'Saguni' had been announced just after the release of the blockbuster 'Siruthai' and have been in the making ever since then. After many delays due to the change of antagonist and the re-shoots, Saguni has finally released with a tremendous opening mainly due to the return of the rocking combo, Santhanam-Karthi. With heavy promotions and generous release of teasers, has Saguni kept up to the hype which it has spanned around it?
Quick Synopsis
The film is about Kamalakannan a.k.a Kamal's (Karthi) who travels to Chennai in an attempt to stop the demolishing of his house at his hometown which is believed to be a prestigious property of the ancestors. In the mission, he meets Appadurai a.k.a Rajini (Santhanam) and travels with him around the mission in his auto after confessing his flashback. However, all hell breaks loose when true colours of the Chief Minister (Prakash Raj) is exposed. How Kamal destroys his empire and safeguards his ancestral property with mind games forms the crux of the story.
Story-Screenplay
Debutant Shankar Dayal's decision to take a political premise and establish the vital role of a kingmaker in Indian politics is a bold one. The premise itself has created much hype. The film starts off with a childish but an innovative opening of Karthi and travels in the same jolly mood throughout the first half. The entry of Santhanam is a scream and the decision to name them 'Kamal-Rajini' weaved with interesting subtexts are engaging. However, the first half has only this ingredients and the film does not move much. Introduction of the heroine looks forced and her presence does not add much value.
In the second half, things look to spice up with Karthi vowing to destroy the empire of the CM using four people he incidentally meets. Yet again, the mind games which are hyped to be the USP of the film is predictable and lacks logic. All four characters are not strong enough and go missing as the film progresses.
Casting & Performance
Even though Karthi started his journey here as a performer, he have come a long way and have proved to be a full-fledged commercial actor with his subsequent movies. Having the second most opening prints after Endhiran is a big stage for a 6 film old actor. He has given whatever the script demands him for (excellent dance and comic timing) but sadly the character is not very well etched out. The inconsistency of his character design is the main reason why Saguni have handed up one notch below of what it has promised. Santhanam has become a cracker nowadays and with Karthi's combo. One might even yearn the film to be a story which just focuses on the combo. Pranitha has nothing much to do but excels in what was intended for. Prakash Raj ease passes his role while, Radika, Nassar and Kota Srinivasa Rao are good in their limited role. Unfortunately, Andrea and Anushka's special appearance looks redundant and have missed the effect completely.
In overall the casting of Saguni have been well collaborated however the character designs somewhat gets lost along the way.
Technicality
Mutiah's cinematography gives a suitable colour to this commercial flick while G.V Prakash's music is apt for the film's tone with 'Potathu Patala' and 'Vellai Pamabaram' lingers through our ears even after the film ends. However the BGM seems to be a bit repetitive.
Conclusion
Saguni flexes hard with good performances and thought provoking dialogues but has an unfocused screenplay. Overall Saguni might find takers who might just go for the rocking combo of Karthi and Santhanam. However others might get disappointed provided the hype and the promises which it made. On a positive note, audiences who go with zero expectations will like this political comedy.
Verdict: Saguni, not as intelligent as expected but with a brilliant show by Karthi-Santhanam combo!
