I HAVE FOUND IT
Directed & Written by: Rajiv Menon.
Produced by: Kalaipuli S. Thanu.
Director of Photography: Ravi K. Chandran & Rajiv Menon.
Edited by: Suresh Urs.
Music by: A. R. Rahman.
Released by: Kino Video.
Language: Tamil with English subtitles.
Country of Origin: India. 150 min. Not Rated.
With: Aishwarya Rai, Mammootty, Tabu, Ajith, Abbas, Srividya & Shamili.
DVD Features: Song clips. Music video montages. CD promos. Filmographies. Trailer.

In this delightful mix of tear-jerking drama and cheesy romance, director Rajiv Menon puts a South Indian spin on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. The film revolves around a single mother and her daughters. A cruel twist of fate, coupled with family betrayal, forces the family out from their mansion in the village and into the big city.

Like most Indian movies, this one revolves around love and marriage. The elder sister, Sowmya (Tabu), practical and down-to-earth, struggles with the stigma of being branded “unlucky” after a former fiancé committed suicide. She resists love, even when she finds it, scared of rubbing off her misfortune on the man who loves her - Manohar (Ajith), a budding filmmaker. Her younger sister Meenu, played by former Miss World Aishwariya Rai, is passionate, vivacious and outspoken. She waits for her knight in shining armor to “come like a storm,” and in true, serendipitous Bollywood style, she meets her love in a rainstorm. The fairy tale affair with Srikanth (Abbas), a poetry-loving businessman, comes to an abrupt end when he is forced to marry someone else. But in the spirit of Bollywood cinema, the film ends happily when Meenu finds love unexpectedly.

Both Tabu and Aishwariya give moving performances and Mammootty, who plays a handicapped, slightly jaded war veteran, is wonderful. Romance is played out with songs that transport the actors to exotic locations (including the Egyptian pyramids) for synchronized dances and furtive glances - with complete disregard for continuity. The film also has its dose of rain scenes, the Bollywood substitute for kissing scenes. And the catchy music, by A.R. Rahman, is largely based on classical South Indian themes.

In addition to the movie, the DVD includes many clips of its musical numbers. Though the DVD extras aren't much, the film itself moves quickly and is funny, moving and visually delightful. It gives the viewer a unique and dramatic glimpse into Indian society and for those unfamiliar with Indian cinema, it is an entertaining foray into the genre. Preeti Mankar
March 9, 2005