Aug 25, 2004 07:43 AM
6247 Views
(Updated Aug 25, 2004 07:43 AM)
Vasool Raja MBBS
This is another timepass comedy film from the Kamal Hassan-Crazy Mohan stable. This is not as good Michael Madana KamaRajan but is a pretty good remake of Munnabhai M.B.B.S.
Cast
Kamal Hassan- Rajaraman aka VasoolRaja
Prabhu -Vaddi
Sneha- Janaki aka Paapu
Prakashraj - Dean
Nagesh
Rohini Hattangadi
Crazy Mohan - Margabandhu
and Jayasurya
Plot
This is a remake that stays true to the original plot of Munnabhai. The only adaptations have been using the local lingo of Madras and the associated inside jokes. Rajaraman and his gang are extortionists in Madras. His close pal and goonda is Vaddi. Once every few years Raja's parents come from the village. Then Raja cleans up his act and poses as a doctor and changes his house into a hospital for the duration of their stay. Now Raja's father meets his old friend the Dean in a park practicing laughter therapy, and they decide on a marriage proposal between the Dean's daughter and Raja.
Somehow the Dean comes to know that Raja is a crook. He embarrasses Raja in front of his parents who are under the impression that Raja's a doctor. Now Raja swears revenge, to join a medical college become a doctor and marry the Dean's daughter somehow and to make the Dean's life a living hell.
Does Raja get his revenge ?
How does a crook and extortionist survive in medical school?
Can he make Janaki fall in love with him?
Can India and Pakistan ever make peace?
Will India win a gold medal in the Olympics?
Some of those questions will be answered in the remainder of the film.
My Take
This movie is a great remake. Munnabhai is not the epitome in comedy. But its got an endearing touch to it, the ''jadu -ka jhappi'' or the ''katti-pudi-vaidyam''. The way an outsider like Raja goes in does his ''Patch Adams'' kinda magic inside the Medical school and hospital. The Madras lingo and jokes are terrific and lifts the film.
The ragging sequence with the Gilli song, ''Appadi podu'' is pretty good. Though some of the sequences seem to be rushed with tight editing. The songs are average, the one at the hospital is ok. The carrom board sequence with Kaka Radhakrishnan is good.
Prabhu has got a weighty role in the film. He really adds emotional weight to the scenes. Okay he's really overweight and the dialogues are'nt that helpful.
Crazy as Margabandhu the harassed doctor forced to help Raja out in the exams really excels in his scenes. Jayasurya as Zaheer the cancer stricken patient does his role well.
Sneha is good as the romantic lead opposite Kamal. Though she's young enough to be ...
The item song at the hospital, ''Cheena Thana'' for cheering the cancer-patient Jayasurya, cheers up the frontbenchers ;-)
The remaining songs are ok. ''Alwarpettai Andaava'' is the best of the lot.
Kamal looks haggard at times, but excels in the climax in his emotional scenes. The usual Kamal style of comedy made popular in PKS, MMKR etc is taken to the next level. ''Manamirunthal Margabandhu''...
The emotional touch which was present between Sanjay dutt and Sunil dutt is absent here.
But on the whole it a watchable funny film.
