Vishal’s Masala Movies Dive in 2016

Four straight masala movies in a year for a talented actor like Vishal Krishna makes one wonder what direction the Kollywood movie industry is heading nowadays.
Vishal’s roles in Kathakali, Marudhu, Katthi Sandai and Madha Gaja Raja in 2016 just shows that bad economic times means creativity has to take a back seat with the masala movie bandwagon going full steam.
It is sad seeing good talents like Vishal doing formulaic acting. The worst was Vishal’s Katthi Sandai directed and scripted by Suraaj. At least in director M. Muthaiah’s Marudhu Vishal had a colourful setting and some semblance of a storyline with an atrocious villain and strong willed grandmother who provided ample emotional drama.
Katthi Sandai made me wonder how directors like Suraaj actually get producers to pay for his brand of cut-and-paste movies with a pretty actress (Tamana) doing sexy dances in skimpy clothes.
Suraaj ultimately got into a verbal tussle with Tamana and other actresses for his statement debasing the role of Tamil heroines and had to retract his statement and issue an apology.
Many movie-goers actually went to see Katthi Sandai to see the comeback of comedian Vadivelu.
Pandiraj directed and co-produced Kathakali with Vishal while Madha Gaja Raja was directed by Sundar C with the movie release under Vishal’s own banner VFF.
Seeing the quality of Vishal’s acting in movies like Bala’s Avan Ivan, we have to ask: when will movie goers say no to bad movies and force producers to put their money in quality movies. Thus giving good actors a chance to exercise their true talents.

Review by R. Sittamparam