Jayam Ravi is optimistic of ‘Dhaam Dhoom's’
Starring:
Jayam Ravi, Kangna Ranaut, Lakshmi Rai, Maria, Jayaram
Banner:
Mediaone Global Entertainment
Producer:
Sunanda Murli Manohar, Dr. Murli Manohar
Director:
Jeeva/Manikandan
Cinematography:
Jeeva
Story:
Jeeva
Music:
Harris Jayaraj
Jayam Ravi is optimistic of ‘Dhaam Dhoom's’ fortune at the box office. The movie releasing this week-end, is loaded with action.
'We began ‘Dhaam Dhoom’ with great optimism. Cinematographer-director Jeeva led us. Unfortunately his untimely death during the shooting shocked every one of us. There were doubts whether the movie would ever be completed'.
However Jeeva's associate Manikandan stepped in and the movie is finally over.
” ‘Dhaam Dhoom’ is our tribute to Jeeva”, says Jayam Ravi.
Harris Jeyaraj's catchy musical score and the excellent performance from co-stars including Lakshmi Rai, Kangana Ranaut and Jayaram are the major highlights of the film, he adds.
MOVIE REVIEW:-
The best thing about Jeeva’s last project is the quirky style of narration. What, not the colours and cinematography, you exclaim?
Jeeva’s screenplay and sense of freshness in colour and look has never been in doubt and in Dhaam Dhoom too, he doesn’t disappoint. Coorg looks lush and moist, Moscow looks vast and spectacular and every single actor looks fabulous, from the “de-glamourised” Lakshmi Rai and Kangna Ranaut to the very hunky Ravi.
Thus we talk of the difference in this movie compared to his others, like Unnale Unnale and Ullam Ketkume.
The difference is the pace of narration and the simple fact that unlike his other projects, this is an action-thriller with a generous peppering of comedy and seductive romance. The entire movie is a succession of inter-cuts between the present incidents in Gautham’s (Ravi) life and his recent past.Gautham Subramaniam is quite a dreamboat. He is handsome, charming, deliciously mischievous and the darling son of his family. AND: He is a doctor, the son of a doctor father and a very good one at that. He has been invited to represent India at a one-week doctors’ seminar in Russia and is all set to fly out for that. As he goes about the bustle of his departure, we see glimpses of his ladylove, Shenba, whom he will marry in 2 weeks, on his return to Indian. Shenba is from the same village as his sister and that’s how they met.
The journey to Moscow is uneventful and he finally waits in line to pass through immigration, where he meets Anna (Maria) – just a casual run-in of 2 people waiting in line. She drops her jacket by mistake and walks away and he has no choice, as he is hurried through a special exit for the visiting team, but to take it with him.
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The drive to his hotel is beautiful and he takes in the vastness of Moscow, astounded by the sheer size of the roads and buildings. The view from his hotel view is breathtaking and finally, it sinks into him happily, that he is here in beautiful Russia. The only problem, though, is that hardly anyone speaks even a single word of English – it’s Russian all the way!
Sometime during his days there, Anna happens to walk by him in his hotel and he grabs the opportunity to return her jacket to her. A rapport is established but they soon part ways. The doctors’ conference goes well and adding icing to the cake, he is applauded for his invaluable contribution during the function and the team goes out to celebrate. Gautham runs into Anna at the nightclub too. She gets completely drunk, hangs onto him and he has to cart her back to his hotel room since he can’t make head or tail of what anyone is saying!And here is where his entire idyllic trip goes spiralling out of control. Like a shot out of the blue, he is suddenly dragged out of his sleep brutally by the Russian police, angry words shouted at him and as they haul him away, he sees the lifeless body of Anna on the sofa.
A whirlwind of beatings, abuses, incoherent accusations and ultimately, the holding cell. Gautham catches glimpses of his life back in India, visiting his sister, the hilarious meeting with Shenba, their blossoming attraction…
And then, he finds a silver lining when Arthi Chinappa (Lakshmi Rai) is appointed by the court to defend his case and the Indian High Commission sends Jayaram to help him out.
Heart-in-your-mouth chases, near-death experiences, lots of running, conspiracy theories, superb action and unrequited love – all set against the gorgeous backdrop of beautiful Moscow. This is the rest of the movie and well worth every minute of watching.It is not a fabulous movie or one set to become a classic. There are lot of gaping holes, but perhaps some consideration should be made for the fact that this is a movie visualised by someone and completed by another. In any case, it doesn’t need to be a classic to be a good watch, which it is! It is fun, exciting, lovely to watch and leaves one with a pleasant feeling of 2.5 hours well-spent.
Ravi looks absolutely delicious. He has come a long way from the gangly young man in Jayam and the years suit him. His body is buff, his demeanour is carefree, fun-loving and all-male at the same time. In Dhaam Dhoom, Ravi’s job was to look good, act funny and suddenly, get up to his ears in some serious emoting as he tries to become an un-anchored young man in trouble in an alien nation. A job well done.
Kangna too has made nice work of being the bubbly, innocent and yet, very naughty and spoilt village brat who comes of age into womanhood when she falls in love with Ravi’s character. Her only flaws in this movie are that she may be way too skinny for the South Indian audiences who like some flesh and curves on their leading ladies; and the fact that her lip-sync needs a little working on.
Lakshmi Rai comes as an eye-opener. After movies where she has been little more than eye-candy and glam girl, her role of Arthi Chinappa has substance and she carries it off well. She is a good friend, confidante and an intelligent professional who comes to the rescue of a fellow Indian. Arthi falls in love with Gautham but keeps these affections suppressed when she learns of Shenba – this is a sensitive portrayal done well by Lakshmi.
All the others in the cast have their own spaces and since most of them are already established actors, it is needless to say they have done well.
Jeeva’s direction and camerawork is as always, cool, urban, refreshing and still universally appealing. Music by Harris Jayaraj is lovely, as are the visuals of every song. A treat for the eyes and ears.There is definitely a sense of some small missing pieces through the movie, but if you look at it on the whole, it is a pleasant watch and definitely something to remember the dear artist called Jeeva by. Anees Jeeva and the producers Sunanda Murli Manohar and Dr. Murli Manohar have done an admirable job of seeing this movie through to its fitting end, through all the tragedy and difficulties after Jeeva’s demise