 Rajnikanth, like Chiranjeevi, is in an unenviable position.
Expectations from their fans are usually so huge that it is almost impossible to match them. To their credit, both have lived up to the hopes bestowed on them mostly.
In Chandramukhi, Rajni's release after Baba three years before, he does not disappoint. But alas, the film does especially in the second half as the director P Vasu seems to have run out of ideas and inspiration.
But first things first, and hence the story: The wealthy husband and wife of Kailash (Prabhu) and Ganga (Jyothika) come to occupy a huge mansion.
Their problem starts when Ganga begins to feel that she is Chandramukhi, courtesan in the durbar of the raja who had once occupied the house.
 Chandramukhi's love for another dancer is jilted as the king kills her. Ganga develops a split personality. And enters Eshwar (Rajnikanth), a psychiatrist from America.
He is a close friend of Kailash and he puts Ganga through a cathartic experience and gets her to reality.
In between there is also gardener's daughter Gowri (Nayantara) for Eshwar to sing and dance about. There is also clutch of comedians for Eshwar to come up with his antics.
Rajnikanth's acting is as usual first rate. He has not lost his touch one bit. He looks old with sagged features. But his spirit does not sag.
Jyothika has an author-backed role, but she seems to have not utilized it. She tends to go overboard. Prabhu is as usual dependable. Nayantara looks good but has not much of a role.
The music of Vidyasagar is good and so is the camera work of Sekhar V Joseph. The stunts, overdone with graphics, are strictly for Rajni fans.
Vasu's direction is vapid and he is totally out of touch. He does not have the spunk of Fazil who made Manichitra Thazhu, the Malayalam original.
Chandramukhi, however, passes muster solely on the basis of Rajni's charisma.
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