JOIN USChaarulatha
Conjoined twins falling for the same guy who loves only one of them leading to disastrous, or tame, consequences is nothing new for our filmmakers. What is new is the source of adaptation (due credit given to the original Thai filmmakers).
Chaarulatha is pared down from Alone considerably to suit local tastes and sensibilities. So, instead of the chilling horror that creeps up, we get an impressive background score accentuating the scenes along with camera angles and lighting. Indeed, Panneerselvam’s camera beckons you to revisit desi Switzerland, namma Kashmir if only to watch the slow death of the Dal amidst the silent peaks of the Himalayas. Yoganand Muddan’s dialogues do their job.
But none of the tunes linger and the film has to rely mainly on drama. Comedy is subdued here so much that it seems totally out of place, instead of providing relief.
Chaarulatha is right up Priyamani’s sleeve. The actress adds an extra dose of vulnerability,
with her slender frame and expressive eyes. And yes, her voice modulation is spot on — making it all seem too easy. Skanda lends good support but has little space to perform — standard in films of this kind. Saranya looks the part. Ravishankar looks menacing but only just.
With a minimum cast, Kumar’s screenplay manages to create some drama, heightened by Sundar C Babu. But the sense of déjà vu refuses to go away. The whole ‘lore’ surrounding conjoined twins is left alone, except in a single mention. The viewer has to look for inspiration to get spooked. But then Chaarulatha has enough to rekindle some of that intrigue.