Masala Padam Review
Director: Laxman Kumar
Cast: Mirchi Siva, Bobby Simha, Gaurav, Lakshmi Devy
Masala Padam handles a relevant topic on whether Tamil cinema needs entertaining ‘masala films’ or not. Though newcomer Laxman Kumar's idea was new and interesting, he lost the magic when it became a feature film.
A group of film blog writers are challenged by a successful producer to make an enjoyable Masala Padam with proper ingredients. After taking up the challenge, they (blog writers) decide to follow up three different persons to pen their dream story with reality.
To their luck, they find an easy going middle class guy, Mani (Mirchi Siva), most wanted gangster of the city, Amudhan (Bobby Simha) and a youngster, Krish (Gaurav). They also get an unsuccessful travelogue writer, Diya (Lakshmi Devy) to befriend these three guys to create few interesting scenes.
The problem with Masala Padam is exactly what the producer (in the film) says in the climax—when the blog writers tell him that they accept their failure for not making the intended film with reality. In turn, the producer tells them that he would rope in leading actors (Ajith, Vijay, Kamal) and add some masala so that their story will be a commercial success. In the end, we are shown that the producer’s idea has actually worked.
Though we do not agree with the ‘masala’ part, the film would have been really great if the actors, could actually perform well. All through the film, the only actor who impresses us is ‘Mirchi’ Siva as he provides good laughter whereas all others are just sleepwalking.
There is a scene where the heroine tells Bobby Simha that he doesn’t need any emoticon for whatsapping because he always has a serious face and we agree to it! Yes, all through the film we see Bobby with one single expressions stuck on him and at one point, we wonder, if this is the same national award winning actor, who impressed us in Jigarthanda?
The other solace of the movie is Karthik Acharya’s soulful background score, especially his work during Bobby Simha’s portions are laudable. To conclude, Masala Padam is yet another Tamil film where the idea is interesting but not the execution.
