AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

        This Pongal it has been a never-ending flow of blood as far as Tamil films are concerned. In Pokkiri and Aalwar, we saw violence of high intensity. And Thamirabarani is no different — rivulets of blood flow more than water does for a movie with a river's name.

        Set in the rural milieu with Tirunelveli and Thamirabarani as its backdrop, the movie is about a larger-than-life family feud much in the shades of Kizhakku Semaiyilae, Thevar Magan and Padayappa.

        The writer-director Hari has managed to give twists and turns in his narration, but too many loose-ends in the screenplay and predictable sequences mar the flow.

        Overdose of action and lengthy dialogues also make the movie stutter. Vishal has tried to live up to his new found-image of action hero. But at times he goes overboard with the sickle in his hand. But the actor has shown marked improvement in his performance. He has tried his hand at comedy and emotes well.

        Debutante heroine Bhanu, looking puffed up, fits the bill. A look-alike of Nayantara, she has no major role but for a few encounters with the hero. Prabhu lends dignity to the role of Saravan Perumal, the doting uncle of Vishal.

        However it is Nadhiya, who walks away with all honours. Playing the role of a rich and arrogant woman, she has brought her experience to the fore. Kanja Karuppu's comedy puts brakes on the movie's progress.

        The movie revolves around two families - Perumal's (Prabhu) and Subbiah's (Vijayakumar). Caught in between are Vishal and Bhanu (obviously belonging to the two different camps), who fall in love with each another. The lover couple vows to get the warring families united.

        They do after blood and emotions are spilled.

        The story is predictable, but what makes the movie work (only to a certain extent) is Hari's fidelity to the rural backdrop. The Tirunelveli-Tuticorin belt (like in his previous movies) come alive in tonal inflections and soiled sentiments.

        The acting department works almost by rote as there is nothing new for them to interpret or improvise.

        Yuvanshankar Raja has come up with peppy tunes including a remix of the popular devotional song Karpoora Nayakiyae Kanagavalli, sung by L R Eshwari. The background score is unlike Yuvan - loud.

        Thamirabarani on the whole looks like a (south Indian) river in February —not totally dry, yet far from free-flowing.