Review: Saavi
Film: Saavi
Director: R Subramanian
Music : Satish Thaianban
Cinematography : Shekar Ram
Cast: Prakash Chandra, Sunulakshmi, Rajalingam and others
Director R Subramanian’s Saavi (Key) might be small in budget but it sure looks like it is going to open the great big doors of fame and fortune to most of those who have worked in it.
The film, which features mostly newcomers and relatively small-time actors, has an interesting story which is told in a reasonably entertaining way.
Sarangan (Prakash Chandra) makes a living by making keys and opening locks. In other words, he is a professional keymaker, who specialises in making duplicate keys.
Blessed with a content heart and a good family that comprises his mother, father, brother, sister-in-law and a close friend, who is considered another member of the family for all practical reasons, Sarangan lives a peaceful life.
The keymaker has a close set of friends, which includes a cop who is known for his sincerity and straightforwardness.
Sarangan follows some rules when it comes to work. He opens only those locks that are brought to his shop and refuses to accompany customers to other places to open locks. This rule of his helps him ensure that he does not end up helping thieves looking to break into homes and offices.
One night, Sarangan gets a call from his close friend, whose asks him to come to a house in town. When Sarangan arrives there, he sees his friend with four other people, two of whom are women, waiting for him on the street.
The friend claims that all four people are distant relatives of his and that they have lost the keys to their house. He requests Sarangan to unlock the door of the house as his relatives are stranded on the street.
Sarangan obliges despite feeling a sense of discomfort. But then, he doesn’t think too much of it and leaves for the night. The next morning, he tries calling his friend but finds his phone switched off.
He decides to check at the place where he had opened the door the previous night and finds that a robbery has taken place there. Sarangan is shocked. He gets to know that the robbers have made good with a huge sum of money the owners had arranged for, by selling their lands.
Unable to come to terms with the news of his hard-earned money having been stolen, the real houseowner dies and Sarangan is overcome by a sense of guilt. He decides to bring the criminals to book and ensure that the owners recover the money that has been stolen.
However, little does the keymaker know that the problem is a lot more complex than it initially appears…
All the actors, despite being new comers, have played their parts well. Prakash Chandra, who plays Sarangan, plays his role in a very mature, measured way that is easy on the eyes.
The manner in which the film has been made is as realistic as possible and that helps.
The romantic portions between Sarangan (played by Prakash Chandra) and Alagammal (played by Sunu Lakshmi), who does a very neat job of portraying a helpless, lower middle class girl, are very believable and enjoyable.
In short, both actors show a lot of promise.
The script and the casting is just about right and there is no exaggeration whatsoever. The film also has its share of funny moments through the character of an alcoholic who happens to be Algammal’s dad.
Cinematography is above par and music is just about Okay.
The other interesting aspect which works in favour of the film is its editing. Suresh Urs has done a fantastic job with the manner in which he has kept the sequences crisp and interesting. There are no unnecessary or redundant scenes in the film, which has a crisp ending.
On the whole, Saavi is a decent film that is reasonably good.
