After the success of a film like Billa, another much anticipated Tamil movie was Ayngaran International's Tamil venture, Sarvvam (Everything). However, the Vishnu Vardhan-directed movie does not stand up to the hype.
For one thing, there seem to be strains of the Oscar-nominated 21 Grams, strewn heavily over the general storyline, it is just that the movie's first half has an overdose of light-hearted romance, which makes it rather unrecognisable. But it's the first half that's actually the best part of the movie.
It is strange to see Karthik (Arya) bounce onto the screen, clad in Broadway-esque bowler hat, waistcoats and striped suit. However, you enjoy the rousing Yuvan Shankar Raja number anyway, despite the fact that it fits nowhere in the story.
Very soon the movie slips into romance mode: Karthik literally bumps into pretty pediatric doctor Sandhya (Trisha) on a go-karting expedition, and its love at first sight for him. She resists the idea, and for good reason, as his "love' is based entirely on her good looks, and he himself confirms it.
Meanwhile, there's another storyline in the form of a mentally disturbed Eeswar (J D Chakravarthy), who after losing his family in a brutal car accident feels, in a twisted fashion, that he has to torment Naushad (Indrajith) and his son Iman (master Rohan) as payback for his own son. The problem is, he keeps looking at you without any expression all the time, that after a point, you can't really sympathise with the guy.
In the same way, you can't really sympathise with Karthik, either. In fact, you feel pity for Sandhya who steadfastly resists his romantic gestures. (Surprisingly for Trisha's work, she makes it believable when she does fall for him, and is perhaps the only shining part of the movie itself. The girl has actually acted her part well.)
Plenty of duets ensue. The background score is marvellous, proving just how good Yuvan Shankar Raja can be. Art director Manu Jagadh has done wonders with his sets, and the visuals are astonishing! Nirav Shah's camera work too is scintillating.
Anu Vardan's costumes are excellent, while Sreekar Prasad's editing fits the bill.
Sadly, those are the only things you can watch out for; the screenplay takes a nosedive post the intermission, and after that, the inter-lapping storyline that brings Karthik, Iman, Naushad and Eeswar is more productive of yawns, and disbelief at the credulous end, lack of logic, and endless chases.
Arya strikes the right note as the mischievous lover, his grey eyes glinting when he plays pranks but proves, yet again, that he'll have to work really hard to be known as a truly good actor.
J D Chakravarthy's torment-ridden act should have moved you by rights -- but the catcalls in the theatre tells a different story. Rohan, the young guy does a creditable job.
Though inspired by several Hollywood flicks, Sarvvam should have been a gripping emotional drama with well-placed action but for the second half that has lackluster performances and logic-less scenes. Plenty of Arya-worship also tends to be tedious.
Worth a watch though for the stunning visuals, musical score and Trisha's sequence.
Rediff Rating: 
