Vijay Sethupathi’s performance is the only saving grace in Deepak Sundararajan’s supernatural comedy
About two-thirds of the film, Shanmugam – rather, Shanmugam’s spirit – (played by Yogi Babu) tells Rudra (Taapsee Pannu) a past tragedy. The latter finds it ridiculous. She asks him, “What new stories are you coming up with?”. Shanmugam sighed. “Who tells new stories these days?” He asks, perhaps taking a dig at Tamil cinema, casually breaking the fourth wall for a moment.
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Deepak Sundararajan’s debut film probably knows it’s not telling a new story. Because it involves a royal couple who are murdered, a scheming villain, reincarnation, revenge, poetic justice, and like some Tamil horror films nowadays, the promise of a sequel. Been there… see.
Self-deprecation, therefore, works. After all, the story isn’t as important as it is told. But this is where the film falters; Annabelle Sethupathi It doesn’t address what jokes it is.
A cop (played by Linga) brings Rudra and his family (Radhika, Rajendra Prasad and Sunil) – a group of thieves – to his grandfather’s (Suresh Chandra Menon) palace to see if it is haunted. The spirits of his great-grandfather Kathiresan (Jagapati Babu), some other family members and the palace’s cook Shanmugam are actually trapped inside the palace. The story of how and why they all died is told in some interesting way through the above flashbacks. But Deepak Sundararajan decided to reach there in the second half itself. Until then, the film moves from one comic set-piece to the next, most of which are tediously crafted.
Annabelle Sethupathi
- Director: Deepak Sundarrajani
- Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vijay Sethupathi, Yogi Babu, Jagapathi Babu, Radhika
- Story: A thief and his family inadvertently enter a castle full of spirits and learn about its secret
- Duration: 2 hrs 14 mins
The supporting cast (including Subbu Panchu, George Maryann, ‘Jangiri’ Madhumita, Chetan, Devdarshini and others) clown here and there, trying desperately to sound witty and sound. Neither his dialogues nor his actions work. There are lines like,Pavi ah sutradhuku, aavi ah sutradhe mail!”. Raime should consider retiring from Tamil cinema. Physical comedy also falters. We see a character frustrated at being unable to kick a spirit because, um, it’s a spirit and she can’t touch it. Somebody wants to ask what Duraikannu Vathiyar does in this Sarpatta Parambrai: “Anna Jok Katerengla?”
Taapsee also fails to impress in these parts. Vanella Teenager makes a cameo, but her dubbed lines and exaggerated histrionics seem out of place.
Some funny lines said by Yogi Babu (like “Ivan anna moonji-la ye murukku puzhiyaran?”) operate because of its distinctive delivery. But this is what he says in most of his films. Unless he revs up his comedy, it can get monotonous (it probably is for some of us). Having said that, Yogi Babu is not just about punchlines; He’s also able to sell us some serious stuff (like we saw) Mandela) Maybe someone cast him as the villain?
Annabelle Sethupathi It gets somewhat better when the titular characters Annabelle (Taapsee again playing an Englishman) and Veera Sethupathi (Vijay Sethupathi) appear. The latter, a king, receives an introduction shot where he feeds a nut to a squirrel and pets it. It’s meant to establish his altruism, but it also feels good. Sethupathi’s infallibility, which at times seems impassioned, works here. The character is largely one-dimensional, but the little gestures and expressions of the actor make it likable. Take the scene in which Kathiresan sends a swarm of sword-wielding assassins to the magnificent palace of Annabelle and Sethupathi. Sethupathi gently pushes his newly wed wife back and says, “Ni Ukkanduru; Naan Virundhu Vechutu Vandharen,Like the Jan Nayak™ of Tamil cinema does. But when Annabelle insists, “Let’s fight together,” he pauses for a moment to look at her and smile. He turns his attention to the killers, but once again stops himself from smiling at them. So far, we are shown that he admires her beauty (the palace itself is a Shah Jahan-esque tribute to her) but now he admires her heroism.
Hence, the film is not fully watchable. Unique parts, mainly Vijay’s performance, thanks to the kind of work. But then again, that’s not a good thing to say about comedy, is it?
Annabelle Sethupathi is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
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