Madhavan, Shalini and Jaya Sudha

This film starts with Karthik(Madhavan) frantically searching for his wife Santi (Shalini) in a railway station. As the local trains come and leave that suburban station, Kartik remembers his first meet with Santi and how that turned out to be a meaningful relationship and marriage.

Kartik is an engineering college student in a city. Santi is a medical student living in the same place. Their love started by observing each other while traveling. As their love blossoms over a period of time, the couple informs their respective parents to talk with each other for the marriage proposal. Since Kartik belongs to rich family and Santi to a middle class family, there is some amount of friction in the talks which results in ego clash. Santi being a conservative girl decides to part with Kartik since the family ties are going to be strained.

But the separated lovers could not keep themselves away from seeing each other That resulted in Kartik and Santi getting married to each other at a registrar office and keeping their parents in dark. Later on, when parents came to know about their kids secret marriage the hell broke loose that resulted in love couple being through out from their houses. Then they start living on their own by doing jobs (these guys are graduated by now).

After they started living on their own, there seems to be small misunderstanding cropping up due to the circumstances created by the nature. At one point of time Santi comes to know that her father is hospitalized. When she asks Kartik to accompany her to the hospital, Kartik rejects to go along with her as her father has slapped him in the past. That evening she gets the news that her father is died. From that stage Kartik starts feeling uneasy in front of Santi thinking that he is indirectly responsible for her father's death.

The devil of suspicion in Santi assumes dangerous proportions when she happens to see Kartik hug the sister of Santi in a public place. The reason for the jubilation of Kartik was entirely different. As the couple is entangled in a cold war of misunderstandings, Santi comes to know the reason behind Kartik hugging her sister. When the clouds of suspicion have passed away from the heart of santi, she starts having uncontrollable excitement. She is going her way back to home ..........

On the other end Kartik is feeling tensed in the crowded railway station since Santi has not returned home and they had a big argument in the morning.

If you want to know what the whole suspense in the film, all I advice you is to go and watch out this wonderful film on a big screen with DTS effect and get your heart oscillate from one end of bliss to the other end of sourness. Dont ask anyone about the climax. Just go and watch it!!!

Artists:

Madhavan: Madhavan the model turned TV actor is playing the Hero role for the first time. Mani Ratnam knows what he wants and Madhavan is the perfect fit. His smile is his strength and Mani Ratnam used his smile to a mind-blowing effect. He is good at acting too, coz he is come from Tele vision. This man might not become a big star. But definitely can be casted in classic films
Shalini: Baby Shalini has transformed into Babe Shalini. She is a natural beauty and Mani Ratnam made it more natural by not applying her any make-up. She looks earthy and decent middle-class girl next door. This veteran actress did her role with ease and zest.
Jayasudha: She showed us again why she is called 'Sahaja Nati'(Natural Actress).

Other Departments

Story: The story is very thin. Hence only sensible directors like Mani Ratnam can handle them with cool treatments.

Screenplay & Direction: Mani Ratnam did his job with the perfection of master craftsman. The way he mixed the present with past and yet did not confuse with the interweaving is simply superb. You feel like you are watching something real and sensible.

Music: AR Rehman's latest sensational album Santi topped the Idlebrain's audio chartbusters till the last week. This film has a mix of melodious numbers and masti songs. The special mention should go to Sridhar for doing an extraordinary DTs mixing.

Choreography: The camera work by PC Sreeram is top class. The way he pictured the songs is mind boggling. The right mix of choreography and cinematography has elevated the quality of songs.

If you have watched the film Geetanjali, you feel like watching Santi in the same emotional depth. If Malaika did 'Chayya Chayya' for 'Premato', Sophiya Haque rendered her beauty for a special song, 'September Maasam' with a 'Rangeela' kind dress in this film. Mani Ratnam changed his tradition of keeping a guest number for his love coupe's first night( he did it for 'Hamma Hamma' and 'Rukhmani Rukhmani' song of Bombay and Roja. This film is a master piece by Mani Ratnam. If you like sensible films, I recommend you to cherish the magic in the magnetic offing by the creative whiz kid's latest dream Santi

A word of precaution: This film is real and recommended only for the class viewers. All educated people can gladly watch this film.