ANNABELLE SETHUPATHI (2021)
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| Critic No. 241 |
Written by: Deepak Sundarrajan
Produced by: Passion Studios
Casts: Vijay Sethupathi, Taapsee Pannu, Yogi Babu, Jagapathi Babu, Rajendra Prasad, Raadhika
Music: Krishna Kishore
Language: Tamil
Genre: Comedy
SYNOPSIS:
Rudra (Taapsee), a small-time burglar, gets into a palace full of ghosts. Along with the ghost, she finds out the mystery about the owner of the palace - Annabelle Sethupathi.
REVIEW:
Horror comedy is an overused genre in Indian cinema and still the craze and following for these types of films never subside. However, Annabelle Sethupathi is an interestingly tricky product that does not really sit in the league of Aranmanai nor Kanchana series. In this film, the ghosts themselves get scared by the intruders at times. Annabelle Sethupathi is treated more like a children comedy that does not take itself seriously from the first frame. Sometimes it even gives us vibes of a horror parody, drawing references from recent famous horror flicks.
The plot kicks off with police officer Kathir (Linga) bringing Rudra (Taapsee) and her robber family (Raadhika, Rajendra Prasad, and Sunil) into his grandfather’s (Suresh Chandra Menon) palace to check whether the palace is haunted. The spirits of his great-great-grandfather Kathiresan (Jagapathi Babu), a few other family members, and the palace cook Shanmugam are trapped inside the palace. The story of how and why they all died is unveiled through a visually arresting flashback driven by Annabelle-Sethupathi's poignant love story.
The main problem however, lies in Deepak Sundarrajan’s decision to reach there only in the second half. Until then, the film hovers around back to back comic set-pieces to another that are sadly flat. Even though the film has tons of seasoned actors (Vennela Kishore, Subbu Panchu, Chetan, Devadarshini, Jangiri Madhumitha, George Maryan, Surekha Vani) and Yogi Babu leading the comedy tracks in the film, none of the scenes move our face muscles even by an inch.
For example, in a scene where Rajendra Prasad, who plays one of the thieves, prances around a room with a sword thinking he is all alone. Unfortunately for him, Chetan and Devadarshini, who are ghosts, happen to be in the very same room, and seeing him with a sword, Chetan, decides to join him. But all that Rajendra Prasad can see is a sword fighting him on its own. He runs away in panic, and Chetan runs after him, apologizing for scaring him. But all that the former can see is a sword on air that's after him, which only doubles his fear. This is something that should have been instantly funny on screen, but the staging and treatment makes it look childish and cartoonish. The film has tons of comedies like this. Perhaps the film could work for children who have a better appetite for such visuals.
Yes, the underlying mystery and foreshadowing for the flashback does evoke some interest but the love story lacks the sincerity and intensity needed for us to even invest in the emotions the film is trying to project. The relationship between the lead pair is designed at a very surface level and this pulls down the payoff at the end. In short, the comedy doesn't tickle us, the love story doesn't move us and the 'supernatural' scenes doesn't scare us. Although the scariest moment is the end shot of the film that hints a sequel.
On the brighter side, the painting-like visuals, grand costumes, detailed production design and soothing music keep us engaged with the film even if the writing doesn’t. In particular, the song ‘Vaanil Poghum Megham’ is an earworm which is accompanied by brilliantly shot visuals. I just wished that the sincerity shown in filming those sequences was given to the depth of the love story between Annabelle and Sethupathi.
Vijay Sethupathi looks dashing in the film and does a decent job in his extended cameo role. Taapsee has given her all as usual and suits the role as both the foreigner and the small time crook. If only their characters had been written with more thought and depth, the film could have been much more impactful. That said, despite the weak writing, debutante filmmaker Deepak Sundarrajan can be commended for his bold attempt to give a straightforward children film in lines of Scrooged (1988), Haunted Mansion (2003) and other Disney fantasy films. Even if he had fumbled in the execution, the technical finesse and strong casting show that the filmmaker is not out of the game just yet.
VERDICT:
Despite having a strong cast ensemble and a juicy premise, Annabelle Sethupathi fumbles with its flat execution and superficial writing that never really picks up to its potential.
CELLULOID METER- 2.5/5:
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