CHENNAIYIL ORU NAAL

The Tamil remake of the acclaimed Malayalam hit Traffic, Chennaiyil Oru Naal, comes with a stellar cast list and fair bit of marketing push, thanks to the involvement of Sun Pictures.

The movie serves as a nice platform to educate the audience about the novel concept of organ donation. It does so through an action-packed premise which also tugs at our heart strings, as a police car has to deliver a heart from Chennai to Vellore just in time to save the life of a 13 year old girl.

A lot of characters are involved in this gripping mission such as the police commissioner who has to manage the entire logistics and practicalities of the trip, a tainted police constable who seeks redemption, a narcissistic superstar who encounters the realities of his personal life and a young doctor who is caught in a fix, to name a few.

The emotional quotient of the movie is also pretty high as we have one family which is grieving the loss of their dear one while another is desperately waiting for the heart to arrive. So we have dramatic action on one side with a nice emotional undercurrent running through. The script is the main selling point of Chennaiyil Oru Naal and kudos to the director Shaheed Kader and the screenplay writers Bobby-Sanjay and Ajayan Bala.

The movie does have some unwarranted frenzy towards the end and this episode turns out to be a bit far-fetched as the car is in a race against time through a crowded narrow alley to reach Vellore in time. But, the overall motive of the movie and the way it has been presented makes this particular episode just a minor blip.

Chennaiyil Oru Naal owes a lot to the solid performances by all the acclaimed actors in the cast. Cheran has the best role as the man who executes this high-stakes mission while Sarath Kumar is the brain of the mission as the city’s police commissioner.

Prakash Raj as the self-centered superstar, Radhika as his concerned housewife, Prasanna as the distressed doctor, Jayaprakash and Lakshmi Ramakrishnan as the grieving parents and Parvathi Menon as the heartbroken girlfriend are among the other notable performers. We also have Mallika uniting with her Autograph pair Cheran after close to a decade and Iniya’s role throws the script open to more tension in the second half.

Lookout for a surprise cameo by a Superstar who also promotes the cause of organ donation in the end as the credits roll.

Mejo Joseph takes care of the music and there are a couple of songs at the start as the premise and characters are setup. His RR is mushy and dramatic as per the demands of the script.

The cinematography by Shehnad Jalal shines in the accident scenes and also while covering the fast moving car on the highways of the state.

Mahesh Narayanan’s editing patterns add to the excitement and tension among the audience when we are waiting to see how all the characters are thrown into the mix by one particular incident. Interesting work indeed

On the whole, we have a movie which offers excitement and also educates us about a vital concept which can prove to be a life-changer to any of us in need.

KEDI BILLA KILLADI RANGA

In the current times, comedy is the most preferred genre that guarantees good business and assured patronage and when you top this up with neat presentation and decent performances, the product is bound to hit the right notes with the audience. Pandiraj’s Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga falls in this category.

Director Pandiraj is known for his clean levity and he also packages his content with a positive message, without much sermonizing. This works well for his films and the audience. KBKR is about the story of two friends without much focus in life and what happens to them in the course of their life.

The biggest strength of KBKR is its family friendly nature. Entertaining presentation, clean comedy, fitting dialogues and decent performance mark KBKR. At a time when there is abundance of stress in everyone’s lives, a hundred and fifty minutes of clean fun at the theatre is the most sought after and KBKR renders this with ease.

Pandiraj’s dialogues sparkle with sharp wit that gives the film a positive edge. Moolayai vida saalvaiya madhikkaraan daa, Liftunnu kettaa Swiftukku wait panna koodadhu, Olai mattaila onnukku adicha maadiri are a few examples. The laughs keep coming at regular intervals.

To an audience who is used to seeing women getting slapped at and beaten up, it is a welcome change to see the hero getting bashed up and that too by the heroine. Quite a novel factor indeed! And there is a justification for this by the affected individual in a Bacchanalian bash by the men folk. Hilarious! And Pandiraj continues this streak of siding the women when Siva Karthikeyan bullied by women utters “hey, neenga ellam annan thambiyoda perakkaliya?” And Pandiraj’s women characters in KBKR are much stronger than his men in a very nonchalant manner and they call the shots right through very effectively.

The romance that blooms between Siva Karthikeyan and Regina isquite enjoyable. It is indeed different to see heroes imagining about their death procession. The election results scenes in the second half are extremely well done and bring the roof down.

Siva Karthikeyan plays to his strengths and is quite entertaining with the apt comic timing in dialogue delivery. Vemal is in his comfort zone and pulls it off convincingly. Regina Cassandra is the find of the season and scores big time. With a relatable and a very non-filmiface, the girl delivers a spontaneous performance. Suri is his natural self and plays it straight without resorting to histrionics. When he says ‘scenela twistaam’ at Bindu Madhavi’s house on Delhi Ganesh’s change of mood, it sounds epic. The friend who is always seen with them is notice worthy. The supporting cast of Delhi Ganesh, Muthuraman, Sujatha and others are apt.

Technically the film is adept with camera work and editing,sticking to the dictates of the script. Yuvan’s RR is pleasant in a few places and the songs gel with the mood of the film not impeding the flow.

Although in the first half, the gags keep coming, sometimes you wonder where the director is going to take us. However the second half is done better with father sentiment and a message and Pandiraj ends his film on a purpose-ridden positivity.

Comedy is a fail-safe formula and when done well, there are no two opinions about the result and Kedi Killa Killadi Ranga is the best testimony to that.

KAN PESUM VARTHAIGAL

Kan Pesum Varthaigal is radio jockey and television star, Senthil’s launch pad as a hero. Directed by R Balaji and produced by Sri Balaji Cine Creations, the film also stars Iniya, ‘Jangri’ Madhumita, Livingston and Murugadoss in central roles.

The story is of an aspiring shuttler, who gives up his passion and takes a job in Singapore so that his parents can be proud of him. But what destiny has in stock for him is Kan Pesum Varthaigal in a nut shell.

There’s no question about Senthil and Iniya’s performances. They are good at what they do. Madhumitha and Murugadoss are impressive too and are in fact witty in parts.

But the film lacks a concrete story and specific genre. It makes one wonder if this is a romantic story or an inspirational one that has gone bad. The story keeps shifting routes quite often and isn't clear.

Livingston plays a part too, but a very small one. That said, there are only four characters around which the story is built. But with just these four on screen (most of the time) and practically no substances in the story, the film pushes the audience to boredom. There are too many dialogues and pretty long ones that make us lose track of what happened the scene before.

Another drawback in the film is its poor production quality. The cinematography, background music, dialogues and even production design create a mega serial feel. The zoom ins and tights during a catchy dialogue, a noisy bang for hero’s punch lines, too much drama and innumerable twists to elongate the story as much as possible, also give the audience a TV serial feel.

Shamanth’s songs are neither impressive enough to make people hum nor capable of holding them from going out from a walk. The BGMs lack improvisation and therefore go unnoticed.

On the whole, Kan Pesum Varthaigal is a 140 minute drama with few notable performances and a shallow story.

KARUPPAMPATTI MOVIE REVIEW

Prabhu Raja Cholan, a former associate of director Shankar, has earned his first opportunity to be a storyteller through Karupampatti. The film is said to have been based on some real life incidents and it has been shot in France and rural TN.

Karupampatti is essentially the story of a young NRI attempting to retrace his roots and bestow upon them something, which has been long overdue.

The concept, even if it has been harped on about for years, is bound to strike a chord with the migrant community. The director also plays the family-togetherness card which may please members of the older generation. The treatment of the idea is not at all preachy or sorrowful; in fact there is comedy and jovial characters aplenty, thereby steering clear of the mega-serial effect.

Karupampatti is Ajmal's first big ticket as a lead hero in Tamil and one can sense that he is clearly enthused with the responsibility thrust upon him. He performs with high energy that sometimes borders along theatrical excessiveness. He plays two roles set in different periods with contrasting personalities and he performs with obviousness to enhance the difference. Aparna Bajpai has a sweet smile that she’s made to wear in most of her scenes but her role and scope is rather miniscule.

Jagan and Srinath have more prominence as contributors in the comedy department and their wisecracks and retorts don’t fail to evoke a giggle. The other cast members include character artistes like Balasubramaniam, Devadarshini and Chetan among others who ease through their roles as faithful family members. M.S. Bhaskar too chips in with some comedy in the first half. The international face Alice Tantardini appears only for a brief montage sequence and has little time to make any mark.

The overall production value of the film is quite good, especially in the song sequences that are enhanced with a lot of color and simple yet crafty art design. With the dance masters themselves making appearances in a couple of songs, the choreography is lively. The cinematography by Santhosh Sriram and Sanjeevi Sathyaseelan is quite deft with the usage of hand held work in the Paris sequences and capturing the earthy color of the village.

Prabhu Raja Cholan seems to have his course chartered precisely, to give a jolly ride coupled with a novel message for the whole family but has only let himself down with several inconsistencies. While the story is appreciative of the unity amongst village people he also introduces, for the sake of a fight sequence, a bunch of foul mouthed and misbehaving villagers as goons. There is also an incomplete romance set in the 70s.

By way of comedy and colorful songs, Karupampatti on the whole has a lighthearted and easygoing approach that makes you overlook the timeline and logical lapses and the cinematic liberties that have been taken. Let there be no doubt that this is a full blooded commercial family drama.

All these suggest that if the writing had been more rigid, it could have greatly succeeded in bringing families from far and wide for Karuppampatti.

MARANTHEN MANNITHEN MOVIE REVIEW

Prior to the release of Kumar Nagendra’s Maranthen Mannithen, there was a slight confusion as to whether it is a Tamil – Telugu bilingual or a dubbed version of the Telugu original Gundello Godavari which released a few weeks back. The music of Maestro Ilaiyaraja made sure that there was some expectation attached to the release of the movie today.

It begins interestingly enough with a hush-hush marriage between Malli (Aadhi) and Chithra (Lakshmi Manchu) under mysterious circumstances, followed by a raging flood which devastates the entire village. Malli jumps into action and makes sure that he and Chithra hang on to their lives. Then, they decide to uncover the secrets in their respective lives to make sure that they die without any guilt.

The film then moves to flashback mode as we are shown what Taapsee has to do with Aadhi’s life and in the same way the men in Lakshmi’s life are also brought to light.

Even though the ambitious attempt to portray a flood ravaged situation is appreciable, the usage of miniatures, green screens and VFX is evident. This entire attempt turns out to be tacky. Otherwise the visual tone of the film is rich thanks to the magnificent Godavari river backdrop that is present in most of the scenes. The cinematographer M.R.Palanikumaar has done a decent job and that counts as a positive aspect of the film.

Both the lead characters’ flashback scenes have nothing interesting or marked. Taapsee’s character has been fleshed out as one who is on a hormonal overdrive, constantly lusting on Aadhi. Lakshmi’s pre-marriage life has its share of womanizers too and the resultant melodrama is dated and passé.

Though Taapsee looks ravishing, such an inconsequential role which solely intends to showcase her physical attributes, may not look good on her resume. Aadhi’s physique and manly edge are obvious pluses but his emotions need more work. Lakshmi Manchu’s mature appearance is evident alongside younger heroes. ‘Yaaruda Mahesh’ Sundeep shows some promise as Lakshmi’s childhood flame and with good scripts he is bound to make a mark. The rest of the character actors are all familiar faces in the Telugu industry.

The film’s dubbing leaves a lot to be desired. The lip sync is out of place at many instances and certain portions in Telugu have been retained. When they have decided to dub a movie, why not dub entirely rather than leave a few scenes untouched?

Rooster fights are supposed to be a crucial aspect of the script in Lakshmi’s flashback portions but one such sequence has been entirely passed off just with the appropriate sound design in place. No visuals of roosters fighting at all! When they have taken the efforts to portray floods through CGI, they could have attempted the same for this rooster fight sequence too.

Ilayaraja’s scores for the movie are uninspiring with each number having shades of his yesteryear numbers. With the movie having an 80s setting, the songs sound apt for the period but there is hardly any memorable number. And two crass item numbers, one in each half, are a real eyesore. Raja’s background score makes a mark in certain scenes.

In all, the movie suffers from lack of nativity and its content is also heavily dated and pedestrian.

VATHIKUCHI MOVIE REVIEW

Fox Star Studios entered the industry commissioned to deal with quality projects and their first Tamil production Engeyum Eppodhum reflected their motto rather capably. Their latest offering, Vathikuchi, is an action-entertainer written and directed by P. Kinslin, a former associate of A.R. Murugadoss who is also the co-producer of this project.

Vathikuchi tells the story of an individual who unwittingly earns the wrath of others through his own actions, even if it is deemed to be noble. There are separate groups of people that are plotting for his blood, each having their own reasons and motives. Who these individuals are and what drives their vengeance makes for the story of Vathikuchi.

Promoted as the next big action hero, Dhileban literally puts his body on the line as he accords to get beaten, shot at and dragged along rough terrains, but he too has his moments where he displays adeptness in the action sequences as he sends his opponents flying several feet above and beyond. His casting is justified as he fills into the look and demeanor of a share-auto driver quite effectively. Anjali’s character seems like a marriage between her effervescent role in Engeyum Eppodhum and Asin’s role in Ghajini (the former a Fox Star Production and the latter a Murugadoss film is just coincidental?) and her role makes for the light-hearted portions of the movie. The other integral cast members include Jayaprakash, Sampath Raj and Jagan. While Jayaprakash and Sampath Raj have been seen in similar roles in the past, Jagan’s role and performance could prove to be eminent for his career even if his impish expressions might have been one too many. Saranya Ponvannan and Raja play the typical doting parents, and they have little to offer in their roles.

Tuco’s line from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - “When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk”, would serve as a good advise for Vathikuchi's baddies as they spend a whole lot of time scheming and planning the perfect crime but can’t seem to apply it effectively in action, which serves all too well for the hero. As for the hero, he is shown to be quick-witted to emphasize that he’s not all brawn and that he possesses a good presence of mind that keeps him one step ahead of his foes. The elements that make up these sequences remind us that we are watching a full blown commercial fare.

For the most part Vathikuchi is fairly engaging with its interesting story line and with Kinslin assuming the role of the story, screenplay and dialogue writer apart from direction gives him full control over his narration and he doesn’t deviate too much from his duties. Stunts are the film’s mainstay and Rajasekhar has done a commendable job with the sequences. The action sequences are deftly captured by cinematographer R.B. Gurudhev who uses the ultra-slomo to good effect in the fights. Editors Praveen-Srikanth do their bit to ensure that the tempo and the intensity of the film is well maintained, even as it has to make room for the love track. The songs on screen may not exactly have the same color that the music emits but it stays well within the story and setting and Ghibran’s background score is effective at best.

To wrap it up, Vathikuchi has equal moments that will interest you as well as make you restless in your seat.

PARADESI MOVIE REVIEW

The name Bala spells reverence in film industry and the director known for his gritty raw tales on lives of marginalized people is back again with Paradesi and this time around the National Award winner has set the milieu of his story in the pre-independence era in a tea plantation. Said to be loosely based on Red Tea by Paul Harris Daniel that has been translated into Tamil and Malayalam, Bala’s Paradesi chronicles the thorny path of an oppressed community.

Harsh famine pushes people from Chalur village to migrate to a tea estate for employment lured by the false hopes of an overseer (Kangani). At the tea plantation, they are subjected to a scheming slavery by a heartless group of people who work for Britishers.

There is always an unusual brilliance about Bala’s body of work that is hard to disregard and Paradesi is no exception either. The master auteur reiterates that he is the chief when it comes to delivering a realistic hard hitting tale. Brilliant characterization, good screenplay, amazing performance and overall a superb team work mark Paradesi.

You don’t find any actors in Paradesi. They are all real people in whose sorrow and happiness, we take part. We root for every character from the main to the margins and that’s where the success of a maker lies. Hence when the climax is being played out, it cannot but help strike a deep chord in our hearts.

Heroes on screen have been lacking in failure and vulnerability but not in Bala’s films. As Raasa aka Ottuperukki, Atharva Murali delivers a stellar performance and he is bound to go places in the industry! He handles the buoyant and the submissive aspects of his characters with brilliant acuity. The scene where he opens his mouth to receive food from Vedhika or his disappointment in the wedding where he is dodged of food or the climax scene where he portrays a totally helpless countenance are just a few samples.

Vedhika who reminds a lot of yester year Srividhya performs spiritedly and is comfortable in her character while the nuanced performance of Dhanshika scores well too. Atharva’s grand mom is amazing and she makes a solid impression with her unique voice and her wisecracks during serious situations bring cheer.

Villains in Bala’s films are always menacing and ominous that you would actually want to reach for their throat at the slightest opportunity and Jerry who plays the Kangani in Paradesi also elicit the same response. The vicious glint in his eyes is quite forbidding.

Sharp wits are a part of every Bala’s film and Paradesi follows suit too. The top of the pick would easily be ‘andha ezhavai ellam unga mandiri kittave kelunga’ that comes up when Atharva’s uncle is asked about the count of his paramours. Bala also throws light on the conversions of the colonial times and the Viceroy’s comment that these people are more dangerous than the Kanganis drive home the right effect.  Nanjil Naadan’s dialogues lend veracity to the period feel. The Panchayat scene where Atharva and Vedhika communicate through sign language is poetic. The climax is a riveting one that makes a huge impact.

Technically Paradesi’s team has worked in sync with the script. Chezhian’s camera work is one of the highlights of the film which glides through the nooks and corners of the settlement of the village unobtrusively and is in tandem with the mood of the film. G V Prakash’s scores have well reached the audience and all the numbers gel well with the narration.

As always, in Paradesi also, Bala has chosen an unchartered turf to tell his tale and has delivered with aplomb. But for people who prefer populist fare and happy stories that are far removed from reality, Paradesi may not work. Bala takes a bitter pill and has not made any efforts to sweet coat it but still makes a powerful impact. And next time when you have tea, Paradesi would definitely come to your mind.

SUNDATTAM MOVIE REVIEW

Set in the early 90s, Sundattam, directed by debutant Brahma Dev and starring Irrfan and Arundati in the lead, deals about a carom board player, his love and arduous life. Produced by AD Film Fame Productions, the film’s technical team consists of Composer Britto, cinematographer Balagurunathan and editor LV Thasson.

Sundattam talks about North Madras’ most celebrated and dangerous gambling arena of early 90s and the cruelty it brought to its players.

Prabhakaran aka Prabha (Irrfan) is a professional board player, who uses his striker only to gamble. He encounters a girl and falls in love with her. He meets with a number of challenges as he tries to balance between his life as a gambler and love life.

So, good things first! The good aspect of the film is its cinematography and the DI coloring. Balagurunathan’s camera work makes every frame look realistic and rugged, but picturesque. The shots used when the characters are high with drugs are note-worthy. Secondly the DI coloring enhances the raw look of this period setup film.

Thirdly, the background music by Britto in the second half of the movie is interesting. With the extensive exploitation of myriad of rhythmic instruments, the BGs maintain the suspense throughout the run.

Irrfan, who plays the hero, lacks screen presence. His inhibited emotions are obvious and he has to work on his voice. On the contrary, Arundati shows promise and her subtleness in portraying her character might win the hearts of the male audience. Madhu plays the main villain. Though he aptly looks cruel, his voice is hard on the senses.

Naren plays a gangster and the episode which shows the acrimony between him and another gangster, Ameer, ends abruptly. However, both the actors play their part with perfection.

The film also has few noisy rowdies. Though it is understood that the film is set in the 90s, watching these over exaggerative bad guys on screen is annoying.

However, director Brahma Dev must be appreciated for his sincere effort in showing the dark side of early North Madras in a convincing and gritty way. But his script fails him. It lacks the elements of surprise and is too straight forward. Is Sundattam a story of gang war, love or carom board, remains unclear.

On the whole, Sundattam doesn’t keep you glued, but the rawness might attract few eyes.

ONBATHULA GURU MOVIE REVIEW

P T Selvakumar, manager of Ilaya Thalapathy Vijay makes his debut as director in this Cosmo and Boss production venture of Onbathula Guru with a tag line of 4 idiots. Vinay Rai, Arvind Akash, Premji, Sathyan, Chaams and Lakshmi Rai round out the ensemble cast with the latest toast of the town Powerstar Sreenivasan in an opening cameo.

Although the title Onbathula Guru (OG) is suggestive of some astrological position, there is nothing remotely associated with celestial planets in this debut film of Selvakumar which showcases the reckless and to a larger extent, pointless lives of four friends.

Making a spoof film is not an easy task as it needs a lot of dexterity in the craft. The problem with OG is it’s indecisiveness in deciding whether it has to be a total spoof or if it has to follow something else. There is a continuous lambasting of every other film and every other artist in the film industry, that after a point, watching it becomes tedium. Once the limits are crossed, it no longer appears in good taste.

There are plenty of irrelevant situations and women could not have been showcased crasser than this in any other recent work. It is ironic that OG has chosen International Women’s day to hit the marquee! Perhaps to make amends, the director places a dialogue in the climax as a damage control measure but by then enough dent has been already done.

Movie appears as a mere pattern of events stitched together that seldom seem engaging. The characters are fleshed out in a slapdash manner although the actors are very sincere in their performance. Even if we are willing to forgive the thematic naiveté, the narrative structure and characterization leaves a lot to be desired. OG tries to be funny but most of the times, the jokes end up being crude and they fall flat.

There are plenty of actors who sashay on but nobody leaves an impact. After a long time Manthra makes a cameo and there is Sona too. Of the four friends Vinay Rai has more screen presence and is earnest. A fitness challenged Lakshmi Rai enters the film post interval and does her job neatly. Arvind Akash, Chaams and Sathyan try to bring some rev in to the proceedings. There is a parody of almost all the popular artists from Kalaignar Karunanidhi to present day Ajith.

On the tech front, cinematography, music and editing are just about serviceable. The songs of K are not anything that you will hum the next day. The much promoted Vaa Machi is ordinary and like every other scene in the film, it also mocks women.

MATHIL MEL POONAI MOVIE REVIEW

Films with a non-linear narrative structure and those with more than a single story as part of the proceedings are generally interesting as we are automatically inquisitive to know whether the stories have anything in common. That point when the two stories converge is highly anticipated.

Here, we are told at the beginning that Mathil Mel Poonai is based on real life incidents. Two stories are shown in the first half – one shows a bunch of school kids who are roguish and utterly violent in their modus operandi and the other is a typical filmy love story between a beautiful girl and her driving instructor. How the two tracks converge is the interesting part of the movie which is around the interval segment of the movie.

It is actually disturbing to see small kids indulge in such violence in the first half. The director actually shocks you in the segments before the interval when the main kid by the name Johnny goes on a mad manic spree and results in a bloodbath.

Just as we expect something interesting in the second half after the interesting way in which the intermission is set up, the second half that follows is one which is mind-numbingly violent. The proceedings happen in a hilly area for the majority of this part before an inexplicable shift in terrain in the climax. How did the experienced editor duo Praveen – Srikanth miss such an abrupt transition just when we expect the movie to head towards its resolution?

Though the first half has an interesting narrative structure, the two stories if analyzed on a standalone basis are equally clichéd. The kids’ antics remind you of other movies such as Pasanga, Kalla Thuppakki to name a few. But here it is really violent and the actual reason why the kids are so fierce isn’t properly established, more than the customary blame being put on their upbringing by parents and teachers. We have a fat kid in the group as is the unwritten rule, and we have the expected farting jokes and trumpet sounds accompanying his actions.

The romance between Vijay Vasanth and Vibha has nothing new in it either and you start wondering why romance is so dumb in most of our movies. It’s a severe test of Vijay Vasanth’s capabilities as a solo hero and the sudden heroic change in his character graph towards the end is jarring.

The boy who has acted as Johnny really brings on the manic rage in his expressions and body language and the kid is bound to go places. The other Brahmin kid who is at the receiving end of all the violence and abuse wins your sympathy. Karthik as the elder Johnny tries to carry forward the same hyper mannerisms and rage and he succeeds partially.

Vibha Natarajan is pretty and she has been put through a strenuous physical experience in the second half. Even early in the movie the director shows that she can run pretty well and she has to do the same for majority of the second half. Towards the end she gets to indulge in some violence of her own and she even puts on a heroic visage as she spits out blood in one of the scenes. The bankable Thambi Ramiah’s clichéd comedy portions in the school portion fall flat.

Ganesh Raghavendra’s songs are pretty likable but the background music has been done in a really loud and amateurish manner.

Miracle Michael’s stunt choreography sparkles in the scene when an Aghori Baba and his little girl protégé take on Johnny and his friends in the second half.

On the whole, the director Bharani Jayapal’s basic idea of portraying the extent to which kids can go, if they aren’t brought up in a proper way by their parents and teachers, is laudable. But we wonder if kids can go to such violent extremes just because of a few incidents which make a mockery of their self-esteem.

50 merry days

Among the 4 Pongal releases - Alex Pandian, Samar, Puthagam and Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya, the Santhanam starrer KLTA has managed to emerge as a successful film.

Santhanam produced this movie through his Handmade Films banner and with the business acumen of experienced people like Ramanarayanan and Udhayanidhi Stalin, KLTA managed to rake in the festival moolah and it completed 50 days yesterday in a few centers across the state.

Powerstar Srinivasan is a big star now thanks to KLTA and he even managed to steal the limelight from Santhanam. Vishakha Singh and Sethu also made a mark in KLTA.

Rajini and Deepika

the core team of Kochadaiyaan assembled for a screening of the film and the film’s hero Superstar Rajinikanth and the film’s Direction Supervisor K.S. Ravikumar were reportedly thrilled with the outcome.

Giving some insight into the film, K.S. Ravikumar has said that the equation between Rajini and Deepika Padukone will not just be romance. Infact there is a full length action sequence between Rajini and Deepika that the ace director says will bring the roof down. That particular action sequence was choreographed and filmed in London.

Meanwhile, reports are emerging that the film may hit screens only in July as opposed to talks of an April 2013 release.

Kamal Haasan

Kamal Haasan, after a long and hard struggle, has seen mighty response to his ambitious project, Vishwaroopam. The film has joined the hundred crore club and has also done good business in foreign soil.

Kamal, in an event prior the release, had revealed that he had mortgaged his house to a private money lender. The actor has now supposedly paid the money back to the money lender by mortgaging the same house to a nationalized bank, which allows him to repay the amount on easier terms. With the film seeing good profit, Kamal is sure about getting back his house very soon.

Meanwhile, the work for the sequel of Vishwaroopam has begun and is reportedly being made on a budget of Rs 55 crores (approximately).

Ameer in trouble

RN Amirtaraja, a member of Central Board of Film Certification, has filed a complaint against Ameer with the commissioner of Police, for the director’s comment against CBFC. The director of Ameerin Aadhi Bhagavan had alleged that the censor board has been behaving like Mafia and that it has unnecessarily slapped an ‘A’ certificate for his film.

This comment hasn’t gone well with the Censor Board. Amirtaraja, in his statement has said that the film was rightly issued an ‘A’, even after threats from Ameer. The Censor Board members were allegedly demanded to issue a U certificate by Ameer.

Therefore, Amirtaraja, on behalf of CBFC, has appealed to the commissioner of police to take necessary action against the director for his ‘objectionable comments’. 

Family audiences

Nayanthara’s role in the next Udhayanidhi Stalin starrer Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal would be a homely one which gives her a lot of scope for performance. She would sport a de-glam avatar in the song sequences as well, said the director of the film S R Prabhakaran.

Her character in the movie would be called Pavithra, a middleclass working girl from Coimbatore, who falls in love with Kathirvelan. The film is set in Coimbatore and after canning this schedule in Chennai, the team intends to move to Coimbatore to shoot the remaining portions.

We are sure the family audiences would love to see Nayanthara in such a role.

All in All Azhagu Raja

There are some new exciting and experienced additions to the cast list of All in All Azhagu Raja. In addition to Karthi, Kajal Aggarwal and Santhanam; Prabhu, Saranya Ponvannan, Naren and Kota Srinivasa Rao will also be a part of this comedy special by Rajesh.

In a surprise move, Thaman has been signed on as the composer of the flick when it was expected that either Yuvan or Harris will compose tunes for the movie like other earlier Rajesh movies.

Studio Green are the producers of this film which is eagerly expected by fans of Rajesh after the name and fame he has earned with his movies like SMS, OKOK and Boss.

AANDAVA PERUMAL MOVIE REVIEW

We have had countless Tamil movies which have the following components – a jobless hero with a caring father, naughty sister and an equally wastrel friend who doubles up as the comedian, the hero’s one side love and the inevitable clash with a gangster with the bone of contention being the heroine.

Aandava Perumal also joins this long list of movies and it has nothing new to offer, whatsoever. The film’s only relief comes in the way of some funny moments in the first half. For example when a character by the name Ajith Kumar says that he is an assistant manager in Swiss Bank (!!!) and when another guy listens to a Telugu song and calls it an Urdu song written by Amitabh Bachchan, you can’t help but laughing at the sheer buffoonery and inanity.

The hero, Sivan, lacks the physical requirements or the countenance to qualify as a solid hero material. His attempts at dance in the opening number also fall flat. His comic attempts are half-passable though. ‘Lollu Sabha’ Jeeva as the side-kick provides hardly any memorable funny moments and in fact Sivan turns out as the better comedian in Aandava Perumal. The heroine Idhaya just about passes muster in the looks department and her equation with Sivan suddenly catches fire towards the end, inexplicably.

The film has been made on a meager budget by R.Jana and nothing much can be said about the cinematography or the locations. The BGM score has about three or four tracks which are repeated at regular intervals, almost with clockwork precision. None of the songs will stay with you after you leave the cinema hall.

Towards the end, we are supposed to sympathize for the hero and the director,Priyan, has tried his best to induce that feeling in us by replaying all of the hero’s so-called memorable moments in the movie in one flash.

NANKAM PIRAI 3D MOVIE REVIEW

CAST AND CREW

Production: Sudha Screens
Cast: Aryan, Monal Gajjar, Naasar, Prabhu, Shraddha Das
Direction: Vinayan
Screenplay: Vinayan
Story: Vinayan
Music: Babith George
Background score: Babith George 

Bram Stoker is credited for reeling out the character of Dracula from the depths of folklore and bringing it forth to the mainstream through his novel, simply titled ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’. His novel has influenced many writers and filmmakers and has spawned many off-shoots in the Vampire genre. Director Vinayan is one such filmmaker who’s taken the effort to bring the Prince of Darkness, Count Dracula to the Tamil audience. The director has dwelled on many fantasy films in the past in Malayalam, and later presenting it in Tamil, and he continues that trend with Nankam Pirai.

Nankam Pirai is about the resurrection of Count Dracula from his Transylvanian home and his bid to be reunited with his long lost love.

Despite adding elements pertaining to the local sentiments, such as the presence of Hindu mythology and replacing the Count’s pack of wolves with homegrown Alsatians, the director does make an honest effort to stay faithful to the novel. He’s rightly labeled the Count’s love interest as Meena, there is also the presence of Dracula’s dreaded ‘Sisters’ and he’s even considered featuring a local representation of the Count’s greatest loyalist and patron, Igor, who remains unnamed in this movie and is played by the late Thilakan.

While the intentions of carrying forward Dracula’s legacy is made clear through the story, the film lets itself down for the most part in the first half. Character establishment and some of their motives are callow. An unimportant comedy track featuring Mano Bala and Ganja Karuppu does little to help the film’s cause in being engaging. But what the film lacks in the first half is almost nearly salvaged after the interval as the screenplay gets racier and interesting with no songs to serve as roadblocks. The sequence of events that lead to the build-up of the climax manages to draw you into the movie.

Performance wise, the film has a mix of fresh faces and seasoned actors. Sudheer, who plays Dracula, is more of an anti-hero and does well with his towering presence and the fact that he’s built like an ox adds to his menacing demeanor. Nasser as the powerful priest is theatrical in his portrayal but it works well for the movie. Prabhu appears to be a tubby version of the beast-slaying Prof. Van Helsing, also providing comic relief. The other hero Aryan is well built enough to pass off as Dracula’s opponent. Monal Gajjar’s role is meaningful while it seems like Shradda Das was included to up the glamour quotient.

Technically, the film in the 3D format is a disappointment and at times even a strain on the eyes. The visual effects and graphics are left wanting considering the standards that the public have witnessed in the recent past. Music by Babith George is average but the background score is well done. Sathish G’s camerawork is compromised because of the jarring 3D effects. The film, originally in Malayalam, has a strong dubbing feeling throughout despite having a native comedy track.

Usually, fantasy films and those coupled with 3D would be inviting for children but sadly Nankam Pirai isn’t for the young audience. The U/A certification is rightly justified and should be reserved for young adults and adults only.