Dusky beauty Nandita Das makes her debut in Tamil films - as "Azhagi" - Ace cameraman Thankar Bachchan's maiden directorial venture.

The Raksha bandhan, the Mangal suthra and the poor trees in the duet song have, over the years, been exposed - threadbare. To the suffocating Tamil audience, this film is a breath of fresh air.

Bachchan shows promise. In his very first attempt at portraying sentiment in an utterly endearing humane way. The fragrance of first love surfaces decades later in a chance meeting. Where the hero sees his beloved in dire straits. The rich young girl of his past, now a pavement dweller. Here, emotions speak louder than words.

The first half of the movie is shot in rustic surroundings ..the latter half shifts to the city. Village life, the school, incidents from everyday life, are all treated with finesse. The camera composes music for the eyes.

This film is a trendsetter. For the first time, every major character has been depicted through the three major phases of life. The choice of child stars is a major asset to the film. Nandita as Dhanalakshmi and Partheeban as Shanmugham have done themselves and their director proud. The child stars who play the younger two stages of Nandita's character are so like her in appearance and attitude.. it's uncanny.

The plot is simple. Shanmugham and Dhanalakshmi part ways at an age when they can scarcely comprehend what's going on between them - friendship, infatuation or love. Shanmugham becomes a doctor. He meets Dhanalakshmi as a pavement dweller many years later. This first glimpse...the encounters where he sits and eats with her ..where she shelters him from the downpour ..the characters play harp on your heartstrings. The song which, roughly translated -"whose fault is it .. yours or mine..?" draws tears.

Ilayaraja has proved beyond doubt - all over again - that he is the king of lilting rustic melodies.

The scenes where Shanmugham takes Dhanalakshmi home with him - to work - are a sequence of subtle human emotions. Shanmugham's justifiably possessive wife, Devyani, has done her role with feeling. Nandita lives her role, as does Partheeban.

A comedy track featuring Vivek runs parallel, not enriching the content in any way.

The conclusion, where Dhanalakshmi leaves and Shanmugham begins an eternal wait for her return are all priceless aspects of the director's unique view of human feelings.

Azhagi ..Beauty framed beautifully.

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