Sye Review

Sporting games are just that in most Indian films ---they are hardly given any importance. There are occasional exceptions --- Hip, Hip Hurray, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikkander and Lagaan. Even in Okkadu, Kabbadi looked just an insignificant prop.

So in that sense that director SS Rajamouli has taken a strange gamble by having the abstruse sport of rugby as a canvas to paint an urban, yuppy, youthful, peppy, gritty, in-your-face kind of film. Considering the complexity of the challenge, Chandramouli seems to have risen to it with rare gusto.

Though in terms of plot and intrigue, Sye may be walking on thin ice. But the overall treatment and the director's ability to keep the narrative neat and straight helps movie move forward (especially in the second half).

The story is set in the backdrop of a college that is riven by two groups led by Prithvi (Nitin) and Shashank (Shashank). Though there is nothing malicious between the groups, they just can't see eye to eye on anything. The only thing common between the two are their abiding passion for rugby. Whenever a problem crops between the two, it is usually settled with a bitter scrum on the rugby field.

As it happens, the college land falls into the hands of a local dadha Bikshu Yadav (Pradeep Rawat). This is good enough reason for the two groups to forge a common identity and fight for the land. Prithvi and Shashank bury the hatchet and get back the land. This is too much of a bitter pill for the dadha to swallow. And so he dares the students for a rugby match with his own group. What happens in the deciding rugby contest is the interesting denouement of the film. Thrown into this story is the love story between Nitin and Genelia.

If you can accept as a given the ardor and enthusiasm for a recondite sport like rugby in India, then you will have little difficulty in accepting Sye.

Nitin, as the ruby-dreaming, rugby-living, brash young man, is decidedly an inspirational choice for the role. He is full of beans, and sporting a new hairstyle, he comes across as very much a sport-loving modern youth. Genelia, too, is fresh and is full of fervor. Though her role is small, she brings to fore the essential chutzpah needed for this quite modern character. Shashank and Pradeep Rawat are efficient without being brilliant. Rajiv Kanakala, in a typical inspiration-oozing coach, is first rate. So are Nasser (owner of the college) and Tanikella Bharani. Venu Madhav's comedy is spontaneous.

So is the music of Keeravani. His tunes provide the right background (and they run the entire gamut). But in terms of re-recording, he has liberally fallen back on popular western tunes.

Senthil Kumar's cinematography is brilliant and sharp.

The rugby scenes are beautifully canned.

But the real hero of the film could be Chandramouli for his bold choice of such a sport and building a plausible script around it. Chandramouli has also not fought shy of picturing the present day youths in their natural best (swear words, physical gesticulations and smart one-liners). This is urban chic. And thanks heaven that Chandramouli has not fallen into the usual cliched crap called nativity. Though he takes time to warm up, Chandramouli pilots the film towards the end with the efficiency and hardness of a rugby quarterback.

Three cheers for the boldness.

If only he had worked up a tighter script, Sye could have become a minor classic of our times (at least in the cities).