Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru - Breathing a fresh lease of life into Tamil Cinema!!!!!

We are living in the new age era,where the Tinsel town is churning out films in a jiffy,year after year.And each year,only a handful of films make it big at the Box Office,or become critically acclaimed by both the audience and the filmmakers.Only in the past few years films such as Uriyadi,Metro etc have come out of the dark and produced sleeper hits.

Amidst this premise,the release of D-16 occured at the year end.And with each passing show,the word of mouth is spreading like wildfire,igniting the audiences' minds,to throng theatres and witness what's in store for them.

Films like D-16 happens once in a blue moon,as everything about this movie,instantly strikes a chord with the audience.This is an Industry,where even accomplished filmmakers may fail miserably,due to wrong script selection  and story content.But debutant Director Karthick Naren,has just lent an altogether different view on how audiences should be treated to the way of Storytelling.

The biggest shot in the arm for Karthick,is that,he just does not spoonfeed everything to the audience.He just allows them to adjust themselves to the ebbs and flows of the story,and unfolds twists and turns whenever required.Another striking feature in his storytelling is that,not once in the entire runtime of the movie,he deviates from the main plot,which makes it even more special.It's hightime that all budding filmmakers focus on their narrative skills,as it's hard to keep the audience engaged throughout.

Coming to the technical aspects,this movie has highly bankable music,as Jakes Bejoy keeps us on the edge of our seats,alternately fluctuating between different stratas of lifestyles,being portrayed by the cast.And hats off to Rahman,for choosing a script from a newcomer.and underplaying it with perfect nonchalance.Cinematography by Sujith Sarang,reflects the mood of the cast,and the color tones used provide the quirky feel admirably.

Though the performances of some actors.mostly debutants are a bit amateurish,this product is a perfect example of the potential that is present in new-age filmmakers.Gone are the times when cliched movies become successful at the box-office.The audiences are evolving with time,and such crafty efforts must be encouraged big time.

D-16 - A BIG SALUTE!

AYM - An Intruiging tale of two halves

Accham Enbadhu Madamayadaa - directed by GVM starring STR and Manjima in the lead roles is definitely one of those kind of films where the plot revolves around a romantic line and then completely turns on it's head,losing a bit of credibility towards the end.

Coming to the casting side,GVM has hit the bull's eye with his choice of pick in STR,as he just nonchalantly goes about his role,and scores heavily in most scenes.May be he could have concentrated more on his physique a bit more.He is a natural actor and if he chooses scripts that weighs down on his ability,he will certainly reach heights than where he is at present!!

Mamjima mohan is a welcome addition to the tamil industry,as she performs well in crunch scenes and also admirably supports the role portrayed by STR in an authentic manner.She has the talent and is up for the directors to utilise her potential!!

AYM is one those movies which has to be strong in every technical aspect,Cinematography by Dan Mcarthur,which is just exhilarating and mindblowing to say the least.His camera angles,lighting effects have given the movie another dimension,as his camera captures the scenic beauty of KanyaKumari,Goa and the picturization of "Raasali","Thalli Pogathey" is a delight to the viewers's eyes!!!

Music by A.R.Rahman is the strongest positive of AYM,as each song captures the imagination of the audience,and every song belongs to a different genre,powered by brilliant lyrics from Thamarai,Madhan Karky,Vignesh Shivn.Special mention to GVM,who incorporated the lyrics of "Paavendar Bharathidaasan" in Avalum Naanum song!!

But,AYM slids a bit in the pre-climax and climax stages,as GVM tries to be a bit cheeky,and appeal more to the masses.But it is a complete letdown!!!

Overall,AYM could have been better if not for that Howler of a Climax!!!!

MS Dhoni - The Untold Story

The best positive one can gain from this movie is that whatever may be your passion,achieving success depends purley on determination and hardwork, as well as staying grounded likewise during happier and turbulent times. And who better than "Mahi" to be a perfect ambassador for this cause!!!
Sushant Singh rajput has to be lauded for the energy and time he has invested in this project,which surely has paid rich dividends!!
The entire runtime flows along with high emotions and they reach a crescendo at the climax,which is sure to leave every Indian teary eyed..Plenty of nostalgic moments to be revisited again and cherished!!
Director Neeraj Pandey has managed to recreate the life of a celebrated man,in the most authentic manner possible
To all those haters,not MSD in general, it takes a hell lot of efforts to become what all successful people are where today. So think twice before speaking!!
MSD - Yes,u can play till the 2019 World Cup
P.S : Not a MSD fan,but respect for this man has increased manifold..and all Yuvi fans are in for a treat..but try to watch in Hindi as far as possible!!

Kabali - Magizhchi!!

KABALI

Over the past 2 decades or so,the normal,cliched,enthusiastic,happy-go-lucky Rajini fan,who huffs and puffs his way to catch a glimpse of his "Demi-God" on screen,usually expects an extravangant setup where his hero would be portrayed as a larger than life character,thereby,soaking in the raucuos applauses of his so called "devotees"

But,Kabali,has definitely breathed a fresh lease of life into the commoner,who,as usual,blatantly went to watch out for a typical "RAJINIESQUE" film.But he is surely in for a shock as the movie just doesnt go by the script(by any stretch of imagination),and is beautifully woven and scripted according to the demands of the story,which is the major plus of the film.

Pa.Ranjith,though being accused of not projecting "THALAIVAR" as expected,certainly stands out in stressing the fact that,the story and scripting has to take centrestage,than the characters themselves.
‪#‎UlamaarndaMagizhchi‬ :)

Albeit all these facts,Thalaivar Thalaivar dhan..He just carries the entire burden of the movie on his shoulders effortlessly without any fuss,and the "ACTOR" in him,who is just a class apart,comes to the fore on more than one occasion.It is just not easy to perform such high-octane stunts at the age of 66.
‪#‎Pulagangidham‬

The other cast including Rathika Apte,who emotes as brilliantly and consistently as kohli scores a century,and Dhanshika,who underwent a tomboyish makeover,have just exceeded expectations as they have portrayed such intense characters,in the most pleasant manner possible..Best stunt woman == Dhanshika _/\_.

All other support cast,be it Dinesh,Kalaiyarasan,John Vijay,Nasser,Kishore and Winston chan,all have performed admirably.Ranjith's confidence in his tried and tested support actors,is clearly visible,as he has extracted the best from everyone of them,showing his comfort levels with them.

The Technical detailing deserves a special mention as DOP Murali and Editor Praveen stand out in their departments.Anbariv's stunt sequences make the fans go delirious.
‪#‎PerfectChoices‬

In my opinion,the biggest gainer from this movie would be‪#‎SantoshNarayanan‬.His BGMs are thunderous and help the audiences bring down the roof.‪#‎MayaNadhi‬ was the icing on the cake.
‪#‎KeepGoingPlaces‬

Overall,
KABALI - One of the rare movies where one notices the Movie,where Rajini is a part,and not Rajini,on whom the movie is a part

Uriyadi - An Honest Endeavour

Uriyadi,written,directed and produced by Vijay Kumar,is an earnest attempt that dissects the long burning issue of caste system prevalent in Tamil Nadu.

The film,woven crisply around a running time of 1.30 hours,hits the bull's eye right from the start,as each character portrays the common man and his search in venting out his anger on the society.Particularly,the depiction of the hostel mates and the nearby dhaba,truly brings out the raw emotions of the characters,in a very bold manner.Kudos to the director,for such realistic cast selection!!!

Another notable feature is that,though the film is devoid of any commercial attractions or brand values,it hooks the audience throughout,as the gripping screenplay,coupled with a racy,adrenaline pumping BGM,just enhances the scene to a different plane.

The director treads on a very delicate path,dealing with a sensitive issue,in a subtle,yet very convincing manner,such that the story never deviates from it's core plot.The overdose of violence,at places,is gory.but,it is the storyline that demands such sequences,and the entire team has to be appreciated,for their whole hearted efforts.

Finally,Nalan kumarasy,who brought the distribution rights for this movie.has certainly provided the Tamil audience,with a definite winner.albeit the fact that,the initial openings were not as anticipated.But through encouraging reviews and positive word of mouth,the movie got re-released in many theatres across the state,enjoying widespread success!!

Uriyadi - A heartwarming change that Tamil Cinema Needed!!!!!

Theri - Commercialism at it's very Best

THERI - The Perfect Comeback Vehicle that #Vijay would have hoped for after the untimley debacle in Puli...and man he has produced an admirable performance,satisfying both his diehard fans and also the neutral fans with aplomb,as his charismatic screen presence lifts the spirits of the audience #GoodJob

Though one could sense the tried and tested,cliched sequences time nd again in the movie,it's the way in which #Atlee handles the screenplay and effectively uses each and every character in the movie,that needs appreciation..#Promising...Be it #Samantha,who makes us fall in love with her cuteness and matured acting or #BabyNainika,who effortlesly shares the same screen presence with such big names and captures the imagination of one and all,it's once again #Atlee who shines big time through his intuitive presence of mind..Another Heartwarming feature is that is his ability to stress upon current issues such as #HumanTrafficking,#RapeVictims in a commercial venture,in a subtle manner..#Touching..He sticks to the simple formula of Adrenaline pumping Action,sprinkled with sumptuous usage of Sentiments,with an underlying sense of humour,which has worked out big time for him..The surprise package would be the legendary #MahendranSir ,who underplays expertly in his role of the baddie,as he doesnt make a lot of fuss,but evokes hatred unanimously..#greatcharachterselection..Another unsung hero of the movie would DOP #GeorgeCWilliams as his colour grading and lightings provide a colourful ambience to the movie,enhancing the performances of the seasoned artists..#BrilliantCinematography..Also credits to #EditorRuben whose cuts provide the racy,breakneck thrills to the audience..Although,the normal fan would feel that the runtime of the movie could have been a little less and #AmyJackson could have been given a meatier role..

As a Whole,

THERI - An Extravagant Bonanza for Vijay fans :) and an Enjoyable ride for all the neutral fans..

Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum - Breezy

After the Humongous success of Soodhu Kavvum,which marked a remarkable shift in the way Tamil films get perceived and executed,Director Nalan Kumarasamy,once again,fulfills the expectations of the audiences,through Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum(KaKaPo).

Kakapo,which is based on the South Korean Classic,My Dear Desperado,to say,is a Rom-Com in a sense,as Nalan,who proved it big time in Soodhu Kavvum,once again brings his mind-boggling narrative skills to the fore.It takes extraordinary thinking and minute attention-to-detail to keep the normal fan's eyes transfixed to the screen,without any interruptions,which Nalan achieves with Utmost elan.The story is simple and straightforward,but the treatment is so refreshing,that you don't feel bad even if Vijay sethupathy gets beaten up in the bar in a particular scene, and on the contrary,he is greeted with  raucous cheers as he picks up his coolers and gets out.Magic!!!

Vijay Sethupathy,time and again,proves his mettle as a matured actor,as he underplays the role of "Kathir",as if he's walking on water!Though one might get the feeling that such stereotypical roles get thrusted upon him more often than not,this man treats as if it is a cakewalk!He has that peculiar charisma and fantastic screen presence,which only few growing artists manage to pull off.Added to this his mastery over the language,leaves the viewers in splits,as he effortlessly tickles the funny bones!

Madonna Sebastian - The "Premam" girl,definitely deserves credit,as she has performed to the fullest of her potential.Be it the smile,which sure has the men go crazy about,or in emotional sequences,she scores admirably well.Nalan has to be lauded,for providing her with a meaty role,as she performs at par with Vijay,who is a more seasoned actor.Also her lip-sync is almost perfect,making it much easy for the dubbing artistes.

The support Cast,lead by Samuthirakani,who is becoming the "Godfather" of supporting roles in Tamil cinema in recent times,once again does his part,providing the thrilling moments,in between the romantic interludes.Also the characters who played Madonna's father and Vijay's boss,have to be patted in the back,for their natural and intruiging performances.There is not much scope for technical aspects in this movie,though Editing and Cinematography departments,have given whatt is required.


All said and done,Nalan Kumarasamy,who left a great void,after the unprecedented success f his debut venture,comes back with all guns blazing.Most importantly,at times,when many tamil stories,are being loosely ar heavily copied from Foreign films,his intention of bagging the official remake rights from the original film,that too at a price of 40 lakhs,speaks volumes about the man's determination and hunger to make movies,which stand the test of time,Be it the initial sequences,where the leads,who seem to be opposite poles,slightly take a liking to each other,or the scene where Vijay explains about his background to Madonna's parents,everywhere there are pieces of Nalan's masterpieces.His immaculate screenplay and association with Santosh Narayanan is sure to be Folklore someday!His humor sense is exemplary,as hilarious scenes,through the movie make you go berserk!Sanosh Narayanan,once again unites with new age directors,providing the touches wherever necessary,elevating the movie's likening factor by the viewers.How would Tamil Cinema be,had this man not emerge on to the forefront,as he competes with Legends,in terms of Background Score.Legend(s) in the Making !!

KaKaPo - Nalan displays his prowess big time,and best wishes to him,for fulfilling his desire of working with his favourite actor - Vaigai Puyal Vadivelu,in a full fledged comedy movie!

Can't wait,Nalan!!!!!