NAIYAANDI - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

NAIYAANDI

Production: S. Kathiresan
Cast: Dhanush, Nazriya Nazim
Direction: A. Sarkunam
Background score: M Ghibran
Cinematography: Velraj
Dialogues: A. Sarkunam
Editing: Raja Mohammed
Stunt : Dilip Subbarayan
Dance : Bobby Antony, Gayathri Raguram
Singers: Dhanush, Divya Kumar, Gold Devaraj, Leo Desouza, Niwas, Padmalatha, Ranjith, Sundar Narayana Rao, Susana, Swetha Menon
Lyrics : Arivumathi, Devendran, Karthick Metha, Ramaswamy, Viveka

Naiyaandi marks the return of Dhanush to lighthearted cinema after a slew of intense roles in the last few years. He joins hands with Director Sargunam for a comedy entertainer set around  Kumbakonam.

Dhanush plays Chinna Vandu, the youngest of three brothers, who falls in love with Vana Roja (Nazriya) when she comes to visit her grandmother, coinciding with the village carnival. After a few hiccups, their romance becomes mutual.

Chinna Vandu has to then handle his family members particularly his lovesick elder brothers and also a dreaded goon who sets his eagle eyes on Roja.

The initial segments of Naiyaandi are hilarious, with an animated introductory credits sequence establishing how Dhanush's two elder brothers are totally down on luck when it comes to marriage. The interval segment has another enjoyable little animated sequence which sets up the second half for plenty of situational comedy.

But, Naiyaandi turns out to be a really predictable affair for most of its running time, with the second half offering some solace thanks to the hilarious histrionics of Sreeman and Sathyan. Sreeman takes the cake among the performers and all the little efforts that he takes in order to look fit for romance and marriage, are laugh-worthy.

After we are entertained for a sizable portion of the second half, the climax again meanders to cliched territory as we have the villain and his sidekicks locking horns with the hero, in a stylized little 'filmy' stunt sequence before the expected 'happy ending'.

Dhanush isn't required to strain much and he waltzes through his role. His introductory sequence is vibrant and he shares decent vibes with the likes of Soori and Sathish. The expectations from this powerhouse performer are sky high and whether Naiyaandi has lived up to his caliber is highly questionable.

If it was 'brother' in Raja Rani, 'fraud' is the word for young Nazriya in Naiyaandi, and she looks sparkling as ever in a sizable role. She is addressed as 'aayalu' by her near and dear ones in the movie. Soori turns in another typical performance, nicely settling into the 'rural comedian' space.

Vamsi Krishna as the baddie, is as predictable as ever and we are accustomed to such villainy in numerous Tamil movies. Naren does an earnest father's role yet again with ease. Veterans, Pyramid Natrajan and Meera Krishnan, play the parents of the three brothers with good effect.

The technical aspects of Naiyaandi are good with Velraj's visuals being crystal clear even in those night shots across a paddy field dotted with windmills. The songs, shot in exotic Swiss locales are pleasing to the eye, though their placement leaves a lot to be desired. The room in Dhanush's house where all the bells and lamps are stacked up, and one where Dhanush and Nazriya share a few intimate moments is another visual highlight of Naiyaandi.

Ghibran's work on the background music is admirable, with the mounting expectations surrounding his work on Vishwaroopam 2's BGM score. The young composer has tastefully used instruments such as santoor and saxophone and he has done his best for every scene in the movie. The way the old Doordarshan theme has been used, is also very apt and timely.

On final analysis, though Naiyaandi brims with good technical values and a solid star cast, the novelty factor in the movie is minimal. When names such as Dhanush and Sargunam are associated with a movie, expectations are naturally high but Naiyaandi's brand of family entertainment is one that has been seen plenty of times.

Verdict: Naiyaandi provides a few laughs but is nothing that you have not seen before.

Read more »

VANAKAM CHENNAI - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

VANAKAM CHENNAI 

Production: Udhayanidhi Stalin
Cast: Priya Anand, Rahul Ravindran, Santhanam, Shiva, Urvashi
Direction: Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi
Background score: Anirudh Ravichander
Cinematography: Richard M. Nathan
Dialogues: Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi
Editing: T.S Suresh
Stunt choreography: Dilip Subbarayan
Singers: Andrea, Anirudh, Arjun, ‘Hip Hop Tamizha’ Aadhi, Charles Bosco, Country Chicken, Hard Kaur, Maria Roe Vincent, Papon, Pragathi, Suchithra, Vishal Dadlani
Lyrics : Madhan Karky, Na Muthukumar


What happens when the worlds of a small town boy and an uptown girl collide? A fairytale romance of course, and that’s strictly speaking in cinema parlance. Debutant director Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi plays out this tale with her toppings of sweet and sour in Vanakkam Chennai.

The story of Vanakkam Chennai is largely predictable right down to the fate of the fiancé (a London mapillai in this case, played excitably by Rahul Ravindran). But Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi puts some thought into it and treats it with a sensibility that’s refreshing. Her matter of fact presentation of a young unmarried couple living together is appreciable. Its a debut Kiruthiga can be proud of !

The first half trots along merrily with Ajay (Shiva) and Anjali (Priya Anand) indulging in one-upmanship that stirs up several laughs and saves the audience the trouble of wondering about the story’s progress. But the second half, despite Santhanam’s shenanigans, plays out more like a drama. This in turn stretches the movie to a running time of 2 hours and 31 minutes and much like Rosy Aunty, Vanakkam Chennai too takes its own time to say goodbye.

However the dramatic developments in the second half offers Priya Anand to show that she isn’t just a pretty face with an accent and uses the opportunity to perform earnestly in the emotional scenes. The actress is natural as the London based NRI and makes the most out of a meaty role. Shiva, on the other hand, has moments where he can be himself, like during scenes where he explains his accident with an aeroplane and while he’s pledging his head to the pawn broker Kishen Lal, but he too jumps out of his comfort zone and impressively fills into the shoes of an endearing love struck small town boy.

At the heart of Vanakkam Chennai is Anirudh’s music and his songs are greeted with cheers. If his songs had given the movie a great opening, his background score adds richness to overall movie watching experience. 'Osaka' and 'Penne' especially have been translated beautifully on screen, the former for capturing the picturesque landscapes of the countryside and the latter for dabbling with trippy illusions and make for great viewing on the screen. Richard M Nathan’s camera moves gracefully indoors and outdoors resulting in soothing visuals which are seamlessly pieced together by Editor Suresh. The set design and the art work too are tastefully done.

Vanakkam Chennai features a supporting cast of seasoned performers such as Oorvasi, Mano Bala, Nasser and Renuka along with the likes of Black Pandi, Aarthi, Swaminathan and Rajkumar who all appear in brief roles. Apart from the lead pair, the only character who gets enough screen time is Santhanam and its business as usual for the in-demand comedian and he doesn’t let the house down.

Overall, the film has enough jolly good moments through music, visuals and comedy to make it a worthy watch, leaving you satisfied.

Verdict: Great music, colorful visuals and jolly good moments make Vanakkam Chennai a nice watch !

Read more »

IDHARKUTHANE AASAIPATTAI BALAKUMARA - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

IDHARKUTHANE AASAIPATTAI BALAKUMARA

Production: V. S. Rajkumar
Cast: Vijay Sethupathi,Ashwin Kakumanu, M.S.Baskar, Nandita, Pasupathy, Rajendiran, Swati Reddy, V.S.Raghavan
Direction: Gokul
Background score: Siddarth Vippin
Cinematography: Mahesh Muthuswamy
Dialogues: Gokul, Karky
Editing: Leo John Paul
Stunt choreography: Anbarivu
Dance choreography: Raju Sundaram
Singers: Dr.Narayanan, Gaana Bala, Hariharan, Naresh Iyer
Lyrics : Karky, Lalithanand


Why should Kumudha be happy? She definitely has to be, not only because she is Sumar Moonji Kumar’s love interest, but also because her happiness makes your throat dry as a result of the amount of laughter it shovels out. After Rowthiram, Director Gokul seems to have struck the right chord, etching out a comedy movie.

Idharkuthane Aasapattai Balakumara (IAB) portrays the love stories of two attention-grabbing characters, whose individualities and backgrounds are at two extremes, but ultimately get to meet each other due to a few mistakes that come out as a cool message to the audience.

First things first, Vijay Sethupathi as Sumar Moonji Kumar has done it yet again, raising his pennant higher, making himself more visible to his fervent fans. The depth in his innocence and the foolhardiness in his love are a couple of things that stand tall in the character he plays, and Vijay Sethupathi has pulled it off in grand style. The actor is a revelation in the climax sequence, showing the other dimension of his acting.

Director Gokul’s introduction of the characters in a single frame with a touch of humour is an interesting point-out that sets up the stage. However, the golden touch of the director comes in the screenplay. Gokul has managed to narrate a single day story in a manner that makes you feel that you are so familiar with the characters in the movie.

Though IAB joins the list of numerous comedy films this year, the treatment and detailing is different if noticed closely. The first half takes its time to settle down with the characters, but at the same time there is slight experimentation with character-comedy and elaborately drawn out gags.

Ashwin Kakamanu, who plays the role of Bala, has had his own scoring areas, and the actor has exploited them well. His cartoon faced reactions to situations that could possibly drive a person mad, might seem a little exaggerated, but the humour it brings is applaudable. The hilarious portrayal of his battle between a difficult girlfriend and a super complicated boss has been handled perfectly and Ashwin appears to have delivered what was fundamentally required.

Swati and Nandita, the love interests of Ashwin and Vijay Sethupathi respectively, look beautiful and precisely like the girls next door. Though the actresses do not have too many opportunities to exhibit their talents, their characters play decisive parts in propelling the story to its finale.

When the performance of the lead characters produce the kick that was intended, the supporting cast have also chipped in intriguing bits that springs you up in regular intervals. The tone, accent and perfection in M.S Bhaskar’s character easily add to the hysteria of the watchers. Pasupathy, Naan Kadavul Rajendran, Soori, Madhumitha, Robo Shankar and Daniel have all played eccentric roles that work as alarm clocks reminding you to laugh every now and then.

Gokul apparently has included a tweaked version of Vijay Sethupathi’s ‘Enachu’ dialogue which Daniel (Romba Sumar Moonji Kumar), repeatedly utters at a particular portion in the film. Although, the dialogue activates the tickle nerves of many, the director has been sensible enough to cut it off at the right time.

Produced by V.S Rajkumar, under the banner Leo Visions and distributed by JSK Film Corporation, the movie bounces out into the middle with a whole hearted motive. Enthrall, Entertain, Enliven.

Idharkuthaane Aasaipattai Balakumara is not an adhesive that keeps you glued on the seat, but is a spring that might make you bounce with laughter. Go for it and make Kumudha happy.

Verdict: Idharkuthaane Aasaipattai Balakumara will make you leave the theatre happy !

Read more »

RAJA RANI - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

RAJA RANI

Director: Atlee Kumar
Producer: A.R. Murugadoss
Music Director: G V Prakash Kumar
Lyricst: Na.Muthukumar , Gaana Bala , Pa. Vijay
Singers: Gaana BalaG V Prakash KumarAishwaryaShakthi SreeClinton CerejoAlphonseAlkaVandana SrinivasanVijay PrakashSashaShalmali Kholgade
Cast:
Arya as John
Jai as Surya
Nayantara as Regina
Nazriya Nazim as Keerthana
Sathyaraj as Regina's Father
Manobala
Rajendran
Misha Ghoshal
Santhanam as John's Close Friend Sarathy
Sathyan as Surya's Friend
Gaana Bala as Special Appearance

AR Murugadoss' third home production Raja Rani has been released with a lot of expectations as his first two flicks had won the hearts of the audience. In the latest movie, Arya, Nayantara, Jai and Nazriya Nazim are seen in the key roles.

The movie marks the debut of Atlee Kumar, a former associate of successful director Shankar. In his debut movie, the young director has taken inspiration from Blockbuster Kannada movie Milana, which starred Puneet Rajkumar and Parvathi Menon in the lead roles. But he has made necessary changes to make it to look like an original piece for which he has to be patted on back.

Raja Rani is a beautiful romantic love story. The movie revolves around the love stories of the couples who decided to marry against their wishes. In Milana, the love between the couple grows with time, but in the latest flick, it bursts out all of a sudden as the movie starts nearing its climax.

There are two love tracks in the movie. In fact, it is third with John (Arya) and Regina (Nayantara) falling in love by the end of the movie. Raja Rani begins with the marriage of the lead stars. They wed against their will. Their chemistry doesn't work in the beginning and the couple hate each other. But the story takes a twist when Regina suffers a stroke and she reveals her past love story.

In the second half, we are told about Arya's love story. However, how the love blossoms between John and Regina? What are their past stories? What impact will Jai and Nazriya Nazim's roles have on the story? Watch the movie to get answers for all these questions.

Read more »

6 CANDLES - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

6 CANDLES

Cast: Shaam Ibrahim, Poonam Kaur, Nagineedu, Anil Murali and Narayan
Director: V.Z. Dhorai

  Actor Shaam is due for a massive hit for a long time now. In spite of proving his acting skills in a big way, he could not register a massive commercial hit to his name. This has made him to juggle between Tamil and Telugu film industries. The actor, who was last seen in Agam Puram in Tamil films, is returning to Kollywood with 6 Candles.
 

   Shaam stunned the audience with the first look of 6 candles. People did not recognise him in the posters and it came as a big booster for the movie. He has joined hands with Durai, who started his career by directing Ajith Kumar in Mugavari. His last movie Nepali was an experimental movie, which won critics' appreciation, but commercially it did not do well. He is returning to Kollywood after five years.
Their combo has been making positive noise with the trailer and the posters of 6 Candles. Especially, the trailer of the flick crossed two lakh views in no time on YouTube which clearly tells how people are waiting for the movie. Adding to that, Kannada superstar Sudeep, who saw the movie at a special screening, has praised the movie to heavens. Well, how this combo has worked out? What they have to offer? Find it in the review...

Story 

People might be wondering about what the title - 6 Candles - conveys. The answer is that the hero Shaam loses his son on his sixth birthday. The frustrated father, in order to find his only son, travels every corner of the country. In the process, we are told about child trafficking gangs. In simple words, what the father faces and learns, form the crux of the story.

Read more »

YA YAA - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

YA YAA 

Production: MS Murugaraj
Cast: Dhanshika, Sandhya, Santhanam, Shiva
Direction: I. Rajasekaran
Background score: Vijay Ebenezer
Cinematography: Vetri
Dialogues: I. Rajasekaran
Editing: T. S. Suresh
Stunt choreography: Thalapathi Dinesh
Dance choreography: Dinesh
Singers: K.G. Ranjith, Karthik, Krish, Malavika, MLR Karthikeyan, Rahul Nambiar, Steeve Vatz, Suchitra
Lyrics : Viveka

Ya Ya is a film directed by newcomer I. Rajasekaran and will mark the third release of the year for RJ turned actor Shiva who has a fourth one coming up next month. The film is expectedly a simple minded comedy about love and friendship.

The story begins on a good note with the introduction of Shiva and Santhanam, one is called Ramarajan and the other Rajkiran, named after the actors since their parents are big fans. The two however roam the streets assuming a different name – Dhoni and Sehwag respectively. While the initial set of scenes hinted that the film could take the Tamizh Padam kind of route by parodying the industry it soon dips its beak into the subject of love, and once Siva turns into a romantic this rom-com finds itself in no-man’s land.

The audiences watch Shiva’s films purely for the comedy and this film could have done with some more gags, especially since it features Santhanam too, but instead it stretches itself into love and betrayal segments that hamper the proceedings. A few more combination sequences between Shiva and Santhanam would have brought out more laughs with their contrasting yet complimenting style of timing and delivery.

As far as performances go, no one is really put to the task in this comedy caper. Shiva is his usual self and so is Santhanam, and both go about their business quite well. In a scene from Sonna Puriyathu Shiva threatens to dance to terrorize his nemesis but in this film the moves come without any warning!

Dhansika plays Sita, Shiva’s love interest, and it’s a simple role for the talented performer where she uses the opportunity to look attractive and shake a leg – something that she’s done very little of in her growing career. ‘Kadhal’ Sandhya makes a chirpy comeback to Tamil cinema as Ramarajan’s ‘mama ponnu’ Kanaka, and she’s effective in her comic portions.

The film also features Powerstar Sreenivasan who spends a lot of time doing impressions of all the top stars, sparing no one. His role is a brief one. Devadarshini plays the film’s cartoonish ‘villain’ as the buck toothed Councillor, and she performs with some effect.

Director Rajasekaran, a former associate of M.Rajesh, adopts the OKOK style of approach where there’s no real meaty story but the delivery being high on entertainment. But while Rajesh succeeds in his efforts by engaging the audience with a high dose of comedy and sparse use of sentiment and little else, this film finds it difficult to get the mix right.

Vijay Ebenezer’s songs make namesake appearances on the screen but Vetri’s camerawork is adept and presents moments that are good on the eye. T.S. Suresh’s editing is crisp and neat.

Verdict: Typical Shiva brand of comedy which has its share of hits and misses.

Read more »

MOODAR KOODAM - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

MOODAR KOODAM 

Production: White Shadows Productions
Cast: Anupama Kumar, Jayaprakash, Oviya
Direction: Naveen
Background score: Natarajan Sankaran
Cinematography: Tony Chan
Editing: Athiyappan Siva
Singers: KJ Yesudas, Naresh Iyer, Natarajan Sankaran, Naveen, Raginisri, SP Charan, Sricharan, Srinivas, Subiksha Richray
Lyrics : Mahakavi Bharathiyar, Naveen, Subiksha Richray, Vidwan Ve.Lakshman

Released under Director Pandiraj’s Pasanga Productions, Moodar Koodam marks the directorial and acting debut of Pandiraj’s former assistant Naveen. Moodar Koodam is a film with dark humor that attempts to trace the fine line between winners and losers.

The film is essentially about the acquaintance of four random guys who are down on their luck and their attempt to strike gold overnight. The rest of the story builds on a series of unexpected events and parallel topics that factor into their heist.

First of all, kudos to Naveen and Pandiaraj to believe in a project like Moodar Koodam. Dark humor is a genre which should be wholeheartedly welcomed in Tamil in this era of new wave cinema.

As a writer Naveen begins well with the character introductions and designs and for the most part he leaves the audience with a lingering thought in many scenes, attributed by the dialogues that he himself utters. Though designed to play on populism, the dialogues do manage to accomplish what it set out to do, garner claps.

As a director, Naveen is able to extract what he wants for his story barring some of the hostage sequences that feel like stage dramas. The film has its best moments when the action moves outside the house, like the several backstories and the North Chennai episodes. The influence of Tarantino is highly evident in the way he purposefully inserts backstories at calculated moments in the narration - which are presented as short and refreshingly imaginative music videos. The pre-climax and the climax too seem like a ‘tribute’ to Guy Ritchie.

As far as performances go Naveen again leads from the front with his sharp dialogue delivery and screen presence. Sendrayan, playing Sendrayan, being one of the key contributors to comedy in this film is mostly caricatured and is able to pull it off rather successfully, likewise for the experienced burglar ‘Maiyls’. Rajaji as ‘White’ and Kuberan as Kuberan have etched out decent performances, leaving little or no room for error. Jayaprakash is apt as the confused hostage whereas Anupama plays his silly wife. Oviya has little to contribute through performance. The kids in this film definitely deserve a praiseworthy mention, specially the little girl who gives Jayaprakash a tough time on the phone.

Natarajan Sankaran’s music excites you with its adventurous tone. All his songs used during flashbacks gel well with the mood of the movie. Tony Chan’s camera work shines through in a few places like the initial Sendrayan chase sequence.

Negative of Moodar Koodam is that as the story progresses indoors, Naveen loses his grip by having one too many redundant scenes. Impractical characters like the software engineer, Salim Bhai, Auto Kumar and Wakka from North Chennai also doesn’t help the movie maintain its momentum. Doing away with few of these unfunny moments could have greatly trimmed the length of the film which clocks at around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Dark or white, comedy movies are meant to engage and entertain and thats where trimming down the length would have greatly helped Moodar Koodam. Also, while the film had traces of adult humor it would have been bolder if the expletives hadn’t been sacrificed for the sake of the ‘U’ certification.

If few exaggerated sequences were avoided with a tighter writing, Moodar Koodam could have delighted the audience even more, but the movie further consolidates the surge of the new wave in the industry.

Verdict: Moodar Koodam will definitely need your patience, but give it a shot because it is dark, different, serious, silly and an attempt which should be encouraged.

Read more »

aadhalal kadhal seiveer - tamil movie review

Aadhalal kadhal seiveer

Production: Saravanan
Cast: Manisha Yadav, Poornima Jayaram, Santosh Ramesh
Direction: Suseenthiran
Background score: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Cinematography: Soorya
Editing: Anthony
Dance choreography: Shobi
Singers: Bhavatharini, Javed Ali, Udit Narayan, Vijay Jesudas, Vinaitha, Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics : J Francis Kiruba, Vaali, Yugabarathi
Distribution: Red Giant Movies

Actor Vishal had spoken very highly about Director Suseenthiran’s Aadhalaal Kadhal Seiveer (AKS) a few weeks back in an interview to Behindwoods and our expectations about the movie naturally shot up.

Suseenthiran is known for quality movies such as Vennila Kabaddi Kuzhu and Azhagarsamiyin Kudhirai. He has always been choosing diverse subjects in each of his movies and now he has based his latest movie on a teenage romance, set in an engineering college in Chennai. Selvaraghavan had towed a similar line, a decade back in Thulluvadho Ilamai but his setting was a school.

Here, Suseenthiran has not just stopped with showing the rosy side of such hormone-driven college romance but he has also focussed extensively on the striking realities and grim consequences that arise from such a romance.

The first half has its share of fun thanks to some lively characters in the college such as Arjun (earlier seen in Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi), the guy with a feminine voice and the reference to Mankatha Ajith’s salt ‘n’ pepper hair. Arjun keeps the mood light amid the tension around, with his spontaneous comments. The girl who plays Manisha’s best friend Jenny, is another important character and she adds a different angle to the proceedings.

The way teenage lovers coolly resort to lying, to save their skin at home is again enjoyable. But we get the feeling that save romance, nothing else is on their mind. We might also wonder if ‘crossing the limits’ is something which is so easy for this generation’s youngsters.

The running time of the movie is a crisp 106 mins and the screenplay is unwavering. The gripping family drama really takes the movie along, post the intermission and the finale is sure to leave a lump in your heart as we are shown the unfortunate little victim of this entire episode.

The casting in AKS is mostly on the mark with Jayaprakash and Thulasi as the heroine’s parents, investing their heart and soul into the movie. Under intense duress, both these actors mirror how parents would react in real life. Jayaprakash brings out the concern and helplessness in his body-language while Thulasi stands as a pillar of support for her troubled daughter in the end. Poornima Bhagyaraj as the hero’s mother doesn’t have much of a role compared to Thulasi.

The way both the families react to the crisis on hand and how people respond to the same situation in a different manner, are nice lessons in human behavioral dynamics. This brings out some really engaging drama in the second half.

The hero Santhosh Ramesh could have been a lot more spontaneous. Manisha Yadav plays the vulnerable and the emotionally fickle college girl pretty well and this is an extension of her role in Vazhakku Enn 18/9. She too has some scope to improve. The chemistry between the lead actors could have been more sparkling.

Yuvan Shankar Raja proves why he is the ‘Little Maestro’ in the finale of the movie and the little pathos song sung by Yuvan himself, will surely move you. The little child that comes in these scenes is a delight to watch though it’s really heart-wrenching as well. Great work by the team in capturing all the myriad reactions of this child in a candid manner.

Among Yuvan's songs, ‘Mella Sirithal’ is well-choreographed and comes in the title credits. ‘Thappu Thanda’ has been aesthetically shot too. He has composed some extra songs for the BGM score of the movie and they gel seamlessly with the screenplay.

The cinematography by Soorya is functional and shines through in the songs particularly.

On the whole, AKS is a ‘slice of life’ tale topped by a really impactful climax. Teenagers and their parents ought to watch this one, for sure.

Verdict: Suseenthiran is back in form with a short impactful teenage romance.

Read more »

AINDHU AINDHU AINDHU - Tamil Movie Review

555

Director: Sasi
Music Director: Simon
Lyricst: Na.Muthukumar
Singers: Simon, Deepak, Doddera, Preethika, Haricharan, Chinmay, iBlaaze, Sheeba, Truman, Sathya Prakash
Cast: Bharath, Chandini, Santhanam, Erica Fernandes, Sudesh Berry, John Vijay



Story:  It is a Mind Thriller Genre movie which is very rare to our Tamil Cinema. Last Mind thriller movie was Samar. Story of this movie is revealed only in the last 15 minutes. Hence, I don’t want to reveal it here.

Bharath – His Six Pack will speak much more than mere words for his hard work & dedication for this movie.  His 6 pack had already fetched him Bollywood offer. He has almost lived the role in this movie. His dance movements in the songs were too good.

Santhanam plays the role of Bharath’s elder brother and has limited screen presence with good characterization (not comedy oriented one)

Mirthika makes her debut in this movie. She had got a meaty role. She looks like Next Door Girl and her innocent expressions were cute in few scenes.

Cinematography by Saravanan Abimonyu was too good in the songs.Music Director Simon’s songs are quite good, but misplaced in the movie.

Director Sasi makes a comeback to Tamil Cinema with Action oriented script for the first time and has done a decent job in the second half. First half of the movie with usual romantic scenes tests the patience of the audience. But, he makes a strong comeback in the second half with engaging screenplay which has lots of twists. Flashback in the movie was quite good.

But, once the plot is revealed, asusual the movie ends with a routine fight between hero and villain. If Sasi had worked little more in the first half and had executed it little better, it would have been a HIT.

Overall, People who liked SAMAR may like this movie. It is a Different Genre to Tamil Cinema and hence, will receive mixed response

Read more »

THALAIVA - Tamil Movie Review

THALAIVA

CAST AND CREW

Production: Chandra Prakash Jain, CP Dinesh, CP Sunil
Cast: Vijay, Abhimanyu Singh, Amala Paul, Rajiv Pillai, Santhanam, Sathyaraj
Direction: AL Vijay
Background score: GV Prakash Kumar
Cinematography: Nirav Shah
Stunt choreography: Silva
Dance choreography: Chinni Prakash
Singers: Abhay Jodhpurkar, Benny Dayal, G.V. Prakash Kumar, Haricharan, Megha, Pooja, Psycho Unit, Saindhavi, Santhanam, Sheezay, Vijay, Vijay Prakash, Zia Ul Haq
Lyrics : Na. Muthukumar


In the much-anticipated wait for Thalaiva, director  Vijay remarked that he felt masses might begin referring to ‘Ilayathalapathy’ Vijay as “Thalaiva” Vijay instead of his long held moniker. Upon watching the film this perspective is not hard to understand as his latest, reveals a Vijay different from what we’ve ever seen before. Helmed as a more serious action flick, reminiscent of Godfather tones in its trailers, Thalaiva took on the bold task of marrying commercial action with a grittier look at how those without means seek justice for a myriad of social issues. Was the combo of Vijay & Vijay successful in delivering a balance of mass and meaning?

The film begins in beautifully picturized locales of Sydney, Australia where we meet typically talented and charming lover-boy Vishwa, played by Vijay, who along with a gaggle of dancers run a successful business while also pursuing fame in major dance competitions. The premise is the perfect excuse for Vijay to steal the scene with his youthful moves, and fulfill the comedy track of the film in combination with the always-entertaining Santhanam. A cute but at times silly & slow love story ensues between Vishwa and lead female character Meera, played by Amala Paul in her first pairing opposite Vijay. We learn early on of Vishwa’s close relationship with his father who resides in Mumbai, played by Sathyaraj who is depicted in an elusive but clearly powerful role, and through a plausible cause & effect the film shifts to India where the real story takes place. What follows is a portrayal of don-leadership for the good of the less fortunate, mixed in with familial politics and your typical revenge & good versus evil scenarios, but told in a stylized manner.

The first half of the film drags a bit given the lack of plot development. An hour into the film there is no real conflict at hand, however, within the few minutes immediately before the intermission the audience is rattled with shocking plot & character twists. There are several ‘gasp-worthy’ scenes soon after the break, based on Vijay’s portrayal and stunning cinematography of some raw (but not overtly gory) violence. Although the overarching revenge conflict & final climax scenes are not incredibly unique ideas, they are shot very well and add to the overall style quotient of the film.

Despite a large number of supporting stars the film primarily relies on a few strong performances to maintain the drama and suspense. Sathyaraj perfectly portrays and resembles the strong & silent elder type. Santhanam’s comedy is enjoyable as usual, but he evokes quite a few laughs particularly for referencing some of Vijay’s classic lines (“I am waiting”) & working hard for a chance to play the hero himself. Bollywood’s Abimanyu Singh as the key antagonist could have done a better job; given the intensity of Vijay’s character & the dark-running ‘Nayagan’ tones, a more legitimately frightening villain would have helped add to the serious tones of the film. Amala Paul does a decent job in a fairly interesting lead female character in a male-dominated story.

And of course when it comes to Ilayathalapathy, Thalaiva Vijay the film lives up to its selling point as his “time to lead”. His ever-present lover boy charm and penchant romantic-comedy is seen in abundance in the first half, but his true talent comes through after the break when we watch him so realistically portray someone whose innocence is erased with a few brief realizations and who takes to the ‘dark’ side with such ease. There are several moments when his character is vulnerable and unsuspecting, and that is refreshing as we witness true human weakness & then watch how he overcomes it. Although we have seen him in roles of authority or don-like symbols before (ie. Bhagavathy) Thalaiva shows us a quieter and more pensive hero who only flexes his muscles when necessary, but emits that intimidation from the moment he decides to lead. And his action & stunt work is superb as always, and with his well-maintained physique he looks great in both his avatars as a happy go lucky youth and as a leader. Credits also to Director Vijay in trying to present a different ‘Ilayathalapathy’ to his fans.

The song videos were a true highlight, not only for Vijay’s dance moves & the fresh choreography, but also for the beautiful cinematography.  The melody of “Yaar Indha Saalai “ was made sweeter with a cute video weaving together plot development with beautiful Sydney sights, but the “Thalapathy” and “Vanaganna” videos stood out for their colorful and grand portrayals, amidst the dark shades of the second half of the film. The BGM stands out more in the second half.

Technically the film is a real feat, with the kind of camera work & fast paced editing by Nirav Shah and Anthony, respectively, which capture the raw nature of the non-urbanized sections of Mumbai. The film emits a generally sober tone in its colors and costumes while in India, except for the songs, and that coupled with generally realistic looking action sequences by Silva make for a more adult entertainer. Kudos should also go to the costume designer/makeup artist who takes Vijay’s hair & looks subtly from boyfriend to don, leaving us with a mature and powerful looking VJ.

Overall, although slow at the start and missing in some of its character backstories, the film makes up for it with few unexpected turns of events. It is not an overtly commercial film made for those who expect equal parts romance, comedy and action, but a more commercially lighter look at the ‘Godfather’ genre.

Verdict: A different Vijay offering with enough impactful scenes, which takes its time to build up.

Read more »

SONNA PURIYADHU - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

SONNA PURIYADHU

CAST AND CREW

Production: 360 Degree Film Corp, Habib, Saandika Amarnath
Cast: Siva, Vasundhara Kashyap
Direction: Krishnan Jayaraj
Music: Yathish Mahadev
Editing: T S Suresh

Just about a month or so after the release and subsequent success of Thillu Mullu, Shiva is back to delight his fans with another of his typical comedy movies. The core team of Sonna Puriyathu, comprising director Krishnan Jayaraj, cinematographer Saravanan and music director Yathish Mahadev are new and Shiva felt happy introducing them to the industry.

Pre-release, the Sonna Puriyathu (SP) team had promised a light hearted entertainer which had no lofty intentions of delivering serious messages to society.

In SP, Shiva plays a unique dubbing artist who loathes marriage and leads a happy-go-lucky existence with his buddies. Buying a posh Volkswagen vehicle is his only motto in life for some trivial reason. But like 99% of other Indian movies, our hero has to fall in love with a girl and walk hand-in-hand with her, before the end credits roll.

Here, the romance isn’t the conventional ‘boy chases girl’ kind, but one which is kick-started by Shiva’s mother through a traditional marriage alliance.

Shiva oozes charm and makes us smile for whatever he does on screen. Such is his charisma! The scenes showing Shiva dubbing for Chinese action films along with his friend, are truly hilarious. He is in full flow in these scenes and even dubs for a little ‘monkey romance’ episode. The little references to Chennai 28 and Thamizh Padam are nice nostalgic trips down memory lane. Shiva’s ‘poker-faced’ dialog delivery style is his USP and his directors know it all too well. Also, watch out for his ‘Rosa Hai Dosa Hai’ Hindi song.

Vasundhara Kashyap has a sizable role and pulls it off pretty well. She must be hoping that SP proves to be a stepping stone for her career as a lead actress.

The actors who play the friends do a neat job with the fat young man given prominence. Sam Anderson’s cameo will surely leave you laughing. Such is his dancing prowess.

Vathsala Rajagopal as the tech-savvy Ipad toting grandmother gets a few entertaining lines while Mano Bala plays another of his quintessential roles. Meera Krishnan is another typical Tamil cinema mom who wants her son to get married at any cost. Gangai Amaran and Aarthi also do their parts in little cameos.

In all, though Sonna Puriyathu really peters out towards the end, if you are a fan of Shiva’s brand of comedy, it might just be the movie for you this weekend.

Verdict: Few gags in typical Shiva style

Read more »

PATTATHU YAANAI - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

PATTATHU YAANAI

CAST AND CREW

Production: Michael Rayappan
Cast: Vishal, Aishwarya Arjun, Santhanam
Direction: Boopathy Pandian
Music: Thaman.S
Background score: Sabesh Murali
Editing: A. L. Ramesh
Stunt choreography: Anal Arasu
Dance choreography: Raju Sundaram
Singers: Gana Bala, Haricharan, Karthik, M.M.Manasi, Rahul Nambiar, Shankar Mahadevan, Suchitra, Udit Narayan
Lyrics : Annamalai, Na.Muthukumar, Sarathy
Distribution: Global Infotainment Pvt Ltd

          Director Boopathy Pandian is known to deliver comedy based entertainers and when Santhanam comes aboard his story, it’s akin to gliding on a well practiced terrain giving the audience a fun time at the theatres. In Pattathu Yaanai (PY) produced by Michael Rayappan for Global Infotainment, Vishal joins the director after their last outing Malaikottai. Pattathu Yaanai also becomes special, for here is where, Action King Arjun’s daughter Aishwarya makes her on-screen debut.

         These days when there is Santhanam, he takes charge of the opening scenes and Pattathu Yaanai is also no exception. It is also interesting to watch the intro scene of a hero without much fanfare; Vishal just surfaces into the scene without any hype or hoopla.

          The story is as old as the hills; it is about how an ordinary person is forced into things that he may not otherwise venture and the offshoot of such event is all Pattathu Yaanai about. However, if you are that type who would expect a correlation between the title and the film, PY does not give you that till the end.

          Comedy serves its purpose however much mindless it can be. Example is the scene towards climax when John Vijay is constantly being harassed by a call from a call taxi driver and the cascading events.

          Some dialogues like “color Xerox edutha godzila maadhiri” and “ammavukku heart attack vandha kooda, doctorukku missed call koduppanga” bring the roof down.

          The story travels on a predictable turf most of the time but for a nano twist just before the interval block. In other places, it is quite evident that the screen play wanders around in many directions. The biggest drawbacks of PY are the cliched flashback sequences and over the top villains.

          Vishal has sincerely delivered what is expected from him. If you were to expect Vishal to showcase his six pack abs, you would be disappointed but the twist in the tale comes from the villain who removes his shirt to flaunt his chiseled torso. Action scenes though well choreographed, offers nothing new. More you see Vishal, more you would realize that here is one talented action hero who has not been fully utilized by directors till date.

          Aishwarya Arjun looks emaciated but fits into her docile role. Pattathu Yaanai is an apt vehicle for the debutante and there is not much for her to demonstrate in the department of histrionics. There is a big line-up of supporting cast in the name of John Vijay, Murali Sharma, Seetha, Patti Mandram Raja, Mayilsamy, Jagan and many more. Of the list, John Vijay shines through his unique voice modulation and body language.

          Santhanam rules in the first half but is missing in action in 2nd half. The actor has improvised on his dialogue delivery and body language as the son of ‘Poongavanam’ in PY and has worked out well. For a change, there are no double innuendoes and women-teasing dialogues from him. His hairstyle is also different in PY. Usually, in Santhanam’s movies, it is he who would take others for a ride but in PY, he is at the receiving end most of the time. In fact, in second half, the villains also double up as comedians and fill up the void left by Santhanam.

          Thaman’s music satisfies the requisites of the film. ‘Enna Oru Enna Oru Azhagiyada’ and ‘Twenty-Twenty’ are good listens. Other tracks are just about ordinary.

          Pattathu Yaanai would appeal to audience who would just want to come to watch a film without expecting much. In short the film does not promise much and hence does not disappoint much too.
Verdict: Santhanam saves one more movie !

Read more »

MARIYAAN - Tamil Movie Review

 MARIYAAN

DIRECTOR : Bharathbala 

  From shouldering the huge burden of hype and hoopla, Dhanush the actor has broken free from the stage of ROUTINE to an unfazed zone of acting. Mariyan strikes the unique balance of cinematic experience with everything you can dream of. In the hour of test and faith, Love prevails and gets the man ashore swaying all odds. Dhanush, the National awardee comes out with yet an award winning performance, so memorable you would forget to finish off the popcorn. What more could we expect from a team of zealous technicians who have come together to present a movie of a lifetime. However let's put on our magnifying glasses and review this movie.

  Dhanush has come a long way from the days of KadhalKondein, which was one of the firsts to showcase his talents in acting, and this movie pitches agony and love together, unleashing the unexpected. As a fisherman from the suburbs of Tamil Nadu, carefree but full of energy he is taunted by a girl sparkling with love for long. The film starts off in Sudan, Africa where Mariyan (Dhanush) is seen working for a contractor and after some rigorous 2 years of work, he is upbeat about getting back to home, sea, food and his soul mate Panimalar (Parvati). Dhanush and Parvati ooze the chemistry of love and separation in the first scene itself, a beautiful spring that showcases the excitement of meeting each other after a while.

  Instantly we are sent in a Flashback, where Mariyan is the nomad fisherman who is always happy-go-lucky and keeps smudging off Parvati, who is in her umpteenth attempt to lure Mariyan with Appukuty's help. The beautiful seashore, the people who flock around, love in the air, BB makes you literally smell the aroma of sea. The first half is a visual treat to watch and feel how the love of Mariyan-Pani evolves amidst the sweetness of the waves and fishes. The screenplay evolves lazily and the director takes plenty of time in the love segment, to an extent where it makes you wait for the intermission.

  Now that our patience was put to tremendous test, he justifies it through the second half where Mariyan is now held captive along with two other prisoners. In the middle of nowhere the prisoners are held at gunpoint by African terrorists who demand money to the company that handles them. From then on the movie almost transforms into a web of struggle and pain that Mariyan faces. Under traumatic circumstances, Mariyan encounters myriad images of Panimalar and takes that as a sense of inspiration to come out of his misery, and that does not come at ease. All said the torture and violence from the terrorists makes you wonder why? Their characters are not etched in a reasonable way, and BB could've given more insight on their drive towards cruelty.

  The movie itself is split in two milieus, one with a fisherman's routine life and love and the other is how much Love can catapult an individual to take the extra mile. In the middle of so many movies lately that end on a negative note, yet hit the BO, Bharat Bala has carved a niche among a positive tale tellers and has given a movie that you can take back home on a high note. The standard he has set is so breathtakingly high, that makes us wonder what next. To ponder hard and point the negativity, it should be the lethargic screenplay in the first half, as BB has taken a lot of time to tromp their love home.

  Rahman is one word "Awesome", be it the BGM or the songs, they sizzle throughout. In the scenes that follow the struggle of Mariyan it inspires and motivates perennially. For the underwater scenes, Rahman's ripple effect on the waters magnify with Auro 3D crystal clearly, that its realism demystified. And Marc the French Cinematographer! Boy what can we say about him! The rusty deserts, serene oceans, the fishy tale, enigmatic love and infinite range of visual awesomeness sum up his work. For the African part of the movie he has used mild and varied color tone.A bunch of Kudos to editing work by Vivek.

  Acting wise, no little or lengthy words to explain the magnificence of Dhanush, he can go up with heads high of the fact that, he is no more an ordinary actor down the lane and more is left in that lean body. Parvati as Panimalar is sure to create a crater size impact on Indian Cinema, her eyes twinkle and do most of the talking, but that doesn't stop the actress, her chemistry with Dhanush is one of the best in Tamil Cinema. Rest of the cast Appukuty, Uma Riaz, Jagan, African cast all live up to their expectations as well.

Verdict : 3.5/5
Ergo, a fine movie not just to watch and enjoy, but to feel and relish.

Read more »

SINGAM 2 - Tamil Movie Review

SINGAM 2

Production: S. Lakshman Kumar 

Cast: Anushka, Hansika, Santhanam, Suriya, Vivek
Direction: Hari
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography: Priyan
Dialogues: Hari
Editing: T.S Jai, V. T. Vijayan
Stunt choreography: Anal Arasu, Rocky Rajesh
Dance choreography: Baba Baskar, Raju Sundaram, Robert
Singers: Baba Sehgal, DSP, Hariharan, Kannukulle, Shankar Mahadevan, Sharmila, Shwetha Mohan
Lyrics : Viveka



  Hari’s Singam was about an honest small town police officer who is an embodiment of all virtues and values. He loved his Khaki more than anything else. And he operated within the indigenous shores to nab criminals and weeded out unwanted elements of society and to a large extent he remained a local domicile. In Hari’s Singam 2, the honest cop expands his horizons to bring peace to his place.

  From the word go, Singam 2 clearly establishes that it’s fulcrum is only action and the quantity of romance, sentiment and comedy that occupied equal proportion in Singam is less here. The film opens up with an item number of Anjali with a vigilant Suriya who also keeps her company in waltz but conveys to the audience that he is a man on a different mission.

  Director Hari adheres to all his usual ingredients from music to method of action scenes to the cavalcade of four wheelers to the structuring of sequences. He is known to string the various elements of commercial cinema viz. romance, action, sentiment and music in an entertaining fashion and he does the same in Singam 2 too with a racier screenplay that gives a lot of scope for action.

  Suriya shoulders the film big time. The sincerity and dedication of this artist is something that needs to be lauded. Suriya with his dialogue delivery, eye expressions, body language and live energy has redefined screen presence! What a show! The biggest challenge of doing an action packed ‘mass’ role is not to over do it, as its a very delicate thin line to cross. Suriya in Singam 2 pulls it off with consummate ease.

  The actor brings in a majestic and a respectable color to the police attire and his dexterity over action sequences is remarkable. Dialogues like “appa amma solra pechai kekkaama vera yaar pechai keppanga” when mouthed by Suriya brings out the earnestness of the statement. The efforts the actor has put in to his dancing is also visible with the ‘Singam dance’.

  The rain fight in front of Suriya’s house, revved up by DSP’s RR, Suriya taking charge as Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thoothukudi and Suriya making the first arrest of Danny are all power packed sequences.

  Hansika is effective and her role is meaningful and integral to the plot. Anushka is charming and has screen space in the second half. Santhanam is an enjoyable addition to Singam 2 and his sequences livens up the proceedings be it in the Arabian Kudirai episode, the Viswaroopam Kamal sequence or the Kadhal Vandhale scene. He makes us ask for more of him in the film.

  There is a long list of ensemble in Singam 2. Mukesh Hari and Rahman as the key antagonists supported by Naan Kadavul Rajendran deliver neatly. Danny Sapani, the London based artist as the international drug dealer is fearsome initially but tapers down towards the end. Sankarabaranam Vishwanath also makes a cameo.

  Music director Devi Sri Prasad soothes the audience with a melodious ‘Puriyavillai’ number. Rest of the tracks sound like an extension of the earlier enterprise. Kannukkule number suffers from wrong placement. Cinematographer Priyan neatly captures the Tuticorin and the South African soils and the car chase sequence in Durban has been done well. V.T Vijayan and Jay, the editor duo have worked in tandem with Hari to keep the proceedings pacy.

  The predictable nature of the plot and the climax could well be the downers of this otherwise well packed action entertainer.

  To sum it all, with Hari’s racy screenplay and Suriya’s terrific screen personality, Singam 2 strikes big time. Mass masala guaranteed !

Verdict: Watch it for Suriya. Screen presence redefined !

Read more »

AMBIKAPATHY - Tamil movie review

AMBIKAPATHY

What is it all about?

Bollywood and its love stories.. here is a new definition of love.. 'Amb
ikapathy' this Eros International feature which launches the south sensation Dhanush in Bollywood is a brilliantly written, marvelously performed and soulfully sung desi capricious love guide beautifully realized by director Aanand Rai..

We are used to feel good romancers with added dose of bromance thrown in regularly by the tinsel town filmmakers.. 'Ambikapathy' is an unsuspecting welcome surprise which turns from poetic to politics taking the viewers on a journey which witnesses adolescent, obsession, jealously, friendship, ignorance, innocence, faith, love, loss, sacrifice, anger, revenge, guilt all one after the another and hold its 'heart' right at the centre for its recognition as a wonderfully told different love story of Bollywood..

The Story..

Himanshu Sharma as the writer does a marvelous job here.. the story is set on the holy ghats of Ganges Banaras where Kundan (Dhanush) sees Joya (Sonam Kapoor) much before his adolescent and falls in love with her head over heels... Circumstances force Zoya to go to Delhi for further education. A wannabe politician (Abhay Deol) steals her heart... but be aware this is not a run of the mill triangle and just when you expect that now the feel good regular bollywood romancer will take charge.. the writer shocks you with a  twist which can be anything from a political conspiracy to a joke on the so called paper revolutionaries (social media) revolutionaries who jump in the protest without understanding the root cause of the issue.. and the writer manages this difficult task of twining the poetry of love in Banaras to the politics of the so called 'waken' up young souls in the capital Delhi in this new found 'touchy' adage of love which is also blended with attitude..

What to look out for

Aanand Rai and his writer Himanshu Sharma are in song when they take us to Banaras.. the settings, the mood, the atmosphere, the lingo everything is bang on.. Tanu Weds Manu proved that Aanand Rai is a good director... The banaras episodes in 'Ambikapathy' crosses the career bridge for Aanand and brings him to the point where his substantial talent becomes vividly clear.. Anand's narration backed by Himanshu's writing powers gives an utter assurance of a profoundly moving picture in store for us when the love story in Banaras grows and continue to grow.. the moments are highly entertaining, humorous, poetic and yet so simplistic.. Excellent.. as said earlier Himanshu Sharma's dialogues are sheer brilliant piece of writing but those silent moments in the film where everything gets shared with the viewers just by expressions is just magic..

The confidence by which Aanand Rai takes the movie to an unconventional route deserves high praise..Himanshu again supports the cause of his director and we get a pulsating climax which knocks you out of the blue and Vow!! What a way to end.. real Ashiqui.. must say..

Propelled by A.R.Rahman's soulfully soothing scores.. 'Ambikapathy' gets an inspiring lift.. Tu Mun Shudi, Tum Tak, Piya Milenge are highly addictive enhancing the movie watching experience..

Vishal Sinha and Nataraja Subramanian do a beautiful job with their camera which captures the beauty of Banaras and the chaos in Delhi to great effect.. Hemal Kothari editing is crisp..

Production Design by Wasiq Khan and Art Direction by Tariq Umar Khan is up to mark..

Coming to performances Dhanush debut in Bollywood is terrific.. he is a stealer.. those who has seen him are worthy of his talents and 'Ambikapathy' is all set to widen his fan base all over.. this actor is so simple and yet magical.. his comic timings is excellent.. while his emotional rendering on screen is touchy moving.. capturing the viewer right from the first frame till the end.. Dhanush with his brilliance makes us believe that this role was tailored made for him..

Sonam Kapoor is a revelation.. this is her finest performance till date.. Abhay Deol is fantastic..

From the supporting cast Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as the side kick Dhanush friend is the best. He gets some goods lines also.. he is sheer fun.. Swara Bhaskar gets a meaty role and she proves her versatility..

What not

The transformation of Ranjhanaa from poetic to politics is somewhat sudden and looks hurried.. though the sequences prove a point but it takes some extra time of the viewers to digest this sudden revolution in this love story..

Conclusion: 'Ambikapathy' this 140 minutes film strikes a rather unconventional notes of love ordered by Anand, orchestrated by A.R.Rahman's soulful tunes and powered by amazing performances by Dhanush and Sonam.. traveling between love, faith  and loss taking the viewer on a journey that ends with a beautiful final image we rarely see in cinema.

'Ambikapathy' is a movie that should be seen, savored and thoughtfully appreciated.

Read more »

THILLU MULLU 2 - tamil movie review

THILLU MULLU 2

Production: S. Madhan
Cast: Shiva, Isha Talwar, Prakash Raj
Dialogues & Direction: Badri
Story: Sachin Bhowmick
Music: M. S. Viswanathan, Yuvan Shankar Raja
Editing: Praveen-Srikanth
Stunt choreography: Dragon Prakash, Thalapathy Dinesh
Singers: Haricharan, Hemesh, Karthik, MS.Vishwanathan, Priya, Ranjith, Tha Prophecy, Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics : Kannadasan, Na.Muthu Kumar, Vaali

  The Superstar film of 1981 directed by the legendary K Balachander, returns with the same name with Badri helming the state of affairs and Shiva reprising the role of Rajnikanth. The load of remaking a blockbuster which had stalwarts associated with it, would have meant that the team satisfies the huge expectations set by the original. And luckily director Badri sails through the process quite smoothly giving the film his own touch and also making it modern to suit the present needs.

  For a population which was fed on a diet of K Balachander and Rajnikanth, the story is already known. For the ‘WhatsApp’ generation, Thillu Mullu is about the antics of a young man trying to hoodwink his boss to retain his job and love with a couple of lies.

  What is interesting and what works for Thillu Mullu 2 is while Badri has managed to retain the main story line, he has made the new version appear much more contemporary and at the same time not goofing it up one bit. For all those who have watched the original will not find any complaining moments and the film is breezily comedic and enjoyable.

  The strong point of the film is definitely Shiva and he suits the role of Pasupathy and Kandhan Ganguly so effortlessly. In one of the opening scenes, Shiva says that ‘he can never over act’, a statement that could not have been false anywhere. All that he needs to do is look at the camera and mouth a simple dialogue like ‘my name is Shiva’ with a poker face which is enough to send the audience on a laughathon.

  Director Badri has utilized this facet of the actor effectively and with suitable help from dialogue writer Balaji, Thillu Mullu gives ample fun moments. One example would be Shivas’ reply that he is in Mylapore when Prakash Raj asks if he is there in Facebook and there are quite a few such scenes in the film.

  For a film that is hinging mainly on humor, dialogues play a pivotal role and kudos to Balaji for rising to the occasion and delivering witty oneliners all through. Shiva’s explanation to Prakash Raj about his light eyed twin and his aunt’s (chitti) profession could best justify this. Towards the end when Santhanam appears, it is not an understatement to say that the actor buoys up the film to several levels. The scene is hilarious to the hilt with the comedian occupying the centre stage totally.

  There are quite a few scenes which are written with the sole purpose of evoking laughter like Mano Bala getting confused with Kovai Sarala’s profession where Balaji has played with words brilliantly. The mix up of two Jananis and her fathers is one hell of a laugh riot at the temple.

  On the performance department, we have veterans like Prakash Raj, Kovai Sarala, Mano Bala and Ilavarasu who deliver with effortless ease. Isha Talwar appears good looking and Krithika Nelson’s voice completes her portrayal as Janani. While Sachu, Soori and Sathyan round out the supporting cast, there is a long ensemble list of cameos from Sathyan, Venkat Prabu, Blaaze and the likes.

  Thillu Mullu 2 has retained ‘Raagangal Padhinaaru’ from the original with Karthik’s voice and the ditty ‘Thillumullu’ is remade with rap. Kaipesi number is pleasantly melodic.

  The film uniformly provides fun moments all through the viewing time but the tempo is slightly marred by the songs Aaja Aaja and Raagangal Padhinaru. If this had been taken care, Thillu Mullu would have further emerged as a crisper product.

  Summing it up, director Badri has successfully remade an old classic hitting the right notes without any compromise while rendering his own individual touch to the story.

Verdict: Enjoyable remake, good fun delivered

Read more »

THEEYA VELAI SEIYYANUM KUMARU - TAMIL MOVIE REVIEW

THEEYA VELAI SEIYYANUM KUMARU

Production: Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur
Cast: Ganesh Venkatraman, Hansika Motwani, Santhanam, Siddharth
Story, Screenplay & Direction : Sundar C
Music: C Sathya
Dialogues: Venkat
Editing: NB Srikanth, Praveen KL
Dance choreography: Brinda, Shobi
Singers: C. Sathya, Dr. Narayanan, Haricharan, Harish Iyer, Priya Hemesh, Ranina Reddy, Ranjit, Saindhavi, Sharmila, Vijay Prakash, Yazin
Lyrics : Pa. Vijay
 


  Sundar C is known for providing a good time to audiences at the theaters, thanks to the inherent comedy in his movies. He has an enviable track record over the past decade or two and last year he proved that he hadn’t lost his touch, with the superhit Kalakalappu, produced by the same makers of Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (TVSK) - Avni Cinemax and UTV Motion Pictures.

  In TVSK, it isn’t your typical Sundar C setting as the director has based his tale in an IT company and around an urban youngster, Kumar, who takes the services of a love guru (Mokia) to floor the lady of his dreams (Sanjana).

  Kumar is from a family of romantics, having a long history of love marriages. He isn’t an expert at handling women and it requires the entry of a dream girl such as Sanjana, for him to realize the unrelenting romantic within him. But he spends insane amounts of money as service charge, to achieve his goal.

  TVSK has hardly a few dull moments and it’s a joy ride most of the way. The pace is a little on the lower side in the first half, what with the presence of songs in quick succession. Post the interval, the movie picks up whatever steam it lost in the first, and floors the audience.

  The casting is good and Hansika as Sanjana looks her best till date. The ‘Azhagendral Aval Dana’ song seems really apt for this young beauty queen and she is all dolled up in the songs and provides the necessary oomph which is mandatory in all Sundar C movies. Siddharth is perfect as the underdog ‘next door’ hero who makes all the efforts to impress the woman he desires. Ganesh Venkatraman (referred to as ‘Gymku pona Gemini Ganesan’) looks hunky as the man who is envied by his colleagues in the office. He doesn’t have much to do after the interval.

  Santhanam is the dominant presence as expected and after the interval, when we come to know of the twist in his equation with Hansika, things really heat up. He looks dashing as Mokia, the high profile love guru who charges a bomb and even gives cupid tips to the likes of Arya and Vishal.

  The elaborate support cast is in top form and they deliver their share of laughs. RJ Balaji talks like none other and the speed of his puns and funny one-liners is impressive. ‘Forever bald’ Bosskey (referred to as ‘Anytime Motta’ by Santhanam), the ever-thin Mano Bala (addressed with nicknames such as Nataraj Pencil, Ice Cream Kucchi) and the loud but funny Vidyu Raman are among the actors who make a mark. Devadarshini is for a change not speaking the Tamil Brahmin lingo on screen.

  The typical Sundar C touches are almost invisible but the fact that the screenplay leaves no room for boredom is surely a credit to this veteran master at handling commercial movies. He has made his presentation and packaging contemporary. The involvement of Soodhu Kavvum’s director, Nalan Kumarasamy, in the screenplay and dialogues perhaps has added authenticity to the urban setting.

  The big scene at the brothel and the moments when a famous Vikraman song is played in the background, when Santhanam realizes the lovable nature of Siddharth’s family, are among the movie’s highlights.

  The songs composed by Sathya aren’t bad, but the placement, arguably the biggest negative of the movie, makes them serve as washroom breaks. But Hansika oozing out glamour in these numbers does keep the crowd in the theatres intact. The ‘Lovukku Yes’ song is one such Hansika special and the end credits number ‘Thiruttu Pasanga’ is an enjoyable end to the proceedings.

  To sum up, TVSK is bound to continue the long-lasting trend of well-made comedy movies striking it big at the box-office. It’s a movie that can be enjoyed with the entire family.

Verdict: With Santhanam in great form, TVSK is another comedy special to add to Sundar C's impressive resume.

Read more »

kuti puli - Tamil Movie review

KUTTI PULI

Production: N Puranna, S Muruganandam 
Cast: Lakshmi Menon, M Sasikumar 
Direction: M Muthaiah 
Story & Screenplay: M Muthaiah 
Music: M Ghibran 
Cinematography: Mahesh Muthuswamy 
Dialogues: M.Muthaiah 
Editing: Gopi Krishnan 
Singers: Gold Devaraj, Kaushiki Chakrabarthy, Padmalatha, Sundar Narayana Rao 
Lyrics : Ekadesi, Mohan Raj, Vairamuthu 

  When Kuttipuli directed by newcomer Muthaiah commences with blood spewing opening shots, you might believe that this could just be a basic arc of the film because it was certified with a U/A by Censors. However, as the story unfolds, you realize that the gore violence is spread all over the 150 minutes reaching a crescendo in the climax. Again, the sanguine tonality of Kuttipuli could still be acceptable if there was a plausible justification but unfortunately it is not so.

  The Sundarapandian pair of Sasikumar and Lakhsmi Menon had set up some kind of expectation based on their previous track record. However, but for giving the audience quite a few déjà vu moments of the earlier film, the pair does not render much here.

  The story of Kuttipuli is very simple. It is about a mother who does not want her son to follow her husband’s footsteps but desires his settlement in matrimony like every normal man.

  It is harmless if there is no storyline but it could get really destructive when there is a shortfall in treatment and presentation. Most of the time, Kuttipuli lacks any direction and drifts aimlessly. Inept screenplay, archaic storyline, pointless scenes and inconsistent characterization mark Kuttipuli. At no point in the film the director has a grip of his audience. The scenes involving Pappu and gang evoke some kind of laughs while not contributing anything to the progress of the film. There are so many foibles in the film and listing them would be pointless.

  Although Sasikumar is sincere in his efforts- he even does a neat jig of Silambattam- his characterization has nothing new to offer. His character of Kuttipuli is the personification of all things Madurai. He is someone who goes livid if something happens to women from his locality; does not raise his sight towards any woman; extremely respectful of his mom; fights ferociously and even tries to emulate a suave hero. The scene where Saranya and Ramaprabha deride Shah Rukh Khan as an emaciated soul is quite amusing.

  For Saranya, the role of a sacrificing mother is something that she can do in her sleep. Lakshmi Menon’s role is exactly like the one she did in Sundarapandian from her costumes to emotions to body language. Aadukalam Murugadoss in his supporting role as a friend of Sasikumar delivers his bit.

  The excessive usage of old songs especially Ilayaraja’s ‘Ponnoviam Kandenamma’ appears more like a mockery than a tribute. And there are many such songs used which are annoying to say the least.

  The tracks of Ghibran had created the desired effect when they were released. But the picturization has not enhanced its feel. Rest of the technical departments is just about average.

  The film travels on an excessive manipulative melodrama most of the time. And if you are the type who would go gaga over mother sentiment, mindless violence, punch dialogues, Kuttipuli may work for you.

Verdict: Strictly for those who favor ‘amma’ sentiment and rural violence

Read more »

Karimedu - Tamil Movie Review

Production: Rama Narayanan 
Cast: Makarand Deshpande , Pooja Gandhi, Priyanka Kothari, Raghu Mukherjee , Ravi Kale Direction: Srinivasa Raju 
Screenplay: Srinivasa Raju 
Story: Srinivasa Raju 
Music: Arjun Janya 
Cinematography: Ram Prasad 
Lyrics : Vivega 


   Karimedu is the Tamil dubbed version of the Kannada movie Dandupalya, directed by Srinivasa Raj, which released in 2012. The movie is sort of a warning to the public to be alert and careful at home and watch out for the many anti-social elements which might be on the prowl.

   Madurai and its surroundings are the scene of action here to suit the local sensibilities and we are shown a sizable gang from Dandupalyam, which goes about its nefarious activities with unfailing regularity. Their lifestyle is unsettling and the director has taken no half-measures in portraying their modus operandi as raw and graphic as possible. As a result we have plenty of violence and explicit visuals of murder, rape, sleaze and their dirty lifestyle. Unsuspecting women at home, are at the receiving end of all this violence.

   We have an efficient cop who is on their trail and his efforts to nab the gang also take a chunk of the screen time.

   Actress Pooja Gandhi is one among this dirty bunch of criminals and it sure takes guts from her side to get her hands this dirty. Her skimpy saree, the body language and the rustic makeup are all authentic and make her look the part. Nisha Kothari plays one of the gang’s unfortunate victims and the pretty lass looks ravishing. We have a little romance between her and Raghu Mukherjee - playing a newly wed couple.

   Actors such as Ravi Kale and Makarand Deshpande get into the skin of their gangster characters and Makarand in particular succeeds in making us hate his wicked motives. Ravi Shankar as the cop is convincing thanks to his aggression and authoritative ways.

   The entire movie carries a sepia tone and it suits the gritty and raw content. The background score by Arjun Janya is loud and dramatic. An item number towards the end showcasing Pooja Gandhi dancing along with her gang members turns out to be distasteful and too brash for our liking.

   As the movie is based on real-life incidents, it lends the events on screen some credibility, even though they are really violent and disturbing. Kudos to the director and team for taking efforts to portray such an impactful set of events in a vivid manner. But, the final product isn’t meant for a mainstream audience and the ‘A’ certificate seems totally justified.

Verdict: No half-measures in this explicit account of gangster violence.

Read more »

Masani - Tamil Movie Review

We have been flooded with comedy films in the recent months. A series of films in this genre have hit the screens since January. For a change, a film with super-natural story is before you in the form of Masani featuring Ramki, Akhil, Roja, Iniya, Sijarose, Sarathbabu, YG Mahendran, Adukalam Naren and others.

The film has not been in news like many other small-films in the recent times. But the posters of the film have generated curiosity in the minds of audience as it has been a while where audience came across a super-natural genre film. This factor made people to wait for the release. Now, let us see what the Tamil film has to offer. Read on for the review...

There is a village in Salem district where sculptors come to complete the Amman statue. The headman of the place, Sarath Babu with his Roja wants them to complete the work, but unfortunately who ever tries to work on the stature, they get killed or they ran out of the village. The troubles are caused by a ghost. Why? There is a flashback where we are told about a couple and their broken love. This forms the main plot of the story.

Director K Padmaraja has brought out various factors into the story like myth, beliefs and has tried to give realistic look to the film. By roping in seasoned actors, the filmmaker has brought out best from his artists.

Read more »