NAALAI NAMATHEY

My Review: Naalai Namathey



Vinayan who has two good movies to his credit in Tamil "Kaasi" & "En Mana Vanile" & numerous ones in Malayalam , has come back to Tamil cinema after a long hiatus with "Naalai Namathey" . His intentions are noble which is to bring to light the plight of the underprivileged sections of the society but the execution leaves a lot to be desired . Movie is epitome of amateurish direction who has ended up paying tribute to the crass political Telugu masala movies of the 80's & early 90's.

There is no shred of logic or finesse what so ever .It is very corny , insensitive , trivial & banal . Vinayan must be residing in a different time period to give such an outdated movie .All cliches that one associate with the movies of the yore like a slum dwelling macho man with heart of gold & brain of a genius , god father of the slum whom all call as "appa" , cotton saree clad uptight collector who is also an orphan by the way ,all politicians as epitome of evilness , DGP & IG as comical caricatures , son of the home minister falling in love with an orphan girl who is a student in a corporation school , a prostitute who helps her heart out & it goes on....

Venkat debuts as the protagonist who urgently needs a crash course in acting while for Shravanand it is the extension of role he played in "Kadhalna Summa Illa " . Danusha is pleasant to the eyes & proves to an extent in the acting department also . Manivannan as the god father of the slum dwellers does a neat job while Thanikala Barani , Rajan P.Dev & Ashish Vidhyarthi do what they are known for without any scope for innovation. Kiran & Kaarthika are wasted in some insignificant roles .

There is nothing to right home about Barathwaj's music or the technical crew led by Rajarathinam , the cinematographer .

V.J.Anthony's dialogues are at some places thoughtful but mostly either juvenile or puerile.

Vinayan's signatures like opening credits rolling with a gloomy song , unimaginative song picturization , mandatory gang rap of the heroine , hard hitting political dialogues & buffoonery in the form of comedy etc., all find their places faithfully here too.

On the whole , though the title says "tomorrow is ours" if you risk watching this banal project "tomorrow will never be yours" ..!

Bottomline : BEWARE..!

1.5 / 5

KARTHIK ANITHA

My Review: Karthik Anitha



"Karthik Anitha " is a neat movie with a very simple story , lucid screenplay , pleasant songs , natural performance for all the actors concerned without any flamboyant cinematography or editing . And it is very decent without an inch of skin show or double meaning dialogues . This movie once again proves that simplicity is beautiful. Movie's tagline goes "a neighbourhood love story " & it is very apt .

Karthik & Anitha are neighbourhood friends right from their childhood always playing pranks at one another & indulging in tit for tat games . All along they don't realize that they have fallen in love but when they realize that they are indeed in love , it is too late or is it...?

Ratan & Manju as the lead pair are a big plus to the movie. Both of them with their kid next door looks have done a tremendous job though it is their debut. They are good at acting both in serious situations as well as in the comedy & they are very good dancers as well. Ratan & Manju will go down as one of the most talented debutants in recent years.

Proverbial bad men of south indian cinema Kota Srinivasa Rao & Rajan P.Dev are a pleasant surprise in this movie . As the fathers of the lead pair , they portray very natural fatherhood in their roles & the duo are a revelation .

Rest of the cast have also done a splendid job with none going over the board . "Lollu Sabha" Manohar's encounter with the college principal disguising as Karthik's father is a laugh riot .

Movie has quiet a few talented debutants & the music director Jack Anand is one ."Ayyoo ayyo " , "Meghamai" , "Oh nenje " are stand outs among the five songs though other two are also not that bad. But in the BGM department there are scope for improvement since here he has been inspired by S.A.Rajkumar's BGM score of the yore.

K.G.Sankar who makes the debut as cinematographer has done nothing flashy to spoil the movie's ambience but has worked hard to present the movie in a simpler form wherein lies the beauty.

G.K.'s sets which portrays the middle class households & Sai Suresh's editing which takes the story forward in a decent pace have amply supported the director's vision.

Srihari , who has story , screenplay , dialogues & direction to his credit has come out with flying colours in his first attempt .By keeping the script in a tight leash without getting it meandering in the form of inane separate comedy tracks or exasperating item numbers , he has ensured the presence of audience in their seats right through . Dialogues are day to day utterances which happens in every households between the father & son , between the friends & lovers , etc. Though the movie does not have a separate comedy track , there are comical situations aplenty naturally woven into the script .

First half moves at a fast clip in a very lighthearted manner while sentiments & feelings are thrown into the second half as a result the pace tend to suffer but not that much.

On the whole , Karthik Anitha is a perfect recipe for a summer afternoon show in an air-conditioned theatre & don't forget to take your girl friend along with you.

Bottomline : FEEL - GOOD .

3.5/5

ANANDHA THANDAVAM

My Review : Anandha Thandavam



Sujatha's "Pirivom Santhipom" was one of his most critically acclaimed & most popular novels . The novel's success lay in the fact that the readers were able to empathize with the characters & their emotional turmoils.It is a very bold subject indeed & when you think that it was written some 2 1/5 decades ago one can only salute the bravery of Sujatha , the writer.

It is a difficult job for any one to translate that impact on celluloid , but A.R.Gandhikrishna has attempted to do it . One must appreciate his boldness . Sadly the adaptation of that novel in the form of "Anandha thandavam " leaves a lot to be desired . In attempting to pack in all the incidents & characters from the novel into a 2 1/5 hr movie , Gandhikrishna has ended up killing the soul & emotional qoutient of the novel.

All the incidents in the movie happens so fast that one gets exasperated half through the movie itself & it takes a great degree of patience to sit through the second half. We feel for none of the characters or their fate because the whole movie ends up superficial .

Even before one gets into a comfortable position to sit the love happens between the lead pairs , 3 songs later (which follow one after another at a regular interval) they part their ways , the hero attempting suicide & the heroine marrying an obscure NRI businessman whom their family knew barely for two days. After the break hero is wooed by another girl while heroine is happily settled with her husband .In between the hero & the married heroine go on a 2 day vocation to Atlanta City while heroine's husband is busy enjoying girl a day. Suddenly the heroine become suspicious of her husband who by this time turns into a sadist feeding her with Dog biscuits while hero is getting engaged to the girl who loves him....& some couple of reels after we get to know that the movie is over & time to catch up some breath & leave the hall in a jiffy.


Sidharth has a photogenic face but has miles to go as an actor but nevertheless not a bad attempt for a debutant.

Thamana's character Madhumitha will go down as one of the most confusing one we have come across in the recent years. Is she really innocent ? Is she too naive ? Is she cunning ? or Is she mentally retarded ? Nonetheless she has done justice to what ever emotions or histrionics she is demanded off .It is sad her hard work is undone by such an inane characterisation.

Rukmini has nothing much to do in a brief goody-goody girl role but she has some mettle .

Rishi as the NRI husband of Madhumitha has done nothing special of mention nor that the script demands anything such.

It is refreshing to see veterans like Kitty & Charlie on screen after a long time & they prove their expertise with ease . Kitty as an adorable father is simply superb while for Charlie one scene in the waterfalls is enough to vindicate his stature.

Ameetha is getting typecast as an upper middle class , tanglish speaking , boozing mom.

"Kana kangiraen " is the one song that is worthy while rest of the songs & BGM by G.V.PrakashKumar are just ordinary.

V.T.Vijayan's hasty editing has done the movie no good while Thotta Tharani's art work in couple of songs are good.

Jeeva Sankar has captured the serene beauty of Thenkasi as well as hustle and bustle of New York with elan.

Sujatha's dialouges sparkle . There are gems abound like "Ambala koocha patta kovanamum aviladhu kudumbamum viruthi agathu " .

On the whole only Thamana's presence & Sujatha's dialouges will keep you in the seat . It will take a miracle to save the movie in the box-office.

Bottomline : " Anandha Thandavam" - lost in translation.

3/5

AYAN

My Review: AYAN



It has been long since we had a pucca masala wholesome entertainer in Tamil cinema in recent times .Sun Pictures & AVM's "Ayan" has come to the rescue of those longing for such mindless time-passer .What makes "Ayan" click among numerous duds we have come across in recent times is that for the starters it has a refreshing backdrop against which the story unfolds , some hit numbers that are already a rage among the youngsters , the most happening heroine in tamil cinema at present to grace the screen & not to forget the man with the Midas touch at the moment ,Surya .

Deva is not the most demanding of characters that Surya has done in his career but it is surly the most casual & entertaining one that will endear him to the masses like what "Gemini" did for Vikram . He has a point to prove that he is capable of carrying a movie on his own even when the script is not that great or novel & he does that here . Whether it is action , comedy , sentiment or dance , he has come a long way & the director has exploited every facet of his to the fullest .

Thammana ,who comes only after 45 mins ,has nothing much to do except to be cute & pretty which she does amply though she showcase her potential in a couple of scenes .

Prabhu is establishing him as a character artist to reckon with & "Ayan" is a path in that direction.

Akashdeep Saigal plays the baddie with ample support from the dubbing by serial actor Ajay (Aathi of "Kolangal" fame ).His is a routine villan of Tamil cinema .

Jagan has an important role to play & he acquaints himself well while Karunas is wasted .It is nice to see Renuka back in big screen after a long hiatus as the mother of Surya .

A special note of appreciation for the Stunt Chreography - Kanal Kannan has done a mindblowing job in those sequences esp. the one in Congo ...


"Vizhi mudinal " & "Nenje nenje " are aural delights from Harris Jayraj while there is scople for improvement as far as BGM is concerned.

Anthony has chiseled the movie with care though some pruning in the second half will serve the movie well.

M.S.Prabhu has shot in some unseen locations in Africa & especially in that fight sequence in Congo his hard work shows & deserves an applause .

Movie is based on a novel by Subha who has also written the dialouge for this movie along with K.V.Anand . Dialouges sparkle at many instances especially those taking dig at the film personalities . They have maintained the light heartedness throughout.

K.V.Anand has scripted & directed the movie with a single point agenda of appeasing the masses especially the kids who are enjoying their summer vacation . The movie moves at a breakneck speed in the first half while sags in the latter half of the second . The songs & romantic scenes act more of a speed breaker than anything else .

There are many loose ends which are left untied & throughout the whole movie logic is thrown out of the window. The ease at which smugglers escape the prying eyes of the customs , why Surya & his gang are let off scot-free in the end for except the drugs they indulge in all illegal activities as that of the villan gang are a few that begs an answer .

But who cares .The movie keeps you engaged & entertained which is what many expect when they shell out their hard earned money .So it's showtime guys .Grab a coke & bag of popcorn & get ready for a roller-coaster ride through Chennai , Pondicherry , Congo , Malaysia & Namibia .

Bottomline : Housefull

3.5/5

PATTALAM

My Review : Pattalam



"Pattalam " is a trend-setter of sorts in India since it is the first time a successful television serial is adapted on the Big screen which is common in Hollywood ."Kana Kanum Kanangal" is a rage among school going kids in Tamil Nadu & Rohan Krshna it's maker has now tried to reprise it on the celluloid .

The movie is faithful to the serial with two gangs of 4 students at loggerheads in the school , an orphan girl amidst them , their fights , happiness , love , misunderstanding , vengeance , retribution ....et al with some unexpected twist in the climax. But the big question is whether the makers have successfully recreated the magic of KKK . You can find out the answer for this in the course of this review.

I have read in websites that Nadiya has been turning down many offers that came her way ,all the while looking for some worthwhile scripts. On seeing her character in this movie it puzzles me what made her choose this movie. In the first half only thing she does is stand in the corner of the frame & clap her hands & wink in approval while the school kids break into song & dance in the school grounds , rain & Kodaikanal in fanciest of dresses ! In the second half look out for her expression in the sports day scenes .Wow ! She is still living in the 80's. One more thing that confuses us is whether she is a Psychiatrist or a School Correspondent . What ever she may be , her characterisation is bound to irritate & anger both those group of people.

Among the 9 lead actors , some over act , some stay woody & some are really confused what to do . The special round of applause to the one who plays Sophia who is very much taken in by the ambience of the mental asylum in which she lives , she gives those who play mentally ill patients run for their money. Even when her boy friend abuses her with uncharitable of accusations & scathing comments , she just giggles at him with childish fluttering of eyelids !

The producers must have chosen a professional painter to do make up in this movie. He has given a wonderful white wash to the faces of all the actors in the movie in the name of make-up !

Both music by Jassie Gift & BGM by Sabesh-Murali are run of the mill stuff.

Technically movie is ok. Krishnasami has tried to give a trendy look to the movie with his cinematography while G.Sasikumar has tried some innovative cuts in the beginning but later sticking on to the routine.

Mona Planisamy's dialogues sparkle at a couple of instances but overall they are mundane.

Rohan Krshna who has scripted & directed the movie shows his potential in couple of scenes but he has failed to give a cohesive , interesting & an engaging tale . The first half is insipid & tiring with nothing happening except some inane , kiddish gags in the form of comedy . Movie gets a momentum in the second half especially the scenes involving Irfan's flashback & his relationship with Sophia & the anger it spews on the mind of Sakkarai but too many cliches & uninspiring acting brings it down badly.

On the whole the movie is no where close to KKK which had solid story , decent acting & sparkling comedy all which is missing here .

Those who have never heard of KKK give this a miss but those who are die-hard fans of KKK never even go anywhere close to the theatres showcasing this movie because you will end up getting infuriated & tearing your hair in anger.

Bottomline : Wait for 8 Pm Monday to Thursday , Vijay TV.

2/5

CONJEEVARAM

My Review : CONJEEVARAM

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Kanchivaram

Priyadharsan's "Conjeevaram -the treachery of silk " is a perfect illustration of one of the most influential theories of Karl Marx , "Alienation" which is a situation in which the creation of a man's labour appear to him as an alien object ie, he loses control over the object he produces . Bravo Priyadharsan for elucidating the concept in such a simple yet hard-hitting manner .

Prakash Raj once again proves why he is considered very highly by those who know nuances of acting . He has lived the character Venkatam , an alienated weaver who struggles to fulfill his wish of presenting his daughter with a silk sari during her wedding. Whether during his manly swagger when he leads his wife home after their wedding or brimming with pride yet shyness when an English officer praise his work or whenever he steals a strand of silk his expression of guilt with fear or his fiery rendition of communal speeches ; he has had a field day .

The icing in the cake is the climax scenes in which Prakash Raj will move even a stone to tears .The way his face emotes various shades of emotions right from the point where he enters his house & sees his paralysed daughter , requests his sister to take care of her & the rebuttal of his brother-in-law to that , feeding his daughter with her last meal & showing the silk sari he has weaved for her , finally when she is dead the way he adjusts the silk sari over her body & his final expression .......i doubt any other actor can do those moments which such aplomb & clarity .

Ample support by others in the cast adds to the movie's splendour . Shriya Reddy has underplayed neatly as Annam , Venkatam's wife & Shammu , theatre trained in UK , as Venkatam's daughter Thamarai is a valuable addition to Tamil Cinema . Also others in the cast like the one who plays the constable trying to fix the seal on to his cap , Sarathy , a fellow comrade of Venkatam & his friend , the Agent under whom the weavers work ...all have lived the character they portray.

Technically also the movie is first class. Sabu Cyril has worked meticulously to bring the Conjeevaram of 1920's to 1940's on screen .From the cycle lamp to the Bus , the handloom to the village houses , the motor car to the street play - the production designer has payed minute attention to the details.

Thiru's Cinematography has captured even the sparsely lit interiors of the village houses with a keen eye .The silhouette shots stand out for special mention .

M.G.Srikumar's music has contributed to the mood of the movie greatly though it seems to have Ilayaraja's hangover throughout with the use of the violins , an Ilayaraja signature.

Madhan- Vijay 's dialouges are simple yet strong . Venkatam & Annam exchanging "Mudhal thadavaya poi solraya , illa idhuku munnadi poi solli irukiya " is as intelligent as the young Rangan explaining to Thamarai about a "kutharai vandi" which has no horse but the power of horse inside it where the writers hint intelligently about the Horse-power of the Motor Car engines . There are also some witty comical lines mainly reserved for the police constable & also those discussing about the arrival of the motor car for the first time in the village. To round it off , the subtle references to the communist ideologies are sprinkled through out .

Priyadarshan after all his movies aimed at common men has written & directed this movie with the connoisseurs in mind this time. Though the movie moves at a snail pace that only makes the viewer to get immersed into the narrative & make them feel for the character . Anyone who who watches the climax is bound to cry his heart out & this is where Priyan has succeeded .

On the whole the movie is a must watch if you are interested in meaningful cinema.

Bottomline: Speechless...

4.5/5

YAVARUM NALAM

My Review :YAVARUM NALAM

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Yavarum Nalam

Of all the shocks that we come across watching this movie , the ultimate shock is that the director of this movie is Vikram K.Kumar , the one who gave us one of the most pathetic movies of all time in "Alai" some 6 years ago! But man , he has come back with vengeance & anger to prove to the world that he is capable of more than that & he has done it with style .

Raise a toast to this young man for all his guts & gumption to weave a story around a Television as the main protagonist & all others relegated to support role including Madhavan ,who also deserves pat on the back for his magnanimity in understanding that. Who would have thought of Television & that too a serial as the generator of shivers .

Any script , however fantastic it may be on paper , to bring that to life one needs a wonderful cast ."Yavarum Nalam" has it .The whole cast have given sterling performances & special mention about all the North Indian actors who have relly worked hard to lip-sync their Tamil dialogues .

R.Madhavan once again shows his class with an understated performance which have scope to go over the top but he remain subtle throughout which is becoming his forte.He keeps the audience in splits with his wry humour . The scene in the doctors house just before the climax is a testimony to his hard work .

Neetu Chandra , new to tamil screen , has a breezy role which is nothing that difficult for this talented actress & she carries off it with elan.

The supporting cast of the movie is first rate .Be it Saranya or Sachin Kedhakar or Ravi or Deepak Dobriyal . Ravi steals the show in the scene in which he asks Madhavan to advise his family ladies to keep track of the police officer role in the serial .Deepak Dobriyal ,as the mentally challenged patient gets the sympathy of the viewers . Sachin Kedhakar comes to his own in the climax scenes. All the serial actors have revelled in showcasing their talent in the wider screen with significant scope to perform & get noticed .

. Tubbi Parik's BGM score along with A.S. Lakshmi Naryanan's Audiography have ensured in keeping the audience at their wit's end. Shankar-Ehsan-Loy's songs (only 3 of which is used in the movie ) are melodious with " Kaatrilae Vaasame " taking the cake , though it sticks like a sore thumb in the narrative.

Technically movie is world class . Srekar Prasad has gone along with narrative without resorting to undue gimmickry but has ensured that movie moves at a steady pace.

The god of Indian Cinematography P.C.Sriram has enjoyed himself thoroughly filming this movie which shows. One word that can describe his work : "MIRATTAL"

Neelu Ayyapan's dialogues are true to life with some sprinkling of day-to-day humour that one come across in every household.

Vikram .K.Kumar has given this movie in the style of Ram Gopal Verma's spooky thrillers minus absurdities . The logic ,which one have to forgo while watching a super-natural thriller , is surprisingly maintained throughout the movie . Also visual cues are scattered right through the movie but only people with keen eyes for minute details can catch hold of them before it gets revealed later.

There are some minor goof-ups like hindi sign boards in beach scenes (which is supposed to be in Chennai as per the script but shot in Mumbai) & also T.V. listings in tamil in " The Hindu " newspaper . Another point of discord is the portrayal of the lady characters in Madhavan's household so dumb & brainless that they can't figure out the similarities between the serial & their lives .

But they are only minor aberrations in other wise an excellent movie which is a must watch for those who lament about the drought of intelligently written movies in Tamil . Also heavily recommended to those who love spine chilling spooky experiences.

Three cheers for all those who are involved with the making of this movie & a special lap of honour to Vikram.K.Kumar .

Bottomline : Goose Bumps !

4.5 / 5