நினைத்தாலே புளிக்கும் ***

The starting scene has Shiva on a phony looking plane. Shiva is needled by the bloke sitting next to him, who in typical Indian fashion, persists in knowing every little detail about what Shiva is up to. Just when you think Shiva would grab the chap by his throat and throttle him, the scene shifts to a flashback.

Shiva is reminiscing about his college days. “College days – they were the best days of my life,” he muses. And why so? We see soon enough. He and his pals jeer and heckle another student who comes to college by moped (a type of motorised bicycle), and then beat up a guy who is pursuing a girl, because Shiva thinks he shouldn’t be doing so. They mix cheap whisky into Pepsi and feed it to a girl student, causing all round cheer for all except the girl in question. Then they make insolent fun of their lecturer, who is trying his best to teach them chemistry. Aren’t college days great ?

Shiva and his group are incensed because a hostel mate got a stomach upset, after eating the hostel food. They leave the class in a group, and head for the canteen. Once there, they empty a bag of live cockroaches onto the lunch of the College Principal, Warden and assorted lecturers. Whereupon the Principal promptly acknowledges their legitimate grouse, and orders changes to the Hostel management.

In between there is much singing and dancing. One song openly calls on Allah to do whatever the students want Him to do. If the right people see this scene, there could be a ban on the song, or even the movie, which wouldn’t be an entirely bad thing.

Then one day, Shiva decides the College needs a Students’ Union. He instigates a “strike”, ignoring the pleas of the Principal and management, and leads the students in violent clashes with the police. Finally the College management gives in and approves the Union.

Then come Union Elections. Naturally Shiva is a Candidate. And the villain, Vasu, instead of standing against Shiva, cleverly manoeuvres Shiva’s girlfriend , Meera to do so. And she does. This leaves Shiva fuming. Many things happen, and finally Shiva and Meera both have to leave the college.

***

It was Sakthi's dream that these classmates should have a reunion ten years from graduation. But Sakthi dies under mysterious circumstances. His parents decide to fulfill their departed son's dream and bring his classmates together for a reunion.

It is during this event that Shiva is found, almost dead, strangled by a guitar wire (is that possible?) Naturally everyone suspects the villain, Vasu. But turns out it was actually a Muslim girl, Shali who did it. This girl was making up the background crowd throughout the movie, and most viewers would have thought that she was there to represent the minority Indian Muslim community. But there is more to it. Apparently she was in love with Sakthi (which no one suspected). One day during the election fracas, Shiva muzzles Sakthi to death with a chloroform soaked cloth, not realising who it was. Shali saw this but kept quiet for 10 years. After he had killed Sakthi, Shiva realised his mistake. But he too kept quiet for the next 10 years.

The coming together of the classmates is an occasion for the participants to regurgitate the past and go nostalgic. Everything turns out fine for Shiva, who finally marries Meera. The rest watch and cheer.

Waste of 2 ½ hours and RM 11.