Saagasm- Sanity put to test.

Some movies actually have very meaningful titles that warn you directly, of the after-effects of watching the entire film. For instance, Saagasam (in tamil) which simply means a dangerous stunt. Basically, it warns you that you are actually going to get involved in a frightening dangerous stunt for the next 2.5 hours.

So we have yesteryear’s TOP star, Prashant, donning the role of an unemployed 43-year old youngster. Ladies who used to have huge crush on Prashant and who loved him with passion hotter than a thousand suns, some 20 years ago, have actually moved on and are now busy changing diapers for their grandkids. Unfortunately, he is still happily roaming around and getting reprimanded by his father for not going for a job just like how the iconic youths like siva karthikeyan and simbu usually are, in their respective films. And for once I know the treacherous path that I have taken- the decision to continue watching the movie after the hero introduction.

Then the heroine introduction, followed by some comedy scenes. No, No, not prashant’s happily-roaming-around scenes. In the name of a thriller, hero helps police to discover the whereabouts of the villain group which was going to rob a bank that night.

"Make it more-u thrilling, thambi?"- would have been the producer’s call. So director decided to add the rain effect in the summer scenes. So imagine, 

thunder, 

lightning, 

clock ticks, 

hero playing with Rubik's cube (how cool na!!) 

step by step, tells the police,

“I saw the villains in the van. so they should be…blah…blah…
It was raining. so they should be…blah…blah…
They told me they went to the bar. so they should be…blah..blah…”

I jolly well accepted these scenes as the most thrilling scenes of Indian Cinema and prayed harder that there would not be any more such scenes brandishing my sanity.

Then, the camera as often as it can, lingers over a smirking Prashanth, forcing us to appreciate his ‘boyish good looks’, in the middle of serious scenes.After finishing lecture module 101 on how to guide policemen, he goes back to his group of friends at a normal coffee shop. 

Producer- “Dei thambi, it has been 20 minutes into the film, where is the song?”
Director- “saar, coming here saar. desi girl desi girl song at the coffee shop.”

And the normal coffee shop magically transforms into a 50-lakh worth vibrant and colourful item number stage where the glam doll grooves to a desi girl song. If you are thinking what has this song got to do with the flow of the story, then you are not psychologically sound enough to watch this film.

So what about the music of the film?
All are super-hit songs,


Each tune Stolen from recently-released Telugu hit movie songs.

One can only watch in disbelief as the actor dances in colour-coordinated clothing, pretending that not a day has passed since the 1990s when he was called ‘Top Star’.

There are actually 3 very good comedians in this film- thambi ramaiya, bhaskar and the interval block graphics. The VFX team decided to use a simple phone app for the graphics. And now I want to know what app it is, so that I can download and play with it as well.

The story continues where the hero still helps the police to nab the villains. So why does the police gets help from an unemployed chap who has no prior police training? ok sorry, there is no place for intelligence in this story.

CUT. next scene is with the heroine. And this is my favourite scene I would say.

Hero attempts to confess his love to heroine at the supermarket. But the heroine keeps walking around fast. Thus, hero puts an enormous pumpkin on her hands and says, “I need to place this paperweight. you don’t seem to keep still.” 

Remember Cinderella story where the pumpkin turns into a golden carriage. This, too, is cinderalla romance machan!
After the love confession, what do you think would have happened next?

Come on yaar! you should know this.

Yes, right! you got it! Another stolen-tune with a supposedly-catchy phrase “sayang-ku sayang-ku”

So what is the ending of the film?

Am sure your life has more concerns and worries and wishes that you need to fulfil. Knowing the ending of this story, should never be in your priority list.

Basically, the movie is an assault on the eyes, the ears, the brain, common sense, and the human desire to be entertained. To see a really great actor like Prashant being trapped in such a messy web, is indeed devastating.

If the plot is beyond the wildest of one’s imagination, the director and producers could have at least got the casting of heroines, villains and other characters right. And the script writer must have been the laziest guy around, peppering the narrative with needless songs and dances and unbelievable coincidences. In short, Saagasam is an insult to one’s intelligence.