K M International's Tamil film, Vannathuppoochi (Butterfly), directed by C Azhagappan, based on a serious plot should have been a pivotal story that gives parents and children a jolt. It should have been the ideal movie post Pasanga's success. Except that it is not.
Even the beginning is not encouraging. You have Arun (Siddharth) and Chithra (Madhavi Sharma), both software executives who walk from one corridor to another in gleaming chrome buildings, speak with horrible accents and wear the same costume, apparently, all the time.
The protagonist and the story's star is Divya Bharathi (Sri Lakshmi), a cute kid in the third standard -- their daughter. It's a bit too much to digest the level of negligence of even "busy" parents such as hers. They don't even know what class she's in, or when she gets home from school. Their own personal relationship is natural at times and artificial at others.
Divya Bharathi, like many children on the celluloid screen is a perfect child-woman -- she sings grown-up songs about love, hope and peace (composed by Rehane and though the composer's put in her best efforts, they're not that appealing, onscreen), is polite and agreeable to her elders, and is altogether so perfect that if it weren't for stray emotions like frustration at her parents, she'd be hopeless.
Destiny plays a sudden hand, and she gets the chance to visit her grandfather Chinnasami (Bala Singh, at his melodramatic best), estranged from his son. The son detests the very sight of the old weaver and rural village. Divya Bharathi, however, yearns for love and affection and she gets plenty from him. Life is very pleasant as she befriends the local children. Everything falls into place until her irate parents get on her track, and insist that she returns home.
Bala Singh weeps at the drop of a hat; Siddharth and Madhavi Sharma ham to glory while the girl, tries valiantly to carry the film on her shoulders. She does succeed, whenever the script requires her to be a precocious child, wise beyond her years. But then her body language morphs into that of an adult -- and things get boring.
Barring Revathy, who delivers a steady performance, the rest of the cast is wooden and superficial.
The real culprit is the script. Instead of exploring a child's feelings, the parent's view-point and making it multi-faceted, the movie scrapes through like a sentimental 60s film, replete with songs, mushy dialogues and boatloads of advice.
Watch this film if you want a dose of moral lessons.
Rediff Rating: 
