Seval

My review : Seval

Hari is one director who is caught up with in the Time-machine of 80's cinema.And almost all his movies follow a routine action-sentiment formula bounded with a racy script . He believes in his hero's "aruval" & heroine's "Kanner" which make up a deadly combo ,spiced up with oodles of Male chauvinisms & age old rediculous superstitions . Ironically with this he has done wonders in his constituency which is ladies & rural audiences of south. Cola sipping , Pizza munching , IT kiddos please excuse.!

Plot: Age old story of a ruffian falling in love with a girl of angelical qualities & problems that they face before finally uniting in the end......!

Barath: He has done justice to his role well.He is every inch a village wastrel who is out of the bounds of his father strictness. Also he has shown the contrast in his character that undergoes a change after his tryst with love. But it is comical to see him as a 40 year old though !

Poonam Bajwa: Hats-off to her courage for shaving her head .I don't think there is any actress in the whole of India who would have done it except it was a Shabana Azmi or a Nandhitha Das (who did it for "Water" before it got shelved.)But the sad part that it appears to be forced into the movie rather than what the script exactly wanted. She has a good future ahead as she is good in the emoting aspect as well.

Simran: She neither has a big part to play nor her part is much powerful as it was proclaimed to be.Rather her role is very regressive one in the days of female rights & forward looking modern women.

Vadivelu: Tickles the funny bones well. Esp. the scene in which he reads a letter with "Padithathum kilithuvidavum" written in it is very hilarious.

Sampath : Not a well etched out role .All through his only part is to ogle at the heroine.

Supporting cast includes Rajesh , Y.G.Mahendran ,Yuvasri,Prem , Krishna--all have done their parts well.

Music by G.V.Prakash is a downer.He seems to go downhill after his "Veyil" days.

Priyan , a Hari constant , has captured the flower fields & natural beauty of Nellai well.

What V.T.Vijayan failed to do , the theater operators have succeeded in doing.They have trimmed the movie by half an hour it seems which makes the movie to not lag that much.

Coming to Hari , he has forced sentiments into the movie unlike his previous ones. Take for instance the "heights of sentiment" that this movie try to achieve - that of the heroine's head getting shaven. She accepts to get her head shaven only to prove that Barath has no place in her life & will serve the family of her in-laws untill her death knowing pretty well that they are a treacherous gang.But a frame later she does exactly what she was accused of in the first place..!!!

Bottomline: average

3/5

Netru,Indru,Nalai

My REview :Netru,Indru,Nalai

First i must clear two misconceptions regarding the movie.

1) First , it is not a bilingual , as the makers claim it to be. 90 % of the movie seems to be dubbed from Telugu and they have shots of some famous landmarks of Chennai in between the narration to give a feel that the story is happening in Chennai !

2) Also don't get fooled by the importance given to Tamannah in the trailers and publicity posters of the movie . If you want to see the movie for the sake of seeing her , better you take a look at the trailers of the movie ...That is all the part that she plays in the movie as well. Not an inch more than that.

Plot : If there is any , than those who have seen this movie please explain to me.

The title doesn't have anything to do with the movie ....The scenes depicted as INDRU-portray the life of the hero , which lasts for days,weeks.... ; for NETRU - the life history of the villian , a Dada , is shown ...; & finally director flashes the words NALAI -- may be intended at the consequence of those who have watched the movie courageously ....!

The credits informs a list of names as ACTORS , But none seem to justify the claim.

Dilague writer Prasannakumar shows of his misogynistic attitude with his dialogues full of spewing venom towards the females ..

AND ,

How long does these Bigoted filmmakers going to portray a penniless , jobless , good for nothing pauper loving a rich girl as HERO and a sensible , forthright girl who refuses the love of such a loser for some better prospects as a VAMP.

The much publicized erotic song featuring Ravikrishna and Akshara (Of Punnagai Poove fame) is downright crass and vulgar even after being heavily censored . It is a shocker that the movie has got U/A .

The director Laxmikanth is totally at sea with a very purposeless script and inept direction .

Bottomline : Trash

1.5/5

Dhurai

My Review : Dhurai

Arjun's follow up to one of his major hits "Marudhamalai" was keenly expected by all but sadly " Dhurai " fails to live up to the expectations.Arjun's Story & screenplay plays the spoilsports here which fails to liven up the proceedings .

Plot : About political power struggle & conspiracies within a party .

Arjun : He is dashing on screen with a well toned up body which he flashes often in the movie . As far the acting goes he is little irritating as an amnesic in the first half but regains his feet in the second half as a man bent to seek revenge.

There are 3 heroines but all are used as properties without a inch of scope to perform , not that they are itching to show of thier acting prowess either . Keerath in particular seems to think that flashing her teeth on to the camera is all about acting.

Vivek irritates as usual trying to emulate Vadivelu .

Music by D.Iman , who is usually good at remixing has miserably murdered the classic "Raja..rajai rajan intha raja .." by remixing it .It feels terrible to hear the remix version of one of Raja sir's beauty .

Cinematographer Laxmipathy (Debutant) tries his best to show his prowess but he seem to have battled with the limited resources .

Editor seems to have slept off during the entire process of editing this movie. 2:20 mins seem to go on & on.

A.Venkatesh , who has a name as a reliable commercial director has faltered this time as the script just refuses to help his causes .

Bottomline : Movie joining the list of Pandhayam & Sakkarakatti ....

1.5/5

Sakkarakatti

My review : Sakkarakatti

In one of the earlier scenes friends of the hero takes pot shot at one of the cliches of Tamil cinema - loving an unknown girl & friends enquiring about her ....the scenes gets cut abrubtly & the same scene appears in a different manner --> making one to sit up in the seat in the anticipation of something different out of ordinary to happen .But in the very next frame the same girl entering the same class of the hero puts off any excitement one has gathered at the moment ..

Plot: from the time of colleges made appearance in Tamil cinema , we have each & every film having same plot that have been beaten to bushes ...

Santhannu : He has a good screen presence & definitly a hero material but here he is let down by a very poorly written role . Sadly he doesn't seem to have the capacity to rise above the pedestrian role that he has been offered .

Ishitha : Looks pleasing to the eyes but as far as acting goes trash course on it is needed urgently if she is serious about a career in films .

Vedhika : Only relief in the casting department who emotes to the best of her ability but sadly the script demands her to be meloncholic throughout the movie .

Among those who appear as friends , one or two of them succeeed in evoking a few laughs here & there .

Music by A.R.Rahman is very good especially Taxi Taxi & Marudhani .

Andrew & Raasamathi have done a good job capturing the movie in a trendy & cool manner . But the CG department of the movie goes over-board in their needless spoofy imagery in the song sequences which tests one's patience after a while .

Editor seem to have tried his best to save us from being exasperated too much by limiting the lenght of the movie to just 2 Hrs but sadly this too seem to go on & on for ever .

Mr.Kalaprabhu - Enna koduma sir idhu . Even Master Nithin Ramakrishnan (Aged 16 who has recently made debut in Malayalam ) & Kishen (aged 10 who is the youngest director record holder) seem to be more imaginative with their scripts & assertive in their direction than you .You have redefined the word cliche in Tamil cinema .

Heard that Oxford dictionary people are seriously trying to change the meaning for cliche as " Sakkarakatti " .

Bottomline: Sakkarakatti - a bitter pill to swallow .

1.5/5

Kadhalil Vizhunthaen

My review : Kadhalil Vizhunthaen

The super duper number "Naka muka " will act positively as well as negatively regarding the movie's prospects .On the positive side it has ensured a very grand opening which only a few big stars in Tamil Cinema can vouch for but ironically the same song brings in people in a mindset to enjoy & celebrate leaving them unprepared for such a heavy subject like this .

The top draw of the movie , other than the songs which are now a rage , are the acting of Nakul as well as others .

Plot: A routine love story of a poor boy falling in love with a rich girl .......but with a surprising twist in the tale .

Nakul : The movie belongs to this man who has put in his heart & soul in a very difficult character that he plays & he comes out with flying colours . He has lost a lot of puppy fat & improved his Tamil diction very well . He dances like a dream .

Kudos for him to do such a challenging character at an early phase of his career . Scenes in the hospitals as well as the climax deserves special mention .

Sunaina : looks non-glamorous but has performed well though she has practically no role to play in the second half.

Others in the cast like Sampath , Livingstone & Hariraj have supported the movie very well .

Vijay Milton's cinematography is mixed bag in this movie .Some scenes are excellently shot while some others which follow them are stictly ok .

Vijay Anthony stikes gold with this movie . All songs are already chartbusters . Apart from "Naka muka ", others like "Unakena naan " & "Thozhiya en kadhaliya" are also mesmerising . He has done a good job in BGM as well .

Debutant director P.V.Prasad must be first congratulated for taking such a heavy subject first up . His touches are seen all over the second half .Infact the second half seem to be on totally different plane when compared to the ordinary first half . One thought that he must have portrayed first half love story more convincingly & strongly .Than it would have brought a even stronger impact in the second half.

Also he has made use of the story of a gorilla & it's kid very cleverly

On the whole the first half is superficial & half-backed while the second half is a stunner .

Bottomline : Go to enjoy Naka Muka but be prepared for unexpected shocks .

3.5/5

Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal VaraiI

My Review : Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal Varai

Even before the credits appear clips of the first motion picture of the world & that of India are shown with credits of their creaters . This gives a clue about what the movie is all about --> a first time director trying to make his frist movie based on several first's that happen in his life & that of others whom he comes in contact with --> Hence the title of the movie. Actually movie has an autobiographical tinge in it which the director reveals in the end .

The first metro movie in Tamil , a genre which is as familiar to tamil audience as Pizza Hut is to Usilampatti . Question arises whether tamil audience are ready for this kind of movies & answer is a big NO(which is clearly evident in the theatre ).But that does not take away any credit from the debutant director Krishna Shesadri Komadan who must be applauded for the risk that he took in his very first movie experimenting with a new genre .

Plot : Movie peeks at a life of an aspiring movie director & his various first's like frist love , first kiss , first pregnancy , first copying in exams ....etc which forms the script of his movie that he is to direct .

Acting : one of the strength of the movie is its cast . Whether it is Sathyajit as the protogonist , Anuja iyer as his date or Charan , Kumarave as his assisstants or others , every one is aptly cast & acts very casually with no artficiality whatsoever . Also every one seem to dub in their own voice whic further enhances their performances.

Music : only one song which is a hindi erotic number which is ok . Aslam Mustafa has done a neat job in BGM .

Fowsia Fathima has captured the movie with almost 70 % of the movie as close up shots in various angles & there is feel of the movie being filmed in a handy cam (to add authenticity to the plot of herofilming his movie in a handy cam ) & visuals are mostly grainy ( done deliberatly ??)

B.Lenin has done some innovative cuttings to enhance the youthfullness of the movie.

The movie is not a regular movie with a story , screenplay & climax . It does not proceed as a normal movie would . It is wound around the various first expereinces of various individuals around the protogonist in a light hearted manner .

Dialogues are real to life & " KOOL " .Though there is ample dose of english in it .

It is quiet similar to " Hydrabad Blues " in the way casting , performances & the making of the movie is concerned but not as lucid or linear as it. Movie gives a feel of watching a documentary now & then .

Bottomline : Trendsetter in Tamil .

3.5/5

Raman Thediya Seethai

My Review : Raman Thediya Seethai

This movie can't be categorised as a family drama or romantic drama & it is neither a commercial masala movie nor an artistic & realistic movie .But it is an impressive movie with some very good acting by all the actors as well a fresh story & screenplay added with some intelligent dialogues. Jagannaath who missed a hit with his previous two movies will reap success with this one.

Plot : It is a story about the hero trying to get himself a life partner & people whom he comes into contact in the process.

Cheran: Proves why he is called "Yathartha nayagan " though his acting seem to get repetitive whether it is Autugraph or Thavamai Thavamirundhu or Pirivom Sandhipom or here .

Pasupathy : It is a very good performance from him & suits to the role of a blind RJ to the hilt. His body language , facial expressions & dialogue delivery presents before us an authentic blind person .It is one of his memorable performance .

Nitin Sathya : He also impresses with a role of a reformed thief for love . He has an expressive eyes & used it well .

Vimala Raman : As Ranjitha ,first girl who say no to Cheran but eventually falls for his good manners has done a neat job . Again another actor with an expresive eyes in this movie.

Gazala : As Tamilisai , who loves & ties the knot with Pasupathy looks radiant on screen . Should have taken care of the dialogue delivary .

Ramya Nambeesan : As estranged daughter of Manivannan gives a flawless performance .

Kaarthiga : She is also impressive in the role of the girl behind the reformation of the theif -Nitin Sathya.

Others in the supporting cast like Manivannan , NAvya NAir & KArunas have also done thier jobs well though the later two have a very little part to play .

VidhyaSagar 's BgM is more impressive than the songs . Couple of songs are humworthy.

RajeshYadhav 's cinematography captures the natural splendour of Nagarkoil very pleasantly . The lush green rainy locales of Nagercoil are very soothing to the eyes.

Janganath has given a very neat movie sans violence or vulgarity .Movie moves at good pace in the first half though the last 30mins. seem to drag a bit . Also most of the characters just come & go .Director may have taken efforts to establish those characters more .For example , Karunas & Navya NAir are wasted in the movie .

Though the movie is not without drawbacks it is a decent movie to be watched with entire family pleasantly .

Bottomline: Fresh as a pre-monsoon rain .

4/5