I haven’t been following anything about movies lately but everyone’s been going gaga over Goli Soda. From gripping to unique, enough has been said about the masala entertainer everywhere. I was only wondering how such movies can be made interesting – almost all scenes would end up being predictable. But, I was surprised when the movie kept me on the edge of my seat, despite being ridden with cliches all over.
There is nothing new here, but everything is new. This is a story of the obstacles four kids adults youngsters teenagers (I can’t find a proper word to describe this lot) face while they work their way into self-made entrepreneurs in the Koyambedu market replete with threads of teenage romance, and all the usual sentiments (amma, rowdy, complexion and poverty – they’ve got it all covered). Though these aren’t over-the-top in the movie, some scenes do make an impact. I’m not sure why a director who is creative enough to make a brilliant entertainer questions the audiences’ ability to think through by explicitly showcasing these sentiments in separate scenes – they would have been understood even without them.
I also wonder why the same director had to include the absolutely ludicrous Powerstar and Sam Anderson as ‘comedy elements’ (which has sort of become the norm today) when the movie, as it is, is a compilation of all genres. Except for these little misfortunes (include the second half’s BGM to the list), Goli Soda has been brilliantly crafted with excellent characterization.
Masterly acting by each and everyone (okay not everyone) also takes the movie to a different level. Especially the four guys. We can clearly see how they’ve grown since their previous movies. But I wonder how they managed to reduce the decibels in the Aachi’s (Sujatha) voice who was always loud-spoken. The one aspect that stands out is that every character has a grey area. None of them are portrayed as completely white or black. That’s something that makes the story believable, something that all filmmakers should follow to make their movies more realistic.
One scene that definitely deserves a mention is the beautifully choreographed (yes choreographed), scripted and edited fight sequence at the start of the second half. The last time I believed a guy could actually knock down all the big, fat, trained villains was when the magnificent Kokki Kumar was confronting Moorthi’s warriors. Now these four little guys have made it possible through the eyes of Vijay Milton.
Despite all the larger-than-life heroisms, timely punch dialogues, projecting rich people as scapegoats for everything that’s wrong with the universe, people growing as Ambanis in a single song and the infamous shutter scene, you will find everything new and interesting.
There is this particular scene in the second half when the guys along with Aachi and Manthiravadhi (Imman Annachi) come to file a nomination opposing Naidu who has been owning the market for many years unopposed. Sithappa, who is in the ground floor, tells Naidu a ‘hi’ with a smirk on his face. That’s precisely what the new entrants in Tamil Cinema are conveying the big-time masala filmmakers in Kodambakkam. That they need to watch out for the competition, and that they don’t have a choice anymore.
Goli Soda – New competitor to all the Coca Colas and Pepsis
[rating:1.5]
