Om Shanthi Oshaana

My review: Om Shanthi Oshaana

Rarely we get to see a love story told from the female protagonist's point of view in the mainstream commercial format. Jude Anthany Joseph has attempted precisely that in "Om Shanthi Oshaana" with inputs  from Midhun Manuel Thomas in the story and screenplay. It is astonishing how well the duo have understood the psyche of the teenage love from  the girl's perspective which has been the domain of female writers and directors usually. And to give us a thoroughly enjoyable movie that entertains is no mean task. 

First half is breezy and well paced. The exuberance of the teenage love, the attempts that a girl may take to impress her man, the gradual change in the persona and temperament that accompanies with the realization of having fallen for someone are all well executed. Aided with crisp and witty dialogues and comical interludes as well as the scenes that can be categorized as "cinematic memes" make up for a jolly good ride for the first one hour and ten minutes. 

Post interval though the movie begins to lag a little, as the exuberance of the adolescence gives way to the new found maturity of the young adulthood of our female protagonist, Pooja Mathew played very well by Nazriya Nazim. Now the methods become more contrived with occasional sprinkling of brilliance here and there. As one gets to settle for the mundane somber ending, the makers spring in a surprise to leave everyone happy in the end. To sum it up, the movie though has its share of ups and downs, the ups are more and so enjoyable that they don't allow you to focus much on the downs, hence in the end you come out with a happy satiated feel. 

  

Nivin Pauly actually doesn't have much to do. Though it is awfully skewed towards the female lead, Nivin manages to grab the eyeballs with his matured and restrained act. But the movie is through and through a Nazriya Nazim movie, almost giving you the feel of as if its been written solely for her. And she has utilized the platform provided to her well. Not that every other day actresses get these types of opportunities. One would have anticipated playing her age would have been much more easier than the mature part but she gets too cutesy at certain points while playing the teenage character. Movie has a rich talented support cast. Aju Varghese is brilliant with many get-ups of his as David Kanjani. 

Movie has pleasant music and background score by Shaan Rahman and eye-shooting camera work by Vinod Illampally. On the whole, "Om Shanthi Oshaana" is a thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy and  coming-of-age  story told in the female protagonist point of view.

Bottomline: Pick of the Valentine season.

3.5/5 

Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal

My review: Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal

"Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal", (IKK) second film for both its lead star and its director, Udhayanithi Stalin and S.R.Prabhakaran, respectively, is a movie that comes out without much tall claims and is successful in achieving what it aspired to do in the first place. On the lines of Udhayanithi's debut "Oru Kal Oru Kannadi" IKK follows almost the same pattern romance-bromance-family sentiments. Only this time the heroine role has more brain and heart to it than just a mannequin for a heroine in OKOK. 

Movie gets many things right which doesn't mean that it is without any shortcomings. Cliched, stretchy and deary family sentiments between the protagonist and his father is a definite irritant for the viewers. It is quiet in deep contrast with the way the director has handled another such relationship in the movie, that between the brother-in-law of the protagonist and his uncle. It is handled with much subtlety albeit endearingly childish nonetheless, it has something new about it on screen. Hence when couple of reels later television-serial like father-son sentiment scenes spring on the screen it gets pretty ridiculous. The makers might have very well done without that deary teary 15 minutes which only makes the movie sticky.  

Actually when you try to analyse this movie, there is not much of a story to tell. Taking the thread of a guy falling for a girl who initially has other ideas but finally reciprocates only to stumble upon couple of roadblocks before they happily lived ever after, Prabhakaran has managed to keep the audience going with series of Santhanam comedies that roll one after another. After a long time here is a movie where Santhanam's comedy actually works. There are umpteen enjoyable one-liners that enthralls you. Hence when he is not onscreen one does get a feeling of missing him, and keep waiting for him to return. In between though scenes go on and on endlessly with not much of a purpose.   

Udhayanithi Stalin has improved a bit on his onscreen presence and dialogue delivery. However he is on his way to emulate K.Baghyaraj with his dancing abilities. Nayathara can do these kind of role even in her sleep. Other characters are are cardboard caricatures from the Tamil cinema of the yore. 

Harris Jayaraj's songs have a nostalgic feel to it. His background score is right from the amateur comedy drama circuit. Balasubramaniem's camera work is pleasant. Prabhakaran who made a credible debut with "Sundarapandiyan" has once again set out with the sole purpose of entertainment aimed at families that crowd the theaters over the weekend. He is partly successful in that endeavor of his. 

Critics might pan it but the families would lap it up. Second hit on the way for Udayanithi-Santhanam combo without much sweat and toil. 

Bottomline: Udayanithi piggybacks on Santhanam's awesome one-liners.

3/5 

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum

My review: Pannaiyarum Padminiyum

When was the last time one felt watching the movie is not just sitting in a theater and staring at the screen but getting transported to the time, landscapes and the cultural milieu of the happenings on screen. "Pannaiyarum Padminiyum" is one such rare gem that sucks you deep into it and leave you highly satisfied having been able to experience rather than just watched it. The narrative eloquence of the first time writer-director S.U.Arunkumar coupled with richness in his visual conception of scenes belies the fact that he is a debutant. 

In my opinion the best part of the movie is its pace. It moves at such an apt pace that it allows time and scope for the viewers to get themselves involved with the movie. You laugh when the characters in it laughs,  you cry when they do cry and when they miss the car you also tend to miss it as a result when finally when the inevitable happens you brim with joy along the protagonists. And emotional reciprocity that the movie so effortlessly kindles in its viewers bears testimony not only the power of the writing but also execution and performances from the cast as well.

It is a story not only about the "Pannaiyar" and his prized possession, the Premier Padmini car but also what it means for its driver Murugesan, "cleaner" Peedai, Pannaiyar's wife, the kid who saves money with a desire for front seat, the condescending automobile mechanic who happens to be the only one around there, Panniayar's daughter, and not the least, the mini bus driver who often indulges in a "race" with it. And the heartening part is that each of these characters get a full arc to speak and get a decent conclusion of their parts which is not forced-in.  

Vijay Sethupathi astounds you with his knack of picking up the right scripts. Once again he excels in the role of driver Murugesan, only person who knows how to drive a car. The gamut of emotions he effortlessly portrays onscreen is there for you to see and enjoy. His acting is getting more and more effortless with every one of his movies. The powerful eyes of his is put to maximal use here and they do most of the acting, especially considering the fact that movie has equal importance to emotions and enactment as much as to dialogues. Jayaprakash in the role of his lifetime is a revelation. He too has come a long way from his "Mayakannadi" days. One has not seen him as expressive as he is in this movie. He has managed to camouflage his urban looks by means of his brilliant acting as a naive Pannaiyar. 

Thulasi is yet another pillar for this movie. The veteran actress is in full flow through out. It takes guts on the part of the director to bring to the forefront the geriatric romance that too in a poetic manner with the danger of it getting too simplistic and comical always lurking by. And part of the appreciation should also go to both Jayaprakash and Thulasi for their dignified portrayal. Bala as Peedai is another one who amazes us by the sheer showcase of talent. It has been a long time since one witnessed such a decent as well seamlessly written comical character on screen. He needs to be taken seriously by the Tamil cinema industry and he promises a lot.  Ishwarya Rajesh is good too. She acts well, speaks the language and is pleasing to the eyes too. 

"Unakaga pirandaene" is one of the best melodies in recent times. It is almost a  seamless confluence of Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman. Brilliantly done by debutant Justin Prabhakaran. An impressive debut for the youngster. Only thing is he could have toned down a bit with his background score at certain points. With experience he will get to know the power of silence.

Gokul Benoy is a magician with his camera. Since the director relies as much as on the visuals as his pen the part of cinematographer becomes critical. And Gokul has managed to come out with his head held high. The closing shots of the "Unakaga pirandaene" song is still in the back of my mind as I write this, what framing !, what lighting ! , what composing!!   

If a powerful screenplay is one which manages to evoke triumph in us when we see a housefly take on a mighty villain, then what you call a screenplay where a non-living thing like a car manages to make you cry when it leaves you and makes you laugh with joy when it gets back to you. Intelligent, brilliant, world-class,.....you may add on as many adjectives as you want, here is a movie that can't be ignored nor its director. 

Bottomline: An experience to cherish. 

4/5

Goli Soda

My review: Goli Soda

Vijay Milton’s “Azhagai Irukirai Bayamai Irukirathu” is a personal favorite for its freshness in the story-telling and trying out something new albeit within the confines of the normal love-story. Though the movie failed to create any flutters at the box-office, Vijay Milton’s directorial abilities came to the forefront. So when his second venture after long hiatus “Goli Soda” got released the title as well the lead cast of the movie kindled enough curiosity. The movie lives up to the expectation that it aroused and it is heartening to know that it is doing well at the box-office too.

Though the story is a routine underdog taking on the oppressor saga and the avengers are unlikely quartet of daily wage kids in their early teens, the treatment of the same is brilliant. At no point in the narration does one feel the implausibility of the happenings instead we start rooting for the kids. The emotional reciprocity the narration manages to kindle in the viewers is amazingly effortless. Main credit for the same goes to the writer-director Vijay Milton.

Though preachy and over-emphasizing at certain points movie also stays away from cheap mush and empty rhetoric as well. Movie also employs visual storytelling tellingly thus managing to keep the narration crisper. At places where a routine movie would have a dreary flashback or a mundane voice-over explaining the viewers what has happened, here Milton is able to fill in those blanks with just a passing shot. Not that these are difficult for the routine movie goer to fathom, which brings in the question whether the regular Tamil cinema makers underestimate the intelligence of the viewers these days. Thus by giving enough respect to the intelligence of the viewers, Vijay Milton has earned his respect from the viewers himself.

The quartet of “Pasanga” is back this time as adolescent daily wagers trying their might to get an identity for themselves. Kishore, Sreeram and Pandi among the four impress. The girl who is cast as Valarmathi is apt and has more screen space, scope and character importance than Chandini who is supposed to be the “heroine”. Madhusudhan and Vijay murugan as the antagonists have done their parts well.

If there is something that can be termed negative about the movie it is the music. Both the songs and the background score are not that impressive. Music is by Arunagiri and background score is by Seelin.

On the whole, “Goli Soda” is a well written and neatly presented mass masala entertainer that the top “stars” of Tamil cinema can only aspire to emulate.

Bottomline: Full on fizz.

3.5/5 

Jilla

My review: Jilla

After a brief detour Vijay is back to his comfort zone in his latest movie “Jilla”, Written and directed by Nesan. Thing with Vijay is that he has incomparable charisma among his peers as a result of which even the most mediocre of his movies manage to stay afloat. Hardly any of his movies get washed-out at the box-office how ordinary the movie may be (with the exception of “Sura”). That he has a huge reception from the family audience in addition to his legion of fans is the main reason for it. Almost every household must have at least one person (especially kids) who likes him which is the main factor for his movies traditionally doing well with the family audience which his contemporaries could only dream of. But the problem with “Jilla” is that that precious constituency of Vijay would take a beating because of its repulsive objectification of its female lead and b-grade disgusting comedies.

Nesan seems to have started this project on a blank slate with the hope of relying on Vijay’s charisma and Mohanlal’s screen presence adding scenes from innumerable Telugu movies all along. Hence movie goes on and on endlessly low on purpose. What could have been a riveting drama of cat and mouse game between the son and father gets watered down into a highly irritating and repugnant mass masala, the type of movies which resulted in the series of below-average and average returns for Vijay at the box-office not so long ago. 

Vijay himself seems to be a bit less interested than his regular chirpy self. He seems to be going through the motion for the most parts. Mohanlal is good and brings in his huge wealth of experience to give his poorly written role some credibility. If not for Vijay and Mohanlal this movie would have surly fell by the way side unnoticed. Kajal Agarwal has just two songs, three scenes and four lines to mouth in this movie. Rest of the movie she is just about makes the numbers among the background crowd.

One of the movie’s few consolations is its music. Iman is in such a terrific form off-late which gets reflected on screen. “Kandangi” and “Verasa pogaile” are signature Iman melodies. His background score is also good. Movie is technically very well made. Each frame is filled with colour. The lighting in some of the scenes and the camera work in the action sequences are praise worthy. Ganesh Rajavelu is the cinematographer.

In the end one could only feel sorry for Nesan who has wasted such a wonderful opportunity. Not that everyone could dream of having the backing of one of the leading producers of south India and two of the leading stars of south India yet Nesan could not capitalize on the same.

On the whole, “Jilla” is a beaten to bushes mass masala entertainer that could work only in Telugu movie Industry.

Bottomline: Eagerly awaiting Vijay’s next with A.R.Murugadoss.

2/5