Marina Movie Review

 
Cast and Crew
Direction: Pandiraj
Cast: Siva Karthikeyan, Oviya, Jayaprakash, Pandian, Gautham Purushoth.
Music: Girishh G
Camera: Vijay
Lyrics: Na. Muthukumar, Yugabharathi
Banner: Pasanga Productions
Release Date: 03 February, 2012

Review
For director Pandiraj, his debut and super hit movie ‘Pasanga’ proved his writing and directorial talents. And, ‘Vamsam’ came next to tell his professional handling of a big budget film.
The acclaimed director is back to his forte, a simple, small budget film with an intense storyline, and ‘Marina’ takes Tamil film to another level of unusual onscreen storytelling.
The film depicts the life and story of the snack seller kids we find on the sands of Chennai’s own beach, the Marina. Each small kid has a big story behind them.
Ambikapathi (Pandian), a run away from home, comes to Chennai in search of his dreams but lands in selling water packets at the Marina beach. He gets the friendship of Kailash, another kid who already has his own kingdom in the beach. For an offence Police comes in search of Kailash to the beach… another kid, who is a habitual petrol pilfer, helps the police to spot Kailash.

In between these stories Pandiraj weaves the silk thread love story of a young couple. Senthilnathan (Siva Karthikeyan), who always dreams of romancing a girl on the sands of Marina, gets Swapnasundari (Oviya) finally, and the young couple nurtures their love on the beach of Marina amidst their friend circle and the kids.
The casual acquaintance between the couple and the kids becomes an emotional bond. What happens in the end to the stories of Ambikapathi, Kailash and the couple ‘Senthinathan – Swapnasundari’ is movingly told in the climax.
TV host Siva Karthikeyan debuts in films with this movie. The actor has given lot many improvisations to the director’s instructions. A good debut act for him, yes, he definitely gets something more than a pass mark with his look and performance.
Oviya has again done a neat work like her performance in ‘Kalavani’. A director’s actress, who fits herself in the role she is offered. Her body language and expressions through eyes speak a lot.
And, the kids get the biggest pat among all artists in the film. What a splendid performance? Each one make us get into their stories with their very natural act. Especially, Pandian puts a stupendous show of acting skills!
Jayaprakash has again given a wonderful performance.

Vikram, Prakash Raj, Sasikumar, Sneha, Ameer and Vimal do a special appearance in a song.
Hats off to Pandiraj for his daring act of scripting this concept and choosing a cast that is not so commercially viable. This shows his confidence in the script. More such scripts and directors should come to Tamil industry.
Music is by Girishh G. The debutant composer has delivered a good work with his tunes and background score. The young talent has helped the director to bring out emotions with his subtleties. Girishh is a promising talent for future Tamil cinema.
The song ‘Vannakkam Chennai’ is worth mentioning.
Camera is a big plus for ‘Marina’. The natural lighting is been used well and the angles also speak volumes about the skills of the new comer Vijay.
Lyrics are by Na. Muthukumar and Yugabharathi.
The film is made from the inspiration of Mira Nair’s critically acclaimed film ‘Salaam Bombay’! But, Pandiraj has managed well with the setting and script that ‘Marina’ no way resembles the award winning 1988 film.
The director is largely successful in depicting the lives and stories of the uneducated children who are deprived of their basic needs and bring out a sense of responsibility in everyone.
‘Marina’ is a film that should be watched by everyone at least to understand that behind those beautiful smiles of those kids those we see on the sands of the beaches of Marina have many sad stories to tell. Next time when we go to Marina sure we would see it with a different eye, watching this film!
And, ‘Marina’ is not only just an emotional film; it is also to entertain us. Those tidbits of comic situations definitely put big smiles on our faces and cheers in our heart.
That’s the big success of Pandiraj’s ‘Marina’ script!
Come make an entertaining emotional beach walk on the sands, through this film, ‘Marina’!