Movie: Jaganmohini
Director: NK Viswanathan
Producer: H.Murali
Music: Ilayaraja
Cast: Namitha, Raja, Nila, Kota
Never try to remake a classic, like the 1979 Vittalacharaya magic and sorcery entertainer Jaganmohini that featured Jayamalini. The 2009 version directed by NK Viswanathan with buxom Namitha in the lead turns out to be a Diwali damp squib.
The modern version lacks the speed and characterization, is disjointed with graphics and special effects looking very amateurish. It does not strike a chord with today’s audiences who are used to the awesome special effects seen in dubbed Tamil versions of films like Lord of the Rings or Mummy!
The story is as old as the hills. A handsome prince Jagathalapradhapan (Raja) is loved by his cousin Azhagu (Nila), but he falls for a sexy and voluptuous fisherwoman Mohini (Namitha) whom he meets while on a mission to capture the deadly sea pirate Allaikallan and his gang.
The young prince wants to marry the commoner but his dad and mom hatches a plan to kill Mohini. Enter an evil sorcerer (Kota Sreenivasa Rao) who plays the pirates against the king, so that he could become omnipotent. Meanwhile Mohini is killed and she comes back as a spirit to unite with her lover!
Want to hear more about this mumbo-jumbo story that is tedious, confusing and a bore? The film was made to cash in on Namitha’s sex symbol image, but it backfires as she looks bloated and tries to do the same thing all over again. The music of Ilayaraja has nothing new in it, Vadivel’s comedy track hardly raises a smile.
The basic trouble with the film is that story and presentation of NK Viswanathan is outdated with tacky special effects that have the audiences jeering. The film simply doesn’t work.
Verdict: Forget it!
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