Isai Movie Review
Director: SJ Suryah
Music: SJ Suryah
After many years, SJ Suryah is back with 'Isai'. It is something different, packaged along with the usual sleaze and hyperbole associated with his films. Watching the writer-director who has given few memorable hits in the past is always an endearing experience, though as an actor and music director he barely passes the muster.
The director has the knack of engaging storytelling technique with so many poignant moments. Suryah’s 'Isai' is just like reading a psychological novel, having said that the film can’t be compared with normal template Tamil movie.
Just like 'Kushi', the film starts with a voice-over-narration where Suryah tells the gist of the movie with various top shot celebrities in the title card, who lost every little enjoyment in their life to reach their goals.
Vetri Selvan (Sathyaraj), a music wizard loses his market upon the rise of his protégé AK Shiva (SJ Suryah), whom the industry calls as ‘ Isai Kadal’.
The rest of the film is all about Sathyaraj’s grudge against SJ Suryah as the former takes away all the chances and pride of the latter. The film is about jealousy and ego issues when a big time music director finds his protégé eclipsing him in his field. The gist of the story is how Vetri Selvan a cold blooded music director makes his arch rival AK Shiva to hallucinate and finally end up in a mental asylum.
As a film, 'Isai' has many drawbacks especially the prolonged romance or sleaze (for most of the audience) portions in the first half really tests our patience. The long drawn out climax and the ending makes it look like the audiences was taken for a ride. There are some flashes of good screen writing, but the 3 hours 10 minutes film is a big drag.
For a psychological thriller, characterizations must be so detailed that audience should feel the psyche of the protagonist. Though SJ Suryah is adequate in portraying the disturbed musician, a method actor would have made it even more convincing. The show stealer of the film is Sathyaraj who has given a commendable performance as a mean villain. His scenes with Ganja Karupu are the highlight of the film. Debut heroine Savithri is bubbly and apt for the role.
Not just acting and directing, SJ Suryah’s songs and background score in the film are decent. Cinematography by Soundarajan is classy along with Milan’s production designs. On the whole 'Isai' is enjoyable in parts, but its length is a big downer.
