Vishal has earned spurs as a kind of action hero with a rural tilt. Hari, on the other hand, has underscored his presence with movies suffused with Madurai - Tirunelveli - Tuticorin flavour.
So when such established forces have fused together a partnership, the movie is naturally a cross-pollination of action, sentiments and nativity.
Hari has worked out a crisp mix of brother-sister sentiment, big family intrigues and romantic interludes. Thamirabarani does create a new flavor.
For Vishal, who is looking to establish his own tradition in the market, Thamirabarani is a straight extension of what he did in his last three movies. Hari, as a director, is always conscious of his limitations. It should be said that their combination does create an impression.
The story is centred on Bharani (Vishal). This loud, angry young man, who doesn't mind letting his fist fly furiously, is totally in awe of his uncle Salt Saravanan (Prabhu). Vishal and his mother (Rohini) live with Saravanan and his mother (Manorama). It is a family that is typical to most Tamil movies. The villagers just venerate this big family.
Pitted against them is the other big one ----PVS family (peopled by Nadhiya, Vijayakumar and Nasser). And then there is Banu (Banu). Bharani, as cinema rules mandate, loves Banu. In a sense, he has rights to marry Banu as we are told that Sakunthala (Nadhiya) is the estranged wife of Saravanan. The two had parted ways over Saravanan's extreme fondness for his sister (Bharani's mother).
It all builds towards a heightened climax as the two young lovers try to hammer out peace between the two families and principally between the at-war hubby and wife.
Hari has mixed all the ingredients so well in a smart storyline, so much so that you get a new flavour. Vishal is full of virility and his action sequences are bravado stuff. Newcomer Banu, a Nayanthara look-alike, does what is required of her. She looks a bit callow though. Veterans Prabhu and Nadhiya offer splendid backing to the script as it is their rivalry that is the fulcrum of the movie. Nasser, Vijayakumar and others do their job diligently.
Yuvan, though not in prime form, shows glimpses of his talent. The camera and other technical works are okay. The blazing and dusty streets, the sword swishes, the cavalcade of sumo's and other SUVs, the dialogues of sibling love and big family ethos...you get it all in the film.
Hari has meticulously worked on the basis of his formula. Without a doubt, he has succeeded in executing it.
