Vanthaan Vendraan

My Review : "Vanthaan Vendraan"



R.Kannan showed some potential in his debut feature “Jayam Kondaan” & even in his second one “Kandaen Kadhalai” though it was a remake he spiced it up well to make it an interesting watch. But sadly in his third one “Vanthaan Vendran” his screenplay spoils an interesting storyline.

The story of the movie is quiet interesting one which explores brother sentiment in a different angle but the manner in which the director has gone about it is hugely disappointing. Movie though has numerous twists & turns with an interesting twist towards the end poor screenplay & uninteresting first half makes it undone in the final analysis. By the time the movies gets exciting one is already tired of the average fare so far that its difficult for one to sustain the interest.

Second half is way better than the first half & its racy though replete with lots of clichéd scenes of cat & mouse. First half is dismal, nothing happens & the love story is a total crap. With the songs coming at regular intervals more like a ritual than anything else irritates (though the songs are too good)

Jiiva needs to concentrate on choosing his movies henceforth if he has to sustain the momentum he gained after “Ko”. This role is a cake walk for him & he has done his part adequately. Nandha has also performed well . It only reinforces the angst that he is such a nice talent getting wasted in such kind of iffy movies.

For Tapsee acting appears to be as alien as the language itself which is evident on screen. Though she has a significant role to do, her dismal acting & pitiable lip-sync make the already pathetic first half worse.

Santhanam’s magic is missing in this movie or has he become repetitive. The bottomline is he doesn’t tickle the funny bones this time around.

The USP of the movie is its songs , music by Thaman. "Anjana Anjana", "Kanchana Mala","Thirandhen Thirandhen" , "Nagarudhe Nagarudhe" , all are chartbusters. The songs are also shot well.

Cinematography of P.G.Muthaiah is excellent , reaffirming his talent.

Pattukottai Prabhakar’s dialogues are mostly routine with flashes of brilliance here & there.

On the whole , “Vandaan Vendran” is a curious case of wasted opportunity.

Bottomline : Not enough to garner victory.

2/5

Mankatha

My Review : Mankatha




There are only few men like Rajnikanth , Vijay or Ajithkumar who can carry a movie with an ordinary script on their shoulder . “Mankatha” is one such where the versatile actor in Ajithkumar tries his level best to keep the boat from sinking for the “captain of the ship” Venkat Prabhu flounders. USP of the movie is Ajithkumar & he lives up to the hype & expectations. In a role with loads of greyness in it , Ajithkumar has had a field day. All our congratulations to him for choosing such a role which not many of his peers would readily might have accepted.

He is suave & stylish, at the same time menacing leaving one wanting for more. His footwork both in action sequences as well as the dance sequences has improved considerably. Couple instances he also tries his proficiency at comedy & comes out unscathed .All said & done, if only the script was a bit tighter & engrossing , the end result might have been a real treat.

Venkat Prabhu seems to be losing out his magic with every movie. His screenplay meanders aimlessly in the first half, with songs placed haphazardly adding up to the annoyance. The pace is shockingly slow considering the subject taken. One gets restless at many places. While one expects the pace to get picked up & some riveting moments to emerge , movie further meanders with ridiculous song featuring Premji Amaran , Laxmi rai & Makath . Where is that engrossing screenplay of “Saroja” or innocent exuberance of “Chennai 600028” gone Mr Venkat Prabhu ?!

The movie packs a punch right at the end just before the end credits when the revelation happens but by that time most of the harm has already been done. It is like watching a 50 over cricket match where the match meanders aimlessly but all of a sudden in the last 5 overs the match becomes interesting with fall of couple of wickets & the team needing to score more than a run a ball. There are flashes of brilliance here& there like that pre interval scene or that sequence of robbery (though it might have been heavily inspired from “Italian Job” ) or that in the interrogation room when Arjun is caught between the lives of his wife & the man in his custody & Ajithkumar interaction with Arjun in the same sequence.

Arjun’s is an extended guest role but he breaths fire whenever he is onscreen. One can’t but marvel at the man who looks as energetic & agile as he was 20 years back. Premji Amaran fails to tickle us like as he did in his earlier movies while others in the lead cast like Vibhav , Mahat & Ashwin have done a decent job. Trisha comes in a brief role, is there in couple of songs as does Laxmi Rai who atleast has some chance to showcase her prowess. Andrea’s is “blink and you miss” kinda role as does is Anjali’s.

Technically movie is good but lighting is couple of sequences is bad. Sakthi Sarvanan should have looked into it.

In Yuvan Shankar Raja’s music the songs are good to hear but when it comes in inopportune moments in the movie one gets tired of the same. Background music by Yuvan Shankar Raja , Karthik Raja & Premji Amaran combo is good in parts and below average in certain others especially in the first half.

On the whole , “Mankatha” is entertaining in parts , ends up with a bang with adrenaline rush & has power packed performance from Ajithkumar in his 50th movie.

Bottomline : One man show...!

3/5

Potta Potti

My review : potta potti 50/50





No big banner , no big stars , not much publicity , no big names in the technical team , not an experienced director yet “Potta Potti 50/50” is enjoyable. It goes to show that if you have your heart in the right place & honest about it , the end result will take care of itself. Yuvaraaj & his team’s movie appear fresh though it has more than just shades of “Lagaan” .

The movie is humorous with no logic what so ever. Story as said before is inspired by “Lagaan” with south Indian flavour sprinkled generously throughout. Screenplay is lucid, linear & easy on your cognition while dialogues are damn funny & witty at the same time.

Sadagopan Ramesh has not done badly considering the “set-property” like role in “Santhosh Subramanyam” . In fact he seem to be at ease with his sarcastic dialogue delivery & even in certain comical sequences which warrants slapstick style of humour.

Harini is pleasant to the eyes. “Avatar” Ganesh overshadows everyone else with his typical dialogue delivery & timing comedy. Almost everyone in the cast have done well though none of them seem to be professionals. Mayilsami is funny as ever.

Among the songs by Aruldev “Iduvarai Iduvarai ” will linger in one’s minds for a long time. The background score however is average.

Gopi Amarnath’s cinematography is trendy where it must be & unobtrusive where it should be.

On the whole , “Potta Potti 50/50” is a simple yet enjoyable movie if one tries to view it keeping your mind simple .

Bottomline : Victory for the underdog..

3/5

Yuvan Yuvathi

My Review :Yuvan Yuvathi




After butchering one of the tastefully made movie in Malayalam “Classmates ” as “Ninaithale Inikum” G.N.R.Kumaravelan has gone one step further in giving us “Yuvan Yuvathi” which might go down as the dumbest movie of the year so far. Sorry for being harsh but seriously while one watches this inept movie mind seethes in rage at the amount of money & time that might have got wasted in producing such a pathetic piece of work. Not only that, by showcasing this movie they are going to make the thousands of innocent people waste their hard earned money & invaluable time which is equally sacrilegious.

The writing is so dismal that one gets restless just 10 minutes into the movie even before the opening credits roll out. I think G.N.R.Kumaravelan can rejoice from the fact that he can’t go down further , can only look up from here. The story , dialogues & the acting are as old as hills . One can’t but whine in anguish looking at the state of the script that we are getting to see in Tamil cinema nowadays.

Barath looks good & acts okay but his careless choice of projects continues. He needs serious introspection to do if not his days in the Tamil cinema would be numbered. Rima Kallingal overacts a lot & annoys the viewers with her outburst with her dubbing making the matters worst. Its apologetic to see an actress of such immense talent as witnessed by her work in Malayalam movies limited to doing the “kuthu” dance routine with such coarse movements.

Sampath tries his level best to rise above the bad piece of characterisation he has to deal with but in the end the latter prevails.

Sa nthanam does help salvage some pride with his routine witty one-liners but after a point of time one’s mind is so restless with the inane screenplay even he can’t make us sit in the theatre.

Music & songs of the movie is surprisingly good standing above the overall substandardness of the fare. Vijay Antony this time enthral us with some beautiful melodious numbers with atleast 4 of them "Mayakka Oosi" ,"Un Kannai Partha Piragu", "Oh My Angel" &"Ullangai" lingering in one’s mind.

Cinematography is by Jagadeswaran & Editing is by G. K. Prabhkar. Technically movie is good with no scope to complain, if only the director could have concentrated his bit on the writing.

On the whole, ”Yuvan Yuvathi” is not even worth a watch in pirated DVDs for it’s way too harmful for one’s peace of mind.

Bommtline : “ Dumbest movie of the year”

1.5/5

Doo

My Review : Doo



Debutant director Sriram’s “Doo” is a simple movie with a uncomplicated story presented in a straightforward narration with adequate support from the technical team. Barring the lead actors who tend to overact a bit, the cast fit in nicely to provide a neat movie that can be enjoyed. It was a pleasant surprise when one enters into a theatre without any expectations but the movie keeps you engaged throughout its length.

Movie runs at a fair pace without much melodrama, without losing the light feel all through. Director may have toned down the dialogues a bit for every talks on and on and on. One must accept the fact that the dialogues are good & well written though. Couple of unwanted action sequences & songs one too many intrude the proceedings.



Sanjay & Nakshatra the lead pair as already said overact a bit. Rajesh & Urvashi showcase their experience in the roles of the parents of the lead pair without much ado. Jagan & Jeeva’s comedy can be enjoyed .

Abishek – Lawrance’s music is not great but songs are pleasant to hear though they don’t stay in one’s memory.

Maravarman’s cinematography supports the story unfolding without much interruption in the form of gimmickry or innovation.

Editor A.L.Ramesh should have been a bit vigilant especially in the second half.

Sriram shows his potential as a neat story-teller without losing his focus on what he intended to convey. First half runs at a fairly brisk pace & quite enjoyable while the second half seems to meander through a bit but all is well that ends well.

On the whole , “Doo ” is a movie to enjoy on a cool evening with your girlfriend & it’s worth the money spent.

Bottomline : " Doo " -- Pirivom santhipom....

3/5

Rowthiram

My review : Rowthiram




Jeeva’s career is a curious case of brilliant movies interspersed with some pretty ordinary ones. His latest starrer “Rowthiram” produced by his dad’s Super Good Films after a hiatus is in itself an enigma. Movie is good in parts but those are few & far in between on an overall average fare.

Gokul has talent which shows on screen as far as his directorial capacity is concerned but need to hone up his writing skills. Screenplay spoils the party with some poor characterization & poorer casting marring the effort.

Story is not new that of a righteous hero get caught up for being honest & straightforward .Screenplay also follows the regular commercial route with first half full of comedy-romance-family sentiments with the second half reserved for the action-revenge-action.

Jeeva does his job adequately even though he is made to act against his usual self. The role of a hero with very few words doesn’t actually suits for him & he is clearly uncomfortable in doing so. Shreya is there only to romance the hero & to act naive (or some may call it stupid) to rake a few laughs or two.

Prakashraj has a very brief guest role but the impact of his character is there throughout the movie. Jayaprakash is emerging into a very fine actor with every passing movie. In this movie also he vindicates the point. Ganesh Acharya is totally misfit as Gowri considering the suspense & expectations that was built up before the introduction of the character on screen. He is a fine actor alright but his characterization is such that he brings in a few unintended laughter here & there. Sathyan does manage to tickle the funny bones in the brief while he is there onscreen.

Prakash Nikki’s music is average , no songs make one to take notice. Shanmugasundaram’s cinematography is excellent adding on to the proud list of outstanding technicians tamil industry is giving to the Indian cinema over the past decade or two.

Editing must have been a bit crisper .

On the whole , “Rowthiram” has nothing special in it , if one has time to kill can surly watch it once.

Bottomline: Lacks a punch or two

2.5/5

Not a love story

My review : Not a love story




After a series of misadventures Ram Gopal Verma has tried a take on the real life incident in “Not a love story”. One has to appreciate the tenacity of the man who with his perseveration & indefatigability surprises us again and again. Forget whether his movies are good or bad or dismal, one can never question his love for the medium & never ending quest for experimentation.

Right now he seem to be obsessed with the real life stories with him following up a biographic “Raktha Charithra” based on the life of Paritala Ravindra with this one which is based on a real life story of an aspiring actress colluding with her boyfriend to murder a producer.

Thankfully “Not a love story” is one of the better works of Ramu though it might not be close to his best. That the movie is based on a murder case which is fresh in everyone’s mind & recently only verdict has been given, kindles up enough curiosity at the outset.

Movie tries to be faithful to the story that one has read about in the media about the case with liberal doses of artistic liberties taken to make the happenings spicy & riveting. Up to three fourth of the length, the movie is realistic bereft of any clichés or being cinematic. The manner in which the story unfolds makes one travel along with the central character’s travails, joys, frustrations which all get undone by a moment of rage & madness. At this point one tend to feel sorry for both the perpetuators as well the victim.

Last quarter of the movie undoes the good work by resorting to melodrama , theatrics & some inane moments like that of the victim’s mother’s outburst against the killers of her son , investigation room scenes & the court room antics by the lawyers. By allowing such absurdities to creep in , Ram Gopal Verma has once again lost his rendezvous with artistic greatness which he achieved with movies like Sathya , Company and Sarkar.

Mahie Gill in the central character of an aspiring actress with loads of greyness is brilliant. That at one point of time one starts to sympathize with the character & her plights and wish her to be let off is a testimony to the strength Mahie has brought into her portrayal. Deepak Dobriyal is adequate though he overacts a bit now & then .Zakir Hussain is neat while Ajay Gehi as the victim has nothing much to do.

Sandeep Chowta’s background score is definitely a strength. The “Rangeela re “ song blaring out again & again as the ringtone of the lead character irritates one after a while (Overdose of allegory i suppose )

Cinematography of the movie is irritating in the form of experimentation. The weird camera movements & angles coupled with jarring close-ups are pain for the eyes.

On the whole , “Not a love story ” is not the best or even closer to his best , but Ram Gopal Verma might redeem a bit of his reputation after a series of utter craps (with exception of “Raktha Charithra”)

Bottomline : “Not a love story”--> Not a bad movie..

3/5