‘Anarkali’ is another love tale

Boy meets girl and its love at first sight for Shantanu, (Prithviraj), a naval officer and Nadira Imam (Priyal Gor). Their eyes lock together at a naval officers get-together where she sings a qawali.
From mere glances their relationship grows into meetings until Nadira’s father, Rear Admiral, Jaffer Imam’s catches them kissing.
Like every other love story, especially one that dares to cross boundaries of religion Shantanu and Nadira face opposition. Jaffer Imam, known for his disciplinarian ways is now bent on separating the two, even if it meant kicking Shantanu out of service on account of misconduct with his 15-year-old daughter.
Nadira vows that she will only marry Shantanu with her father’s consent. And, until then she would not meet him at all.
‘Anarkali’ is scenarist Sachy’s maiden directorial venture. There is nothing new in this love story. And, coming closely on the heels of another love story, ‘Ennum Ninte Moideen,’ where religion came in the way of two loving hearts, comparisons are inevitable.
‘Ennum Ninte Moideen,’ scored with a powerful and intense story. You felt the pain of the lovers. That is missing in ‘Anarkali.’ Despite Prithviraj’s good performance and Priyal Gor’s cute looks, the emotions between the two lovers don’t move you. Veteran actor Kabir Bedi disappoints with his wooden expressions.
What props up this love story from sagging is the presence of other characters like Dr. Sherin George (Mia George), Koya, (played by Suresh Krishna) Naseeb Imam, (Nadira’s brother played by Sudev Nair,) and Zachariah, (Shantanu’s close buddy played by Biju Menon).
And of course the exotic visuals of Lakshadweep shot by cinematographer Sujith Vassudev.
‘Anarkali’ is good in parts and a treat for Prithviraj fans. With doses of humour and action, ‘Anarkali’ is another romantic tale.  

‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ a film that does not take itself seriously

 With a title like this, Nadir Shah’s first film is bound to grab attention. Opening with a word of caution about employing north Indian migrant workers in Kerala, it promises tall. Soon the story shifts to introduce us to three friends, Amar (Prithviraj), Akbar (Jayasurya) and Anthony (Indrajit).  

The trio have set dreams on visiting Pattaya and experiencing the much advertised night-life there. But every time, a family commitment brings their dreams to the ground.  Like many youngsters, their lives are no different. Besides work, they find fun in booze and trying to impress Jeni, (Namitha Pramod), an upcoming artiste. Namitha is just a pretty picture, her character is mere eye candy. 
The first half is supposed to provide humour but the comedy scenes barely tickle you. You don’t even understand where it is headed towards. Clearly not Pattaya!
The second half turns serious and so do our three friends. A social message makes you sit up towards the end. There was enough scope to make it a better story but the narration is a big let down. Neither did the presence of a multi-star cast save it.
Like the characters of the story, don’t take ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ seriously. 

‘Pathemari’ will strike a chord with Gulf Malayalis

Pallikal Narayanan’s role reminds us of the Mamootty we have always admired

With director Salim Ahamad, you can expect a good story that will be told sincerely.
Be it his maiden venture, ‘Adaminte Makan Abu,’ the national award winner or his second, ‘Kunjananthande Kada,’ Ahamad’s protagonists is the common man with small dreams. 
‘Pathemari,’ his third film and with Mammootty in the lead again touches you with its simple tale told without frills.
It is set in the seventies and early eighties of the boom time in UAE, when Malayalis migrated here  for a better life. Travelling in dhows (pathemari) without proper documents and saddled with an uncertainty about reaching the shores alive, the Malayali found strength in his dreams.
‘Pathemari’ holds a mirror to the saga of many Malayalis of this era.
Pallikal Narayanan (Mammootty) and close buddy Moideen (Srinivasan) board a dhow helmed by Velayudhan (Siddique), who deals in this business. Despite a journey marked with hardships and uncertainty, Narayanan and Moideen reach Khor Fakkam island and sneak into the mainland. In no time they find employment and their families live comfortably.  
But what about Narayanan’s dreams of building his own house in his native town and settling there someday with his family?
Striking a chord with many expatriates in UAE, ‘Pathemari,’ could remind them of their parents or an uncle working in the middle-east and returning home with a huge box of gifts. The first half of the story is slow, very much like the pathemari but picks up speed in the second half.
Lots of moments in Narayanan’s life tug at your heart. One scene is where Narayanan makes a phone call to India on the day of his niece’s wedding and waits eagerly to hear all news, but the busy family members cut short the conversation. Another time, when he calls home, his two grown up sons, not keen on talking to him, tell their mother to inform him that they were sleeping.
Yet, Narayanan holds no bitterness, in fact given another life, he says he would do the same things again. Raising a toast to his life, Salim salutes the magnanimity of the average Malayali lives frugally so that his family is comfortable back in India.
Narayanan’s shoes fit Mammootty perfectly and the veteran with a subdued performance brings an endearing Narayanan to life onscreen. This is the Mammootty we fell in love with in the eighties. Supporting him is Srinivasan as Moideen. Siddique’s role though brief is memorable. A mature performance is noted in Jewel Mary, as Narayanan’s wife, who goes through different stages of his life. Tamil actress Viji Chandrsekhar makes an impressive debut as Mammootty’s mother.   Complementing Salim Ahamad’s story is the brilliant visuals of Madhu Ambat.
‘Pathemari’ is an emotional family drama that bares the harsh realities of life.

 ‘Vedalam’ with it’s larger than life character of the star clearly woos Ajith’s fans

If you can leave your brains behind, maybe you could sit through this masala entertainer that lacks logic

Ganesh (Ajith) and his sister Tamizh (Lakshmi Menon) arrive in Kolkata where Tamizh enrolls for a course in a college of design. As expected she is a talented girl and the brother-sister share a great bond. Ganesh also takes up work as a taxi driver. And he is the sweet guy with a charming smile, until he turns informer for the police who are trying to nab a much dreaded criminal and his gang.
When Ganesh is caught by the gang from a timid man praying for his life, he transforms himself into a ruthless killer, who kills the two brothers of the gang leader Rahul.
So who is actually Ganesh? The story unravels as Ganesh shares his past with Shwetha, (Shruthi Haasan) and whose brother is engaged to Tamizh.
The script is weak, there is no logic as to why the story begins in Italy where an upright police officer is killed by Rahul.
Shruthi Haasan plays a lawyer who has never won a case and with two juniors under her. Shruthi looks gorgeous and hot but she needs to work on her expressions. Her character is poorly sketched. Soori is supposed to tickle the funny bones with his wisecracks but all his jokes fall flat. What is funny about saying ‘Awesome’ as ‘Aweshome’ or ‘public’ as ‘bublic.’
The police become the butt of ridicule as Ganesh is paid by two constables to beat up a crowd of goons who have entered the police station. How believable is  this?

Even his scenes with Shruthi Haasan where they plot against Ganesh are annoying instead of evoking chuckles. Well if you are an Ajith fan, rest assured this film is just for you. With song sequences at the drop of a hat, as Ajith shakes his legs and action scenes where his one man army does everything to bring the villains down. And of course he emerges unscathed.
Lakshmi Menon’s role was definitely drawn better as Ganesh’s sister who brings a change in heart of a rowdy.
Director Siva seems to have added every masala that came to his mind. While the song, 'Adama.....' is one song that lingers for a while, the background score is so jarring that very often the dialogues get lost in its music.
This one is not meant for the family with killings running wild and enough gore.

‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’ is hilarious and fun

Nayanthara completely busts her glamorous image, as the vulnerable and hearing impaired Kadambari and matches pace with the versatile Vijay Sethupathi

With a title like ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan,’ (I am a Rowdy too), you would expect a story of a tough goon and gore to put you off, but director Vignesh Sivan surprises you in his second film.  There is plenty to laugh aloud in this black comedy.
Pandi, (Vijay Sethupathi) contrary to the wishes of his mother, (Radhika Sarath Kumar as a sub-inspector) aspires to become a rowdy. But this mama’s boy lacks guts and toeing in line with her wishes, he appears for the police services examinations.
His life gets a new meaning and probably his deep seated desire of becoming a ‘rowdy’ might be realized when Kadamabari, (Nayanthara)  a hearing impaired young woman enters his life. Pandi falls in love with her and little does he know what’s coming when he bends down to kiss Kadambari. Kadambari tells him that the way to her heart is by killing a thug, Killivallavan, (Parthiban) who had killed her parents. Sethupathi is back in form once again. The versatile actor fits into his role like a glove. Complementing him is Nayanthara with her brilliant performance. Dubbing in her own voice, the glamorous actress plays Kadambari, the vulnerable little girl who holds onto her painful past, most beautifully, without going overboard.
What keeps the story alive and fresh is Sivan’s treatment and dialogues, you just can’t predict what’s next.  Hilarious moments keep you chuckling. Radhika Sarath Kumar is perfect as a cop and I loved the scenes where she asks her colleague to manipulate results to get her a son a place in the police force.

‘Puli’ fails to make the roar one expected from a Vijay film

Weak script, poor characterization and bad editing makes ‘Puli’ a big disappointment

For all the noise it made, ‘Puli’ fails to make the leap into viewers’ hearts.
Chimbu Devan’s script was well loaded for a Vijay fan: Marundheeran, a larger than life hero, his beautiful lover, Pavazhamalli, (Shruthi Haasan)  two side –kicks (Thambi Ramiah and Satyan) to become the butt of the hero’s jokes and a villain, Thalapathy Jalatharangan (Sudeep) to egg  Marundheeran into action duels. Besides, there is Bollywood’s diva, Sridevi making a comeback into Tamil cinema, in a queen’s role and the glamorous Hansika Motwani her daughter. Yet ‘Puli’ fell down like a pack of cards.
Devan’s story touted as a fantasy tale for children lacked conviction. After all children ask questions mind you.
Marundheeran who is introduced as a simple guy and not a bravado to take on the powerful Vedhalams, (a clan of people with super human powers) saves his people from their tyranny by merely holding tightly onto  a Vedhalam chief’s leg. How ridiculous can that get?
And when Marundheeran’s lover, Pavazhamalli is abducted by the Vedhalams, he risks his life to find her. Of course he will eventually  (remember this is a Vijay film) but before that he has to cross an ardous path and the guide on this journey is a huge turtle known for his wisdom.
‘Puli’ reminds viewers of ‘Bahubali,’ in many ways. The story opens with a baby floating down the river and is rescued by a villager. And he turns out to be the rightful heir to a kingdom which has been confiscated by an evil chieftain. So that brings Vijay in a double role (more treat for fans). But the actor fails to impress in this role. His poor character sketch and bad hairdo a big letdown. 
Just how much of a children’s film is ‘Puli’ you wonder. The nuptial night jokes centred around Thambi Ramiah’s character is certainly not for little ones. What’s funny about licking the back of a frog now and then?
After waiting eagerly for Sridevi, the actress makes an appearance in the second half. She plays a queen under the spell of her chieftain. Sudeep as the baddie is ok.  ‘Puli’ drags real slow. The editing could have been crisper. Except for the ‘Yendi Yendi’ song sung by Vijay and Shruthi Haasan, none of the songs linger in the mind. 

What you will love though in ‘Puli’ is the breathtaking visuals shot by cinematographer Nataraj Subramaniam. The colour palette is vibrant. T. Muthuraj’s sets are a pretty picture too. In the special effects section the turtle and the bird Soora are a delight. If only Soora had a more chirpy voice and less adult sounding.

Ivide’ a crime thriller also carries an emotional story

Watch Malayalam’s fine talents, Prithviraj and Nivin Pauly lock horns ivide, sorry here

By Mythily Ramachandran

‘Ivide’ opens with a murder of an Indian techie, Nageshwar Rao. It happens in Atlanta. Following another techie’s murder, this time of Sunny Singh, Investigating Officer, Varun Blake (Prithviraj) believes that a serial killer is on the prowl.
Varun as his first name suggests is an Indian by birth who grew up in an orphanage but is later adopted by an American lady and her hippie boy- friend.
Raised in the US, Blake feels that his brown skin alienates him from the others. Consequently there is a deep seated anger that he is never able to let go.
Many a times, his anger gets the better of him. And, at one instance he is pointing his revolver at his wife, Roshini (Bhavana). That triggers the break of their marriage. Roshini leaves him taking along with her, their daughter, Trisha.
She takes up work at Infotech, an IT company where she meets her school mate Krish Hebbar (Nivin Pauly), a team leader much respected. Krish hailing from a middle-class home is an ambitious young man and his goal is the top post in the company. And, to achieve that, Krish will go to any length, even if it means manipulating situations.
Love blossoms between Krish and Roshini. While the main story probes the murders of Indian techies, underlying this is an emotional tale of three people, that of Varun, Krish and Roshini.
Ajayan Venugopalan’s script explores the lives of the Indian expatriates and the repercussions of outsourcing work to Indian companies. Naturally a greater part of the story is in English. Venugopalan’s crisp dialogues are the strength of the story. Shyamaprasad’s craftsmanship evident in every frame is well matched by cinematographer Eric Dickinson visuals.
The lead characters come with their own flaws and are more real. Prithviraj’s salt and pepper cool dude look will set many a heart flutter. The actor reinforces his talent once again with a brilliant performance. Bringing to the fore Varun’s insecurities and his cockiness, Prithviraj plays a caring father too. 
Matching step with him and playing the perfect tango is Nivin Pauly. Krish is a typical middle-class boy and a dutiful son who skypes regularly with his mom, but he does succumb to moments driven by ambition. Bhavana as a young mother brings out the independent streak in Roshini. Gopi Sundar’s music blends well into this tale of human emotions.
‘Ivide,’ takes viewers on a journey to the US where life is not as rosy as it appears.

Rating: 3/5 

‘Papanasam,’ remains faithful to ‘Drishyam’

By Mythily Ramachandran

How often do remakes receive the same appreciation as its original film?
Seldom.
When a good film is turned into another film in a different  language, the story often gets distorted so as to,  “suit the local sensibilities,’ and in the process the essence of the core is lost.
But with ‘Papanasam,’ the Tamil remake of ‘Drishyam,’ (Malayalam),  director Jeethu Joseph scores once again.  Joseph has made little changes leaving the soul of the story intact. And that’s why ‘Papanasam,’ clicked with viewers.
Joseph’s story is about an ordinary cable television operator who has not studied beyond class four. A loving husband and doting father to his two daughters, Suyambulingam (Kamal Haasan)  does not aspire big. All he cares for is the happiness of his family.
But when an outsider enters and disturbs their peace, this father will go to any extent, solely to protect his daughter. And, when faced with the law, he believes that the family can be saved only by staying together. This father who has always taught his children to speak the truth finds himself tutoring them to speak lies, manufacturing alibis and finally tampering with evidence.
‘Drishyam’ was the story of a Christian family, ‘Papanasam,’ is the story of a Nadar family based in ‘Papanasam.’ Mohan Lal played George kutty, the father in ‘Drishyam.’ Kamal Haasan is Suyambulingam, in ‘Papanasam.’ If ‘Drishyam,’ brought back the Mohan Lal we loved and remembered for his films of the eighties, ‘Papanasam,’ brings back the Haasan we have always admired.
Comparisons with ‘Drishyam’ are inevitable, but on one aspect viewers will be unanimous: Lal and Haasan have both played to perfection the doting father in their own style.
Haasan’s terrific performance in the climax scene is the cherry of the cake in ‘Papanasam.’
Cinema is a running sub-text in ‘Papanasam,’for Suyambulingam is a hard core film watcher. And when confronted with an issue in life, Suyambulingam resorts to film shots to sort it out. Joseph has beautifully woven this aspect into the major story.
Asha Sharath and Esther Anil who have reprised their roles from the original deliver performances that is one notch higher than in ‘Drishyam.’ Sharath as the mother agonizing over her missing son is a tough cop who uses power to intimidate Suyambulingam and family. Winning hearts again is Esther, as Suyambulingam’s little daughter who succumbs to police power and spills the truth. Gauthami makes a good comeback opposite Haasan as his onscreen wife. Nivetha Thomas, reprises Ansiba Hassan’s character and is remarkable. Surprising viewers is Bollywood’s Ananth Mahadevan, he plays the role Siddique did in ‘Drishyam,’ and the veteran director-actor is perfect.
‘Papanasam,’ is a gripping tale that is unpredictable and leaves you stumped in the end.

Vadivelu’s ‘Eli’ a big let-down

Weak script, long story and not at all funny

By Mythily Ramachandran

Eli Samy (Vadivelu) is a petty thief who makes money by conning people and when he trespasses into a cop’s house that’s the limit. Obviously he is caught but he is given a chance by the police to redeem himself. Which means he has to infiltrate a criminal gang, which is into smuggling cigarettes and assist the police in the project.
Did I mention that Eli is so named after his mother Elizabeth, a British tourist who met his father, Samy, a guide?
‘Eli’ with Vadivelu in the lead promised great laughs, but despite all the hype it sunk like a damp squib.
Vadivelu’s exaggerated acting did little to tickle the funny bone,  And his expressions often bordered on caricatures that you indulge in sometimes to entertain a little child. Dressing Eli as a sexy woman is neither funny. And, viewers have had enough of toilet humour.  But I must say that I enjoyed Vadivelu’s song sequence ‘Mere Sapanon Ki Rani,’ (from Rajesh Khanna’s ‘Aradhana’), the comedian imitates the late actor very well. Sada looks a pretty picture.
Yuvaraj Dayalan’s script is weak. The film is exhaustingly long. Don’t forget the joke is on us!
‘Eli’ clearly disappoints Vadivelu fans.

‘Premam’ is a delightful entertainer with Nivin Pauly in the lead

By Mythily Ramachandran

‘Premam’ obviously is a love story, as the title suggests. Written and directed by Alphonse Puthran, viewers are treated to not just one love story but three love stories within one film. ‘Premam’ traces the life of George (Nivin Pauly) from his teens when he falls in love with Mary (Anupama Parameswaran), belonging to the same parish and how he pursues her to give her a love letter. This phase will connect with the young generation and takes others down nostalgic road of being in love and heart break.
George faces his first rejection when Mary introduces him to her lover and even seeks his assistance to keep her father at bay.
In college, George falls in love again, this time with Malar, (Sai Pallavi) a young lecturer, who reprimands him on her first day at college.
George is unlucky in love again.
George is well past his prime and in his thirties and managing a cake business when he meets Celine (Madonna Sebastian). Celine happens to be the little girl from the neighbourhood who accompanied Mary to school. Is she the woman meant to be in his life?
Puthran’s signature is visible from the minute the curtains rise and the credits roll. You are reminded of his debut film, ‘Neram,’ and the expectations for a good evening soar.
Puthran’s unconventional style of narration and the freshness in the humour that abounds in plenty throughout is amusing.
Nivin Pauly does a brilliant job. He transforms himself completely, going through each phase perfectly. Undoubtedly ‘Premam’ rests on Pauly’s shoulders. From a giddy headed teenager to a tough college goer who is edging for a fight to finally emerging as a mature and responsible man, Pauly has packed in quite a punch.
Vinay Fort plays a lecturer who is besotted with Malar. His scenes with Soubin Sahir as the PT instructor are a roar. Several new comers have acquitted themselves and are a talented bunch. Krishna Shankar and Shabareesh Varma as George’s close buddies lend the right support to Pauly. Their chemistry onscreen rocks. New find Anupama Parameswaran has few lines to deliver and conveys mostly through her eyes and her smile. Her curly locks give her a distinctive and attractive look.
On the other hand, Malar is talkative and brimming with energy with a smile always playing on her lips. Sai Pallai on debut steals the thunder. There is a positive air about Malar and Pallavi’s natural performance enriches the beauty of her character.
Madonna Sebastian as the third woman in George’s life is another talent to watch out for. Don’t miss Puthran making a guest appearance as Roney, Celine’s groom.
Cinematographer Anand C Chandran’s camera captures beautifully the small town ambience as well as the classy interiors of George’s restaurant.  
‘Premam’ is a fun entertainer, a simple love story of the boy next door. Like it’s tagline reads ‘nothing extraordinary in it.’
However ‘Premam’ stretches a tad too long, often indulging in itself, especially in the second half and with not so funny jokes. It called for better editing.   By the way, why bring Malar back just when all seems to be going well?

‘Vai Raja Vai’ a typical masala entertainer

By Mythily Ramachandran

It’s that hunch, a premonition of knowing what can happen next, which lands Karthik, (Gautham Karthik) a middle class boy and an IT professional into trouble.
When his senior colleague Pandu (Vivek) notices this special trait in him, he decides to use Karthik to rake in moolah.
With his sister’s wedding approaching and egged on by Pandu, Karthik joins a cricket betting circle to make quick bucks.
It’s just that one time, he says, but then quitting this group is not that easy. Ranthe (Daniel Balaji) the man managing this vicious circle is not going to let him off so easily. He coerces Karthik into joining him on board a cruise, where he intends using Karthik’s supernatural powers of premonition for a bigger game on the roulette board where the stakes are high. And the victim in this ploy becomes Karthik’s lover, Priya (Priya Anand) kidnapped by Ranthe.
Got the drift? ‘Vai Raja Vai’ is a typical commercial entertainer with all elements in place. Karthik’s premonition powers is the new peg for director Aishwarya Dhanush’s second film. 
Like Aishwarya stated in her interview, “Don’t watch ‘Vai Raja Vai,’ keeping ‘3’ (her debut film) in mind,”  this film is a different cup of tea altogether.
The first half is fun with humourous scenes delivered by Satish (Satish), Karthik’s friend.  However, Gautham Karthik could have worked on his expressions better. Comedian Vivek certainly needs to think out of the box. Viewers are tired of his dressing up like a woman. It’s just not funny. Despite not marking his villain role with anything quirky, Daniel Balaji is impressive. 
Stylishly packaged and racy, this thriller is a one -time watch.

 ‘Uttama Villain’ a tad too long but a story that touches the hearts

By Mythily Ramachandran

With death imminent, matinee idol Manoranjan, (Kamal Haasan) who has acquired fame and glory in ample measure has one last wish. He wants his mentor Margadarshi (K. Balachander) to direct him in a story that he has written.
It was Margadarshi who had discovered the actor in Manoranjan. He believes that if made this film would be a memorable one for him. Margadarshi is not keen initially but when he learns that Manoranjan’s life is threatened by brain tumour, he gives in.
So, the film, ‘Uttaman,’ gets rolling. It’s set in the 8^th century with Manoranjan playing the lead role of Uttaman. Ironically Uttaman has survived death on several counts. He is now recognized as ‘mrityunjayan,’ (the man who overcame death) by the villagers.
With a film inside the main film, Haasan’s script alternates between the sets of Uttaman and the life of Manoranjan, the actor.
You learn about Mano’s past lover Yamini and their daughter,  Manomani (Parvathy Menon). Manoranjan is now married to Varalakshmi and they have a son, Manohar. But that does not stop the actor from straying outside marriage and finding a lover in his doctor, Arpana (Andreah Jeremiah).

If Kamal Haasan makes you smile now and then with his comic and naïve behaviour as Uttaman, he also makes you blink your tears when Manoranjan wrestles emotional moments with his two children. The scene between Manoranjan and Manohar tossing the cricket ball was well conceived.

Haasan the versatile performer comes to the fore in these scenes and you can’t help remembering his old hits, ‘Raja Parvai,’ ‘Silangai Oli,’ and ‘Moondram Piravai,’ to mention a few.
At sixty, how many actors can take on a theyyam dance with that heavy headgear and emote too? Haasan is adept as Uttaman the folk artiste. Naïve and sometimes bordering on clowning, Uttaman connives  with the beautiful Jasmine (Pooja Kumar) to kill the wicked Mutharasan, (Nasser) the king of the land and one who desires Jasmine.
It’s a Kamal Haasan show all the way no doubt, but one worth watching the actor in different moods and forms. And look out for the scenes between Haasan and late K. Balachander.
‘Uttama Villain,’ does drag in places though and the frills could have been trimmed. Like the portions revolving around Jasmine and Mutharasan as well as the intimate moments between Manoranjan and Dr. Arpana.
Hats off to Nasser who delighted viewers with his antics as Mutharasan. Not many are aware that this splendid actor was going through a difficult phase in his life during the filming of ‘Uttama Villain.’ His eldest son was critically injured in hospital and the sets gave him the much needed respite from agonizing. Nasser had revealed this during the audio launch ceremony of ‘Uttama Villain.’
Comedian M. S. Bhaskar as Manoranjan’s Manager acquits  his part well. So did Urvashi as Manoranjan’s wife, she was natural and spontaneous. Among the young brigade, Parvathy Menon and Ashwin shine in their roles as Manoranjan’s son and daughter. A pleasant surprise was actor Jayaram who lent a quiet dignity to Jacob Zacharia, his character.
Haasan’s characters cannot be separated into black and white. They are normal humans with failings, be it Chokku Chettiar, who holds back a secret from Manoranjan, or Dr. Arpana, the other woman in Manoranjan’s life.
‘Uttama Villain’ is a thorough entertainer and at its core lies a poignant story. 

‘Oru Vadakkan Selfie’ a mere time pass 

By Mythily Ramachandran

What can possibly go wrong with a selfie?
A lot, especially if it is taken of a young woman and without her knowledge.
Umesh, (Nivin Pauly) an engineering student with a backlog of 42 arrears, (yeah you heard it right)  realizes that a bit too late. The young woman here is Daisy, (Manjima Mohan) his new neighbour who is least interested in his advances.
The first half of ‘Oru Vadakkan Selfie,’ does not take itself seriously. Just like the characters, the young men in this story, rather boys who have still not grown up and have their college hangover still, it meanders aimlessly. Slapstick comedy rules and after a while you can’t help wondering what’s the joke all about.
The story picks up steam and braces itself on a serious note, when Umesh is determined to prove his innocence as far as Daisy’s disappearance is concerned, who is believed to have eloped with her lover.
What happens to Daisy? Who is her lover? Are questions bothering Umesh.  Helping him in tracking Daisy is his close buddy, Shaji (Aju Verghese) and Jack Tracker, (Vineeth Sreenivasan) a private detective from Chennai whom they hire.
Directed by newcomer G. Prajith and based on Vineeth Sreenivasan’s script, ‘Oru Vadakkan Selfie,’ could have been made into a better film. The humour is loud and in your face. Aju Verghese’s talents has not been well exploited here. Verghese has delivered better hits and you can’t help remembering his ‘Peruchazhi,’ and the last Biju Menon starrer, ‘Vellimoonga.’ Shaji’s character has been poorly sketched.
Sreenivasan gently sends home a message on how vulnerable young women can be owing to the anonymity of the world –wide- web. There is some melodrama in the second half, when Umesh and company land up in Madurai in search of Daisy’s lover. How do the young men without a penny on them manage to survive on this journey and that too in a car. So long as you don’t ask questions and if you are not looking for something serious, you could check out ‘Oru Vadakkan Selfie.’ 
An evening peppered with laughs and you don’t take back home any of the characters to dwell upon. Quite a predictable fare.

‘O Kadhal Kanmani’ a breezy romantic story in true Mani Ratnam style 

Adi (Dulquer Salmaan) is a game developer who comes to Mumbai on work from Chennai. He finds  accommodation with an elderly couple, Ganapathy (Prakash Raj) and Bhavani (Leela Samson) as their paying guest. 
Adi meets Tara, (Nithya Menon) on the very first day of his arrival in Mumbai but under strange circumstances.
Adi is waiting at the station for his friend Ananya (VJ Ramya) to pick him up, when he notices a young woman on the platform across. She is in argument with a young man and after he walks off in a huff, Tara attempts to throw herself in front of an approaching train.
Catching glimpses of her in between two moving trains, Adi with his gestures tries to dissuade her from taking the extreme step.
But he forgets her the moment Ananya reaches the platform with a music band in tow playing, ‘Bambai pe aaya mera dost,’ an old Bollywood number.
Few days later, he bumps into Tara again; this time at the church where Ananya is getting married. Tara is a guest too.

From making small talk to becoming friends Adi and Tara are drawn towards each other. While they believe in love, they don’t believe in marriage. Not for them the hassles of bringing up babies and the pangs of parenting. 
Tara is an architect and keen on pursuing higher studies at Paris. Adi dreams of becoming the next Steve Jobs and Marc Zuckerberg.
When Tara moves in with Adi at the Ganapathy’s home, it takes their relationship to another level. But they are both clear that their relationship is not a commitment and that both would go their own ways in pursuit of their dreams.
So is the institution of marriage relevant among the new generation? That’s the big question.
Opening the film in his signature style, with a train entering the station (remember Mani Ratnam’s ‘Alaipayuthe’ with Madhavan running to the platform as a train pulls up)  and creating the perfect spot for two strangers to meet, Mani Ratnam loses no time in getting into the shoes of today’s young.

Adi and Tara are ordinary characters representing today’s youth, who are clear of their ambitions and make no pretensions about their views.
Understanding their pulse very well, the master director narrates a romantic tale that immediately  connects  not just with the young but the older generation too.
With couple of moments that viewers would identify with, Mani Ratnam is back into their hearts after ‘Kadal,’ his last film, that disappointed many. 
There is a scene where Ganapathy recalls about the first time he met Bhavani. He is praising her prowess as a noted Carnatic singer in the past as Adi and Tara listen and Bhavani quips, ‘Paarku eppidi irunthein sollanga,’ (tell them how I looked).  Mani Ratnam understands women like no other.
In all his films, the women are carved lovingly and are strong individuals with a mind of their own. Be it Divya of ‘Mouna Raagam’ ‘Roja’ of ‘Roja,’ or ‘Shakti’ of Alaipayuthe, Mani Ratnam gives women  due respect.
So is love just the union of two bodies?
Structuring Adi-Tara story to run parallel with another love story, that of the elderly couple, Ganapathy and Bhavani,  viewers along with Adi and Tara watch a caring husband who lovingly and patiently handles his Alzhiemer affected wife.
Prakash Raj’s subtle acting enriches his character. Leela Samson, (former Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification, India) is a big surprise). Her portrayal of Bhavani is brilliant.
It’s a poignant moment when Bhavani asks her husband, “Ganapathy, Will I also forget you someday?”
There are fun moments aplenty, in fact the first half rests on that completely. With tongue in cheek humour by the lead pair and asides made by Bhavani, ‘O Kadhal Kanmani’ is a delight to sit through. The humour is in fact squeaky clean. No double entendres, no vulgar scenes and yeah, surprisingly not even the F…word in this story of GenX .
My favourite is the scene where Adi accompanies Tara to the gynaecologist. That was a scream. 
I wonder why the film was given a U/A certificate by the censors. And here is a film without any violence.
Who ever said that a good story cannot be narrated without the usual props that Indian cinema, especially Tamil cinema seems to rely upon?
Dulquer and Nithya with their beautiful onscreen chemistry are just awesome. You forget Dulquer and Aadi comes to the fore and his different moods. It’s the hospital scene with Tara, where he begins looking dumb and slowly his countenance changes to bewilderment and then fear, Mammootty’s son shows immense potential. Nithya Menon’s biggest asset is her eyes and she exploits them completely.
Rahman’s music is magical. The picturisation and choreography of the song, ‘Paranthu Selavaa,’ is brilliant. Shot entirely inside a room, with just the lead pair, this song begins with a single kiss and then the loopy application takes over.
Cinematographer P.C. Sreeram’s visuals be it inside the old house or the outdoors of Mumbai, each frame holds something special. Not to forget the mirror scenes and rain soaked frames, a common element in Mani Ratnam's films.  
Opening the titles with visuals of a video game establishes the tone for the story that will unfold. And when similar visuals were used later to denote a tension filled moment, when  Aadi’s sister-in-law follows Tara into his room with a questioning look. When her doubt is put to rest, the director points us to  the  protagonist in the video game who has just got a life. Hat’s off to you Mr. Mani Ratnam that was cool.
‘O Kadhal Kanmani,’ is a simple story of two young people, from life around told without any frills. Brevity in the dialogues is another plus. I loved the instances where the line, ‘Enna Ketta?’ (Why ask me?) was used.
No melodrama either, when we learn of Tara’s background nor when Bhavani goes missing. No villain or the other woman or overbearing parents.
‘O Kadhal Kanmani’ is unashamedly in tune to where its characters begin and where they are likely to be going. Just don’t miss this Mani Ratnam film.
Take your grandmother and your children too, for it cuts across generations. It will be an evening well spent.

‘Ennum Eppozhum’ a clean family drama

Vineeth N Pillai, (Mohan Lal) yes with the emphasis on ‘N’ is a senior journalist of a woman’s magazine ‘Vanitharatnam.’ A bachelor who is still searching for a woman with the bold traits of his mother, Pillai does seems out of place in the new order of things that is being planned by Kalyani, (UAE resident Reenu Mathews) the new editor.
London educated Kalyani is on a mission to revamp the magazine, until now under the management of her mother. Right from her first meeting she disapproves of Pillai’s attitude and style of working.
She is keen on removing him from her company but before that she assigns him a story. |Pillai is asked to interview Deepa, (Manju Warrier) a lawyer who grabbed headlines for protesting against the poor road conditions in the city after she falls into a pot hole while riding her two-wheeler.
Pillai meets Deepa but she refuses an interview.
Will Pillai file his story that is being slotted as the cover story for the new issue of ‘Vanitharathnam?’ That is a big question not only for Pillai, but for Kalyani too, who considers him an irresponsible reporter.
‘Ennum Eppozhum,’ is a typical Satyan Anthikad film, a clean family entertainer.
Manju Warrier on her second outing handles her role with maturity. Deepa, a contemporary woman and a divorcee with a child is a picture of strength yet graceful, reflecting the lives of quite a few women today. Playing Deepa’s close friend, Farah, a businesswoman is Lena. Farah’s marriage is crumbling, yet she bears it stoically.
Ranjan Pramod’s screenplay mirrors today’s woman, who takes life’s challenges in her stride without resorting to melodrama. We don’t get to see the husbands of the wronged women, leaving it to viewers’ imagination.
‘Ennum Eppozhum’ makes no lofty pretensions but narrates a simple straight story that could be yours, or your neighbour’s or maybe the lady up the alley.
Can a Sathyan Anthikad film be without humour? Remember his classic hits of the eighties, like ‘Thalayanamanthram,’ ‘Nadodikattu,’ ‘T.P. Balagopalan M.A and ‘Gandhi Nagar 2^nd Street.’
Innocent who has done the maximum number of films with Anthikad plays Kariachan, Deepa’s friendly neighbour. Kariachan and his wife are always there to help Deepa in times of need.
It’s fun to be treated to good clean humour, without wincing at double entendres and toilet humour that has become a constant staple in some of new gen films.
Mohan Lal and Manju Warrier’s pairing works well and the bond between the lead characters grows in a subtle way. Lal as the laid back journalist who seems to goof up things first is endearing. Supporting him during comic moments are Jacob Gregory and Minon who deliver good  performances.
Vidyasagar’s melodious music is a refreshing break from the loud numbers that have become the order of today.
For one who believes in making only one film a year, director Anthikaad  has always succeeded in touching a chord with the family.
To many more such films from the veteran, Ennum Eppozhum (Forever Always).      

‘100 Days of Love’ a feel good film

With a title like that, obviously you are in for a love tale.
And, like most love stories it begins with the boy meeting girl.
But before that scriptwriter-director Jenuse Mohamed gives us a peek into our hero’s life. BKN is a features writer with a local daily in Bangalore and has just been dumped by his girl-friend. 
He stalks her on FB only to learn that she has moved on and is in love with another guy. With the bottle for solace, BKN downs a peg too many and posts some unwarranted comments on her page. He realizes his folly only later, when he is woken up by a call from his ex, who is obviously mad at him.
To make matters worse that day, BKN loses his job owing to creative differences with his editor.

He is out on a walk that night, when it starts to pour. So he hails a cab. And that where he bumps into the heroine, Sheela, who also reaches out for the same cab.
BKN lets her ride on, but he can’t forget her. When he notices that she has accidentally dropped a package, he sure knows his next move. Get  the drift?
If the first half involves searching for Sheela and to return her package, the second half is BKN’s attempt to win her over. But then when was love ever easy?
Did I mention the villain? Well Rahul, a good looking business tycoon and a close friend of Sheela is sure about marrying her.
With all ingredients for a typical love story, Mohamed’s debut film is comparable to old wine in new bottle.
What then makes it worth a watch?
Mohamed’s narration which is set in contemporary times, and dialogues that will certainly connect with GenX.  
Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menon as the lead pair   share a wonderful onscreen chemistry.  
A pleasant surprise is DJ Sekhar Menon, last seen as the sadistic Anto in Malayalam film, ‘Gangster.’ As BKN’s close buddy, Ummer is a gaming enthusiast. Menon brings out the comedian inside him.
Jenuse takes a spoof at Indian cinema and its clichéd love stories. With situation humour woven into the script including a joke surrounding BKN’s name, Mohamed keeps viewers chuckling often.
Dulquer’s fine moment comes as a drunk BKN, who dares to open out his heart to Nithya. A well orchestrated comic moment. Nithya’s is a spontaneous actress and that shows in most frames. Rahul Madhav is clearly a talent to watch out for. However, Aju Verghese’s role stuck out like a sore thumb. His character was not defined well. 
Pratheesh Varma’s camera roves over Bangalore capturing the city most beautifully, especially the night frames.
‘100 Days of Love,’ is a feel good rom-com. Just go for it.

Mamootty’s ‘Fireman’ a tribute to our unsung heroes

When was a film made around a fire mishap in Indian cinema?
Cop stories, yes, military sagas yes, but a disaster tale on the lives of firemen remains untold, be it in Bollywood or regional cinema. If the Hollywood block buster, ‘Towering Inferno,’ was set around a high rise building, Malayalam director Deepu Karunakaran explores the hazards of a leaking LPG tank in ‘Fireman.’

In a freak accident, this LPG container gets dislodged from its truck. Landing on the road, gas leaks through cracks resulted from the fall. And looming ahead is the imminent danger of a fire explosion. Any tiny spark could trigger off that.  
Fireman Vijay (Mammooty) and team face their biggest challenge on thwarting this danger. Complicating the situation is the milling crowd of onlookers and an impatient media force to deal with.  Also breathing down his neck is a team of arrogant policemen.
Taking a stand, Vijay decides to evacuate the neighbourhood. But the gas continues to spread further, reaching the vicinity of the central jail.
Now how do you evacuate the jail birds?
Before you know it, the film goes into thriller mode, keeping you guessing.
Karunakaran’s screenplay is gripping and the opening scene least prepares you for what follows. Taking viewers to a disaster zone, he educates them on the hazards of a gas fire. Lauding the firemen who shrug off all emotions while in the heat of their job, he makes you doff your hats for these unsung heroes. For the fire-fighters, saving lives is of paramount importance be it of a human or an animal, in this case, a rooster that fell into a well.
Retired fire- chief Lakshmana Pillai (Sreekumaran) does not hesitate to don his uniform once more when soon after his farewell party he gets a call about this mishap.
Everything is in place for this ticking clock thriller. Karunakaran has woven interesting characters that stay with you.  There is the party leader, Sagaav Iqbal (Siddique) who rescues the injured. UAE resident, RJ Nyla Usha puts in a mature performance as IPS Officer, Sherin Thomas who supports Vijay’s decisions. Unni Mukundan as fireman Shah Jahan is wonderful, not just in the looks department but with his acting too. Comedian Salim Kumar plays a father of a cancer afflicted daughter. However, his character sketch is a not very clear, although he is the pivot around whom the story is pegged.
Mammootty slips on the fireman’s boots with great ease. And carries the heroic traits given to his character with elan. After ‘Munnairuppu,’ here is another film that brings out the fire in him.
‘Fireman’ is an effort that deserves applause.

 

‘Anegan’s racy screenplay keeps you hooked

As the title suggests, ‘Anegan,’  is a story of a man with many looks, in this case three looks. Complementing Dhanush’s three looks is new face Amyra Dastur from Bollywood. Connecting the  three love tales is the concept of rebirth.
The main story is pivoted around Madhu, an IT professional, who sees visions of her past. So she consults a psychiatrist and during her sessions reveals the story of her past incarnation in the sixties. She is Samudra, a native of Burma, who falls in love with Murugappa, an Indian labourer, after he rescues her in an accident.
As is wont in all love stories, her rich father is the villain and does not approve of their love. Daddy will go to any length to make his anger clear, even if it means scalding his teenaged daughter with a hot iron.

The love birds decide to flee to India but at the nick of time, her father discovers them on the ship about to leave the shores. Left with no choice, the lovers jump into the sea, holding hands.
Come to the present and Madhu bumps into Ashwin, also working in the same company. He bears a striking resemblance to Murugappa and Samudra is bent on winning his heart. But Ashwin is not convinced of her stories of the past and wonders if she is really sane.
As for the third love story it surfaces during a session that Madhu has subsequently with her psychiatrist. She reveals how her other incarnation, Kalyani, a Brahmin girl and her lover Kali, a slum rowdy were actually done to death contrary to what was believed. .The suspense around this story keeps the rest of the script rolling.
Dhanush is brilliant in all three roles. As Murugappa, he lends a simplicity and then turns real rustic as Kali, and emerges sophisticated in the shoes of Ashwin.
Playing the perfect tango to him is Amyra. Not merely being a pretty picture, Amyra packs in a brilliant performance and shows great promise.  The surprise actor is Karthik of 'Mouna Raagam' fame, as the easy going and friendly boss of Madhu and Ashwin.
'Anegan' opens with great promise especially the scene where Murugappa rescues Samudra in a mishap on a giant wheel ride. Although the characters of Dhanush and Amyra have been well etched, after a point the story gets predictable. It's a typical commercial film with all elements in place and clearly targeted at Dhanush's fans. It's been a while since Tamil cinema saw a story around a rebirth concept and the screenplay is interesting enough to hold attention. What I still cant figure are the characters of  Jagan and Aishwarya Devan being repeated once again in the contemporary story of Ashwin and Madhu. Or the link between Commissioner Gopinath and Kiran. And, including a gay character in the story for humour seems to be the latest trend. Director Shankar received flak for a similar character in his recent film, ‘I.’ Can cheap comedy impress?

‘Anegan’s racy screenplay makes it worth a watch one time. Not to forget the brilliant cinematography that takes you to exotic locales.