Predictable story of a hyper big brother

Rating: 2/5

If the initial feedback on the impending release of Rajinikanth's Diwali release 'Annaatthe' was any indication, the fate of the film at the BO and the likely reactions it was expected to generate was evident much earlier than its release on the festival day. The 70-year-old Superstar's 14th film of the new millennium directed by 'Siruthai' Siva has nothing sizzling or attractive for his still impressive number of fans cutting across all age groups.

Each director has a niche, a successful formula which he tries to superimpose on his themes and plotlines prior to customising it for the star cast selected. Siva's approach, while taking the demi-god status of Rajinikanth into account is flawed right from the start when he attempts far too many sub-plots, characters and a forced, contrived style of humour out of a star who is excellent with his comic timing in the first place.

A jaded, tearjerker kind of a story which is heavy on brother-sister sentiment in the first half and the outcome of the ill treatment the sister receives in her married life, which makes the emotional brother turn a rampaging avenger making up the second is a predictable mess. Except for very brief flashes of acting, the sister Keerthi Suresh, who looks more like Rajini's daughter is a weepy, clingy sibling. The setting which alternates between Tamil Nadu and Kolkata is nothing novel as there have been many films shot in the eastern metro over the past two decades in all south Indian languages.

The presence of a whole lot of stars right from the ill-defined role of Nayanthara to hardly impactful appearances of Khushboo and Meena is noticed. Prakash Raj seems content hamming his role and hardly exerting himself as he disappears from the scene after the interval. Jagapathi Babu is shown in a ragged fashion as the chief villain, only to be kicked around by the hero in the end, with a few more Hindi film stars overacting whenever they get a chance.

With the last six films of his in the last five years helmed by new age directors who have handled films of his juniors, Rajinikanth's gambit of remaining contemporary and retaining his aura has not really taken off. The films of Pa. Ranjith, Karthik Subbaraj and A R Murugadoss were much talked about, enthusiastically reported upon in the local and outstation media but did not add value to the star's stature or histrionic abilities. This film too is surely headed that way unless the vast legion of his fans take sympathy on their hero and bail out his venture, which seems unlikely for sure.