. Nevertheless, several of the jokes and actions will throw even people who don't know Tamil into hysterics. Kamal Haasan fans will be committing treason if they miss this one; even those who are not crazy about him (few of them out there) will enjoy this masterpiece of the master of Tamil cinema.
