Taken ten

Okay, so Kamal has done three before. But this time it's a 10. Ten Whole Different Roles. There's Kamal the scientist, Kamal the Dalit Christian activist, Kamal the Japanese ninja, Kamal the ultra-tall Musalmaan, Kamal the shriveled granny, Kamal the sardar pop singer, Kamal the rogue CIA agent, Kamal as, the lord help and preserve us, President Bush. Did I get all 10? Oh wait, you have to go all the way back to the 12th century to get one more (the first to appear in the movie)—a Brahmin priest who gives up his life because he refuses to renege on his lord. That still leaves one: maybe I will remember by the end of the review, maybe not.

Because this three hour-and—some extravaganza, blitzed by some mind-blowing special effects, starts feeling stretched much too soon. What is it with super heroes and unending sagas? You can do what you want-rush around in American basements, run through the kovils of Chidambaram, ride mile-long limos, or dance with a pugree on-but underneath all those characters, there is The One and Only Kamal Haasan.

Sure, there are the ladies: Mallika Sherawat gets to play bad, and is given a lousy exit; Asin screeches and squeals in the best Tamilian leading ladies tradition, and Jaya Prada looks sadly worn. Basically, it's all down to The One and Only Kamal, playing the noble eco-warrior intent upon saving the world, in terrible prosthetics, and thick latex layers. Why is the make-up so ghastly?