I

Director – S Shankar

Cast – Vikram, Amy Jackson, Upen Patel, Suresh Gopi, Santhanam

  I expect nothing from commercial South films. Yet, I deliberately decided to watch the Tamil version of ‘I’ for an experience (Even without subtitles it is very easy to grasp.) I returned satisfied. This masala film that took two and a half years for completion entertains you to the fullest. 

 Lingesan (Vikram), a bodybuilder, is fascinated Diya (Amy), a model. Diya convinces him to opt for modelling by going for an ad shoot to China. In reality she is fed up with the advances of her colleague John (Patel) and wants to replace him. At the advice of the director and to make Lingesan camera friendly, she fakes love for him which ends up being true. He becomes a star and both decide to get married. That’s when the antagonists play spoilsport. 

The film belongs to one man and one man alone – Chiyaan Vikram. His transformation from a body builder to a model and ultimately a hunchback is simply brilliant. It took around three to four hours for Vikram to put on the makeup. And he’s really worked hard to ensure that his role in the second half catches your eye. 

 Amy Jackson and Upen Patel can be accepted as they ‘play’ models here as well (Both can’t act). Thankfully, Amy’s looks better than she did in ‘Ek Deewana Tha’. Santhanam is as funny as ever (especially when he mocks patients in hospital). Don’t forget to keep an eye on Suresh Gopi as the Doctor. 

Given the fact that Sujatha, his favourite writer for thrillers, is no more, director Shankar has somewhat managed to live up to expectations, if not completely. He’s continues his trend with social messages. ‘Sivaji’ talked about black money, Robot (Enthiran) about dependency on machines and now ‘I’ talks about ‘unethical advertising’. 

The scene which shows Lingesan’s obsession for Diya which leads him to buy even sanitary napkins and bras (for which she’s modelled) is a tad too extreme. The length could’ve been shortened. But then you’d miss Santhanam. The song Pookkalae (Tu Chale) is pictured beautifully on the Red Seabeach is a treat – for the cinematography as well as the music by A R Rahman. 

I am going with three and a half stars out of five for Shankar’s ‘I’. It is a treat for Pongal and Makar Sanranti.