Sakthi joins the big league of actors by doing a mass masala movie with `Aatanayakan'. Unlike his earlier ventures which where dominated by love stories, the film directed by first timer Krishnaram is more a one-man show with Sakthi playing a messiah in his own style.
The actor flexes his muscles, bashes up baddies, romances and has a gang of friends with whom he indulges in comedy. Krishnaram has chosen a story that is oft-seen in Tamil seen right from MGR days.
But the shrewd director has induced some pace in the script with Sakthi executing it with gusto and right energy. Then there is the likes of Nasser, Adhitya Menon, Ravi Kale, Ramya Nambeesan and Santhanam among others chipping in with their seasoned performance to make it an engrossing fare.
The first half is breezy and revolves around Sakthi, the youngest son in a family, who is chided by elders for his irresponsible ways. He spends time with his friends and falls in love with a girl and sings a couple of duets.
The latter half is more inspired by `Devar Magan', where the protagonist tries his best to stay away from violence, but finally forced to take arms, only to restore peace and harmony.
Lingam (Sakthi), the younger son of Nasser, leads life in his own way. He along with his set of friends (which includes Santhanam and `Lollu Sabha' Jeeva) goes around town enjoying. But Lingam's father is against his ways. He often compares him with his elder brother Chandran (Adhitya Menon), who runs a software firm in Hyderabad and is caring towards the family. Lingam falls in love with Radhika (Ramya Nambeesan) and he decides to make her sister Indira (Meera Vasudevan) enter wedlock with his brother.
After their marriage, Chandran takes Indira to Hyderabad. But she comes across a startling truth that Chandran is none but a dreaded don in the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and that had hid this truth to his family.
The onus now falls on Lingam to set things right. He promises Indira and Radhika that he would bring his brother back to right ways. But a hindrance to his mission is Boppala Ram Babu (Ravi Kale), who has a score to settle with Chandran. Does Lingam succeeds in his mission or not forms the climax.
Sakthi is cool and ravishing. He plays his part well. Especially in comedy and dance sequences, he is at his best. Refreshing to see a heroine in Tamil cinema sans glamour. Three cheers to Ramya Nambeesan for that. Santhanam plays a typical comedican appearing as Sakthi's friend and there are many of his typical one-liner wits. Ravi Kale and his gang play the usual villains, while Nasser as dotting father and Adhitya Menonn as the don impress.
Vijay Milton's camera is cool. He picturises the village streets and that of the busy stretches in Hyderabad well. Harsha's editing could have been good in the second part. Srikanth Deva's music is loud and the tunes are too familiar.
Produced by Lakshmi Movie Makers, `Aaatanayakan' ia a passable fare. Providing one a deja vu ride, the movie is commercial cocktail that is the order of the day in Kollywood.
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