Panchatanthiram

Cast: Kamal Hassan, Simran, Ramyakrishna, Jayaram, Ramesh Aravind, Sriman
Language: Tamil
Banner: Sri Raj Lakshmi Films (P) Ltd
Director: K. S. Ravikumar
Producer: Thenappan. P. L
Camera: Arthur Wilson
Story: Kamalahasan
Screenplay: K. S. Ravikumar
Dialogue: 'Crazy' Mohan
Lyrics: Vairamuthu
Music: Deva
Year: 2002

Here comes another caper from the Kamal-crazy Mohan team. Earlier, the duo has given such a comedy films like Avvai Shanmughi, Thenali and more recently, Pammal.K.Sambandham. Though, Panchatanthiram is on the same line it lacks the rip-roaring one-liners that one would expect from this team. Barring crazy Mohan's trademark dialogues and innovative screenplay, Panchatanthiram has nothing to offer. It is nothing but rehash of Kamal's earlier films..

Kamal is a commercial pilot and flirts with every woman who wears a skirt or saree. The playboy also gets tied down to marriage when he meets Mythili (Simran). But Simran is wary of his flirtatiousness and suspects him all the while. To save the marriage, Kamal persuades her to believe him. Meanwhile Kamal's sympathetic buddies - Jayaram, Yuhi Sethu, Ramesh Arvind and Sriman - decide to give their friend 'some enjoyment'. So they arrange a trip to Bangalore. They call up a call girl, Maggi (Ramya Krishnan), to entertain him. But things go away from their hands when Maggi is found dead in her hotel room. Fearing they would be implicated, they dispose off her body in a river and return home. To their shock, she reappears on the scene and creates more confusion in Kamal's marital life. How Kamal sorts out this problem and reunions with her wife forms the rest of the story.

Kamal was at his usual best. With her sizzling presence as a call girl, Ramyakrishnan outnumbered everyone including Kamalahasan. Simran leaves no mark. She should learn how to express anger. She has been showing the same 'contrived face' movements in all the films. There are too many well-known artistes in the film but no one has sufficient roles to make an impact on the audience. Music by Deva is average except one song, "Maggi..Maggi". K. S. Ravikumar's direction is so average. In nutshell, Panchanthantiram entertains you only when you have the taste for one-liners.

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