Thotti Jaya Tamil Movie
Director V.Z. Dorai's "Thotti Jaya" is a bleak and brutal look at our own gang culture vastly prevailing in the remote areas in India. Built in an impressively naturalist performance, highbrow camerawork and an intelligent screenplay, the movie gives you a gripping 2 1/2 entertainment worth in return for your time and money. However, on the negative side, the movie's second half is a mesh of fight and song sequences that can make the audience groan. But, put the flip side apart, as we are talking about wholesome entertainment.
Jaya (Simbu) is an orphan and a born rowdy working in a hotel as a helper. He gets his title name "Thottijaya" as he is born in a garbage bin. People who confront him dread even his shear presence. Zeena Tana (Pradeep Rawat), a local dada notices Jaya's qualities as a rowdy, makes him his right hand henchman, and uses Jaya in his antisocial activities. In an incident, Jaya gets entangled in a political and police trap. To escape from police, Jaya slips to Calcutta and goes into hiding.
Meanwhile Brinda (Gopika), a college lace from Kanyakumari comes to Calcutta on a tour along with her friends. Pimps operating in the red light area of Calcutta take away Brinda and force her into brothel business.
Jaya accidentally meets Brinda who is held captive by the gang. He helps Brinda escape from the gang and takes her safely to Kanyakumari. On her way back home by train, Brinda starts admiring Jaya's niceties and gradually falls in love with him. When she expresses her desire, Jaya reciprocates her love, and both decide to enter into wedlock.
The story takes a turn now. It is reveled that Brinda is daughter of Zeena Tana. Zeena Tana objects to their love affair, and threatens Jaya of dire consequences if does not leave Brinda. Much to the chagrin of Zeena Tana, Jaya takes away Brinda from her house and in turn, earns the wrath of Zeena Tana.
Angst at this, Zeena Tana summons his rowdy gangs and plots to bump off Thottijaya. How Thottijaya accomplishes his hopes of marrying Brinda is told eloquently in the remaining part of the story.
If it is "Gilli" for Vijay, "Kakka Kakka" for Surya, that have made them action heroes, it is with "Thottijaya" that Silambarasan has emerged as an action hero. Simbu has been strikingly effective and resilient through out the movie. Simbu's fans will adore him for his primal force with brutish demeanor and sensuous features.
Gopika has given naturalistic and compelling performance. Pradeep Rawat, as a villain is convincing. You can see him in many more movies to come. Cyclone Manohar, V.M.C. Hanepha, V.M. Sundar, Telephone Raj and Vadivukkarasi in their cameo roles have all performed to their hilt.
R.D.Rajasekhar's cinematography is top-notch. Harris Jayaraj's music is good.
Director Dorai's narrative style will keep you engaged until the final frame. Though "Thottijaya" will bring him laurels as a director, who can be make underworld stories, his earlier movie "Mughavari" scores better than this flick.
