Mercury Pookal
Genre: Family drama Director: S. S. Stanley Cast: Srikanth, Meera Jasmine, `Delhi' Ganesh, Karunas Storyline: When the hero who is forced into marriage realises that he actually loves his wife problems arise. Bottomline: Linear narration with no frills.
A series of simple incidents strung together in Stanley style make up Sri Nandi Productions' `Mercury Pookal' (U/A). S. S. Stanley, who is in charge of the story, screenplay, dialogue and direction, believes that no out-of-the-ordinary happenings are essential to make a film appealing — you saw it in `April Madhathil' and in `Pudukkottaiyil Irundhu Saravanan' and now again you notice it in `Mercury Pookal.' And many of the sequences he has conceived are natural. Every incident need not be action-packed or high-voltage, as long as it is interesting Stanley seems to say.
An enigma
A reluctant Karthik (Srikanth) is made to marry Anbuchelvi (Meera Jasmine). Chelvi too is equally unwilling. If it remind you of Azhagamperumal's `Dumm Dumm Dumm,' Jasmine's cacophony in the cinema hall is similar to the sequence in `Sandakkozhi.' Stanley has taken pains to show Karthik's change of heart, but you are perplexed why Jasmine reveals no sign of wanting to put an end to the marriage after the initial outburst on the first night! There's no clear-cut delineation of the character.
Srikanth shines both in the light-hearted and serious sequences — why success has been eluding the young hero for quite a while now is a puzzle. Jasmine is a right mix of beauty and talent. She makes quite an impression in the scenes where she literally pushes aside her husband in exasperation. Only she has put on a little weight. Subtle humour is a highpoint of `Mercury Pookal.' The chief guest pushing the husband and wife towards each other on stage is an example. Mention has to be made of `Delhi' Ganesh's spontaneity. The man lends sheen to the otherwise usual role of a father. Another actor who adds lustre to his character is `Pithamagan' Mahadevan. Karunas rises from mundane humour to make a mark in the twist towards the end.
The fast cuts that help maintain pace (especially the brilliant song sequence, `Maapillai Veetukku Vandachu') speak amply about Anil Malnad's editing. Pa. Vijay's lyric for the number is another enticing aspect. Amar's imaginative artwork is exemplified in the backdrops he has created for the songs. The colours, the objects and the way they are positioned (the Jacuzzi in the first song, for example) deserve praise. Composer Karthik Raja proves once again that he deserves more opportunities. The lilting music of the titles and the differently used percussion in the songs (`Solla Vaarthaigal') are a treat.
The director builds up sequences to a crescendo and smoothens them out into ordinary, credible events. Like, when Karthik and Chelvi check into a dingy hotel, everything about the milieu looks ominous. You expect the worst, but the two escape after a mild rough and tumble. Stanley's treatment in `Mercury ... ' shows more maturity and class than his earlier films.
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