Mumbai Express - Movie Review.

Mumbai Express, I set to watch this movie in Edison NJ. I had no expectation in my mind in spite of a month long speculation and few half cooked reviews that I read in various websites and Blogs. The first reviews that came in few sites quoted Camera mistakes etc, I sat down there in the last row of the theater with my fingers crossed, not knowing that these were nitpicks generated due to half learnt knowledge or predetermined bias.

My 1 cent cost saver review - The movie Mumbai express is a winner! To add more, I wish all the Tamil movies made from this date onwards follows this movie for its production values. There are no unwanted group dances, punch dialogues, illogical fights that will make even Einstein rethink his theories, and no people “beating” comedy tracks.

And best of all, this is a family movie; you can take your born and unborn kids [pregnant moms] without any hesitation. Kids are going to laugh with you while the ones yet to be born sitting in their mothers womb will be thinking about a carrier in comedy. I did not know that just by saying alphabet ABC we can write about 200 jokes.

Kamal and this team have produced a maters piece of a script. I am sure he has spent years to nail down the script. The flow of the events is so well timed with serious dialogues. This is not the usual Crazy Mohan confusing comedy that often ends with an Auto, Bus, Car, and Donkey chase.

Instead of discussing the story, I will put down what is so special here in my point of view.

Usually, a comedy can be a slap stick, like people can make you laugh using their body language and physical actions or a Conversational comedy, where the script rains with humor. But what we see in this movie is totally a different feel.
As far as the characters on the screen are concerned they are up to a serious task. The feel the pain, they have tough time and face various trouble during the execution of the task. They face unpredicted events and get upset about it. As per the script people on the celluloid are really serious; there have no intention to make you laugh.

Audience, sitting on the other side of the celluloid does nothing other than Laugh. Laugh in the sense, it is the =)) [type this in Yahoo messenger] kind. More over each of the character have motives; there is a primary motive for every character, but they are really not confident to execute it. I have seen the movie its “mad mad mad world”. The motive of each character is kind of similar. However I don’t want take away anything from the script, until this moment I feel this as an original well written script.

Ramesh Aravind , man what a make up, he comes as the Telugu speaking insurance agent who joins the gang. He translates under cover cop in Telugu, “GudaAchari”. The scene that has Kamal, Pasupathy, Ramesh Aravind and Vaiyapuri and his “BaziGhar” is a laugh riot. The voice for Dhina given by Kamal??, he modulates to a lower frequency but expressions are clearly kamal Hassans.

Music, this movie does not need songs and rightly so Kamal has not used any of the songs in full. Background music in apt places, yes where the music is placed is perfect and we never know that music is being played. It is so seamless.
In a nut shell, I would say a “snake and ladder” execution of a plot, at every dice roll, the gang lands on a snake. Hardly finds a ladder. And frankly after the Alavandhan Disaster , Hey Ram the over dose I was irritated , however this movie from Kamal is a trend setter who know Tamil movie will be made differently from now on.

The cast includes
1. Pasupathy, in Dhool Tamil film industry found a new Villain , in this movie we get a talented new comedian.
2. Vaiyapuri, he comes good and underplays so well. [2a Bazi Ghar the horse , plays a major role]
3. Tinu Anand looking Dhina., just sits on the bed and creates a comic riot with Kamal chipping in the dub.
4. Kovai Sarala, a loving sidy sister of Kamal , she exposes 3 types of faces. Amazing lady.
5. Nazar, talks Tamil, Telugu and takes away the movie from others in many places. So does
6. Santhana Bharathi
7. Ramesh Aravind – No better words to describe.
8. The kid, 8a MonishaK
9. Kamal– Kamal is Kamal! This is the best underplayed roll by Kamal; there is a suspense element which I don’t want to give it out! Do you know that Kamal never changes costumes all through?
10. Finally Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, he had many talented snakes and 1 super talented Anaconda to charm. He played his music so well to keep all of them well under control.

I would like to watch this movie another 5 times at least, by then hopefully the DVD will be out, which will make this 5 x n times. Mumbai Express! A land mark in Tamil cinema Why? a good genuine script with a sensible screen play is the only requirement for a movie all other factors comes next.

Please go and watch the movie somehow.