Kaadhalum Kadanthu Poagum - In Nalan We Trust!

After setting the bar high with his debut film "Soodhu Kavvum", Nalan Kumarasamy is back with his rom-com "Kaadhalum Kadanthu Poagum", an official remake of a korean movie. After a brilliant trailer that garnered unanimous praise from the netizens, the expectations for the movie sky-rocketed. With Vijay Sethupathi having back to back releases this year, will Kakagapo be a +1 in the hit list?

A love story of an uneducated rowdy with an IT professional - sounds impractical yet falls into the conventional elements in Tamizh cinema. Hold on. Nalan doesn't present you an unbelieveable love affair. There is a relationship that runs on the thin line between friendship and love, an unconventional romance, an underlying pain, an undeniable practicality and an unanswered question at the end - this sums up the unconventional love story presented by Nalan breaking the stereotypes. It is not a love story where a man chases his lady love till Kerala or USA to impress her. There is no hurry in the sequence of scenes. Nalan gives time for the scenes to evolve and the love story evolves too. 

Vijay Sethupathi as "Kathir" is a gangster and Madona Sebastien is an IT professional.  A very known catastrophe in the IT industry lands her as a neighbour to Vijay Sethupathi. We have seen similar roles from Vijay Sethupathi in his previous movies, but he is at his best when he teams up with Nalan. Madona makes a great impact as the help-seeking, desperate IT professional yearning to fulfil her aspirations. Samudhirakani plays a small supporting role, a cakewalk for him. The movie deals with the reality of IT industry during its run. Right from the "eyewash" interview panel to sexual harassment, everything is dealt with and they form a perfect ambience for the story. The screenplay is seamless - it doesn't test the viewer's patience eventhough the scenes take time to evolve.

Nalan Kumarasamy's attention to details, Santhosh Narayanan's placement of songs and Vijay Sethupathi's entertaining screen presence gives us an exceptional experience. There is romance on screen even when the lead pair don't even see each other. We have seen Vijay Sethupathi walking out of a bank manager's room with the "Soodhu Kavvum" BGM. There is one similar scene where Vijay Sethupathi walks out of an IT company, but there is romance, a sense of gratitude from the lead lady, a sense of relief from the lead pair that engulfs the frame. Kaadhalum Kadanthu Poagum is Vijay Sethupathi show all over and the response he gets from the theatre growing crowd is amazing. His carefree body language and his ease while delivering dialogues makes him the "special one" of Tamizh Cinema.

Nalan redefines "mass appeal" in Tamizh cinema. We have the hero beaten up by rowdies because of his carelessness and stupidity. The audience laugh at the scene that unfolds. In the next frame, he gets up and walks out wearing a cooling glass. We have the deafening screams of the viewers in the cinema hall - Were these scenes inspired from Vadivelu? The immediate thought that came to my mind is Vaigaipuyal teaming up with Nalan Kumarasamy for a laugh riot. We have humour throughout the show that is undisturbing. Santhosh Narayanan's BGM and placement of songs makes the movie a delight to watch. His ability to blend the songs into the narration such that there is no dilution of the script makes him the best in recent times. The songs come in splits and hence the narration has no hiccups.

Bottomline - Kakagapo : A Nalan Show!

Visaaranai

Visaaranai, after seeing a lot of international film festivals across the world, comes back to where it belongs - theatres of Tamizh Nadu. The film garnered highly positive reviews right from superstars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan to critics and jury members. Tamizh Cinema has seen a lot of promise from Balu Mahendra's proteges - Bala, Ram and Seenu Ramasamy to name a few. Vettrimaran is no exception. 

Visaaranai is about political interference in Indian judiciary, corrupted officials, white collars, police officers and hapless victims caught in the web - if that's the correct hierarchy of the so called "system". The movie starts in Andhra Pradesh with a group of four homeless migrants from Tamizh Nadu being picked up by the policemen and asked to confess a robbery they never knew about. The only connection they have with the robbery is the place where they stay, a park closer to the colony. They are repeatedly beaten up until they confess the robbery and finally taken to court. The second half runs along the same lines again, but the ambience and the nature of police investigation changes. Vettrimaran, taking inspiration from a novel "Lock Up" has interwoven few real life incidents to make a feature film that runs for less than 2 hours.

The realistic portrayal of police investigation sends a chill down your spine. The brutality handled by the policemen to make the victims confess the crime is terrible. Everytime a lathi blow lands on one of the victims, you feel the pain. Vettrimaran has achieved a rarity in Tamizh Cinema, making the viewers a part of the proceedings. Right from the first frame, he keeps everything real and there is no exaggeration anywhere. The authenticity of picturization is clearly evident from the crackles of walkie-talkies you often hear in the background in a police station. 

Vettrimaran is one director who makes movies which are critically accliamed and commercially successful. In Visaaranai, he has managed to place an intriguing sub-plot that keeps the audience engrossed throughout. There is love, there is friendship, there is betrayal, there is truth - everything blended in so perfectly that there appears to be no compromise. Above all, there is an element of fear that engulfs every frame - and it sometimes shifts to the viewers too.

"Attakathi" Dinesh gives his career best performance - Performance would be an understatement :  He has given his heart and soul.. and skin for the character. You can sense his pain everytime his muscle releases a spasm on a lathi blow - the most underrated actor in recent times. We can see his "Attakathi" version in a few frames that involves a love portion with Anandhi of TIN fame. Be it the frame where he emotes betrayal or the scene where he takes in more and more beatings to save his friends from being beaten to death -  a masterclass performance from an under-utilized actor. Samudhirakani and Kishore play their role with comfortable ease. They are the front-runners in the list of most sought after supporting actors. The investigation scene involving the two of them brings out the crux of the story, a true reflection of the reality - how political heads influence and make use of police and civilians as pawns for their own gains. Samudhirakani's shift from being confident when he has the upper hand in the first half to becoming one more pawn in the second half is just a sample for his versatility. Kishore's performance is perfect especially in scenes where he cries in pain before having his last breath. "Aadukalam" Ramadoss provides the humour quotient, and his boundary does not end there - he is only second to Dinesh in emoting the pain. Each and every person on screen is at his/her best, even the ones who come in for a single frame. Misha, as the only kind hearted cop makes an impact. 

Vettrimaran's dialogues are top-notch, they convey the much needed message strongly - The system feeds and is being fed by the powerful and the powerless are nothing but pawns. Editor Kishore has delivered one more masterpiece and Tamizh Cinema has definitely lost one of the bests in business. GV Prakash's background score is undisturbing and doesn't dilute the script. There are scenes where there is no background score - this makes us realise the impact the movie would have created in the international film festivals, where it was screened without the BG score. Being a definite contender for the national awards, Dhanush and Vettrimaran have one more feather to their cap - after Kaaka Muttai.

Bottomline - Visaaranai: The real face of Tamizh Cinema at the global arena... Oppukontaara?

Rajini Murugan - Harmless Fun Guaranteed!

Of late, there are new rituals followed in Tamizh cinema for a movie's promotion - a title release - a first look release - a single release - a teaser release - an audio release - a trailer release - interviews and promos - film release. And there is equal share of hurdles that come up for the producers to bring their film to the big screens. "Rajini Murugan" has faced both. Right from its inception till its release, the film garnered huge expectations. A film running with packed houses even after a week of its release - where did all these expectations start? Of course, in its title - Rajini Murugan.

Siva Karthikeyan, after his commercial outing Kaaki Sattai comes back to what he is best at. VVS team is back with their VVS 2.0, with a huge star cast this time. Soori, after a forgettable 2015, makes a comeback with this movie. His combination with Siva works for the second time and they provide a lot of lighter moments. Keerthy Suresh plays a girl-next-door role. Though the scope of her role is limited here, she is here to stay. 

Siva karthikeyan's improvisation of dialogues are clearly evident and his timing elevates the scene to a delightful state. His choice of scripts are amazing, so does his confidence in delivering comical scenes. Raj Kiran and Samudhirakani carry the movie on their shoulders, with Siva and Soori pitching in perfectly. For the first time, Raj Kiran serves as an entertainer. There are few places where Raj Kiran's comical side pops in and it is a treat to watch. This film gives a brand-new Raj Kiran for us. Samudhirakani plays a comical villain, one more sample for his versatility. 

There is one more ingredient which makes this movie, a perfect entertainer. Aptly titled, there are Rajinikanth's dialogues placed throughout the movie which provide an ambience for the scenes to move forward, a definite value addition to the movie's strengths. A movie with zero double meaning dialogues and zero intimate scenes is possible - Director Ponram's efforts to bring out a simple yet entertaining film is praise-worthy. The dialogues are masterly penned and they easily cover up the lack of storyline. There are few moments which try to preach, but those come in with humor too - rightly but lightly delivered. Lastly, the climax twist - Ponram delivers a comical twist and makes the movie even simpler! 

Bottomline - Harmless fun guaranteed... Nambi poanga, Sandhoshama vaanga!

Pasanga 2 - A Pandiraj Haiku

Branded with the national award winning "Pasanga", Pandiraj comes out with yet another script revolving around kids. In this flick, Pandiraj deals with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) and the need of parental support and care for the kids. How different and entertaining is Pasanga 2 from Pasanga?

The film revolves around two kids - Nayana and Kavin. Both of them are reported mischievous, hyperactive and out of control in their respective schools and as a result, their parents have to keep changing schools. Their pranks and dialogues are adorable and amuse you at many places. At some point of time, we expect these two kids to meet... And it happens with both going to the same school and staying in the same apartment. Once they join hands, their parents and neighbours have double trouble handling them. Their pranks draw attention of the apartment association, after which their parents decide to leave them in the hostel. We can get glimpses of Taare Zameen Par, but Pasanga 2 has more to offer. Will the hostel atmosphere change the kids? Pandiraj's answer is No. Then, how? That forms the rest of the story.

Ramadoss (better known by his character Muniskanth), Karthik Kumar, Vidya Pradeep and Bindhu Madhavi look apt in their roles as parents. However, Bindhu Madhavi doesn't impress with her expressions. Karthik Kumar underplays his role and his performance needs to be lauded. Ramadoss - Vidya duo evoke laughter with their exchanges, one more memorable performance from Ramadoss. Along with them, Surya and Amala Paul provide an extended cameo which definitely adds strength to the movie. Surya gives a full fledged supporting role, keeping aside his stardom, a bold decision and an incredible gesture for a good cause. Guest appearances galore throughout the movie with Samudhirakani, Imaan Annachi, Soori, Delhi Ganesh, Jeyaprakash making an appearance. Soori as Sanjay Ramasamy is disappointing. Samudhirakani's dialogue delivery always makes a great impact with his tone itself questioning the society. Imaan Annachi and Delhi Ganesh provide some lighter moments.

The movie takes on the Indian education system, privatization in education, attention seeking kids, the mentality of teachers and parents during its course. However, the movie never deviates from what it is intended to convey. There are some commercial elements sprinkled all over which are much needed ones to prevent the movie from becoming preachy. The screenplay is predictable and slows down the pace of the movie. 

Cinematographer Balasubramaniem wields a magic on-screen and the picturization is well complimented with Arrol carolli's bgm. Especially, the "chotta bheema" song is brilliantly picturized with 360° views. Arrol's songs are a big plus for the movie. 

Pandiraj's immense level of patience handling kids and making them emote is amazing and he does it for the third time. His dialogues are the biggest strength to the movie. His script is honest and questions the society boldly. One such scene is Samudhrakani's conversation with a govt school teacher outside a private school. The dialogues are simple but hit you hard. Pasanga 2 is technically strong and the final output is neat. Though the presntation is neat, it feels like the plot takes a lot of time to convey the intended message. 

Pasanga 2 is a "Pasanga" in the city. Watch it with your kids, a perfect holiday treat for the kids and must watch for the parents!

Bottomline - The film does not preach, it makes you think...

Paayum puli - A tiger that pounces late

Suseendhiran's pattern of alternating between commercial and realistic movies continues in Paayum puli too, after his successful outings in Pandiya naadu and Jeeva. His action movies hit the "believable" chord. Neither they have gravity defying stunts nor his heroes are larger than life. His protagonists are one among the masses, be it Vennila kabadi kuzhu or Naan mahan alla or Aadhalaal kadhal seiveer. Vishal - Suseendhiran combo is back in quick succession after pandiya naadu in just a span of 2 years. Does the combo recreate the magic?

The first half of the movie takes a lot of time building the plot, often disturbed by songs and romance portions. It begins testing your patience before it shifts gears just before intermission to prepare you for the second half. If not suseendhiran had compromised on the commercial elements, the first half could have been watchable. Vishal, with his physique easily fits in as the cop. Vishal is the only hero who makes you believe the action sequences except for a few gravity defying airborne stunts like aambala. Kajal agarwal is just a passerby in the movie, there are no strong scenes for her. "Love at first sight" is a clichéd addition to the screenplay, even the scenes turning out to be cliches. Soori's comical scenes evoke laughter at very few places, and he must move out of vadivelu's shoes. The first half is bearable only because of shades of susee style here and there. 

Imaan's bgm is below average and his songs prove a disturbance when the screenplay gets gripping - the songs are wrongly placed or placed for the sake of it. At the first sight of kajal, vishal falls for her seeing her fearing to cross the road. Imaan's "yaar intha muyalkutti" made me wonder why suseendhiran moved out from yuvan shankar raja's studio. Yuvan is definitely missed here. The compromise doesn't end there. The action sequences in the first half are definitely not "suseendhiran" style - must be "a miniature of director Hari in disguise". Cinematographer velraj makes an impact right from the first scene. From the looks of it, the title card was running through the clouds, but the camera was actually zooming in. The first scene with the top angle shot is a masterclass rendition from velraj. He does it in the climax too, a great way to end the movie. Suseendhiran's dialogues show their true color only after the pre-buildup for the interval block. 

The second half comes out with suseendhiran stamp, the scenes start moving at a faster pace. Again, Imaan's "silukku maramae" slams the brakes. By the time, suseendhiran just has 40min to rewrite the fate of the movie. Will he? Won't he? Does he? Yes, suseendhiran takes this route - the suspense. He manages to save the movie with his classy pre-climax and climax scenes. His "direct from the heart" dialogues, witty placement of suspenseful scenes, stamp of realism and intelligent usage of the built-up character sketch takes the movie past the boundary line. This epic transformation is just about enough to save an otherwise failure movie. Samudhirakani scores everytime and he doesn't miss this time too. The choice of his characters have always been perfect right from subramaniyapuram. The second half depicts the current day politics, the miserable life of businessmen in debts, "chameleon"  people (sandharpavaadha makkal). With Vishal and samudhrakani as brothers who stay on opposite sides of the law, is susee's emotional family drama, which gets a thumbs up from the viewers in the climax.

The intricacies in the climax sequence make it memorable. There is a realistic action sequence between vishal and samudhrakani, and during the fight, the two fall on both sides of the statue of a freedom fighter - their grandfather. Vishal falls to the left and samudhrakani to the right, vishal wears black and samudhrakani wears white - an irony to the fact that vishal depicts the truth and samudhrakani depicts the evil. ***Take a bow to the director***

Bottomline - A commercial masala movie saved by intriguing screenplay in the second half.