Kanithan - An Encouraging Sign!!

Have any one of us ever wondered about the value of the personal documents which serve as our identity in the society,and what illegal and malicious off-the stage activities could be performed with your own so called "IDENTITIES"?

This is what "KANITHAN" is all about,as the debut director T.N.Santosh has packed a powerful message within the commercial theme,and he delivers a neat and slick action-thriller movie,given the controversial nature of the subject.Such scripts should pave the way for the dawn of new age films in Tamil Cinema.

Atharvaa Murali,once again stamps his authority and class,as he perfectly portrays the character of Gautham Ramalingam,an aspiring reporter who wants to work for BBC.Throughout the first 30 minutes,his camaraderie along with humour quotient,gives the movie,a feel-good factor.His cute interludes with Cateherine Tresa,bring a smile or two to the audience,albeit one must admit the fact that this talented actress has been wasted in the name of commercialism,as she could offer a lot more to the scripts.

The main theme being Fake Documents and the catastrophic consequences it evokes on all students,the director has certainly provide  an eye-opener for the people,as the hardwork and efforts of the deserved are being trampled upon,and used by some others.who are the least deserved.The handling of such a fragile subject is done with utmost  care.

Atharvaa has certainly transformed into an Action Hero,as he commands terrific screen space,which is enhanced,leaps and bounds,by his toned physique.Post success of Eeti,his choosing of scripts has become clear,and he sure must  be encouraged in working for such different genres.The neatly woven action sequences are excellent and crisp editing,by  Bhuvan Srinivasan,provides a complete entertainer for the audience.

All said and Done,such a script could have been made into blockbuster,had the director tightened the noose on the screenplay after the interval block,as the message he tries to convey is miscommunicated ,through ill-placed songs and monologues,which prove to be futile and Drums Sivamani-who is the Music Director,has flattered to deceive,as neither the songs nor the background score,make much impression on the viewer.The influence of variety of films like Thani Oruvan,Thuppaki etc clearly visible in some scenes,which could have been avoided.These coupled with a fair bit of logical loopholes,reduce the movie's standard,though it is a Brave attempt.The dialogues,too dont inspire much confidence.The support cast including Director K.Bhagyaraj,Aadukalam Naren have done their roles commendably and the director's attention-to-detail has to be applauded.

Kanithan - A good attept,could have been better!

Sethupathi - The Brisk Cop !!

Sethupathi-This flick directed by S.U.Arunkumar of "Pannayarum Padminiyum" fame,,once again pairing up with the most happening hero ofTamil cinema of recemt times-Vijay Sethupathi,has received fairly positive reviews all around.

Coming to the storyline,the director just keeps it simple and to the point,as he unwinds ceratin twists and turns in the plot at right times,thereby keeping the audience engrossed.

Vijay Sethupathi's majestic screen presence and his command over the role certainly boosts the movie big time,and his lovely and cute plays with his children and wife(Ramya Nambeesan)has the audience vouching for a feel-good factor.This certainly has to be credited  to the music director,Nivas K.Prasanna,as his soothing and delightful BGMs offer a melodious insight into the personal life of a cop,in the most romantic way possible."Mazhai Thooralam" glorifies the hardships and difficulties faced by a policeman,albeit not losing his inclination towards his family and job,in a perfect manner.
"Hawa Hawa" and "Konji pesida venaam" are also perfect melodies,as Prasanna has hit the right notes with his music.

The screenplay becomes racier at the start of the second half,as untoward incidents happen in the life of Sethupathi.The Villain plays with the mind of the cop,and the placement of "Hey Mama"song is commendable.Also a cop story without much fanfare and logic defying action sequences,is a relief,although certain cliches could have been avoided.The character selection of the Villain role could also have been bit planned out as "Vaathiyar" does not evoke hatred,as needed.

On the whole,Sethuapthi has more family drama entangled within a mercurial subplot,and sure would be worth your time and money!

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Miruthan - War of Zombies!!

Miruthan,directed by Shakthi soundar Rajan,who achieved reasonable success through his debut movie  Naanayam,following it up with the sleeper hit Naaigal Jaakrathai,has come up with a relatively unheard kinda "genre" for Tamil Cinema-"ZOMBIES"

Though such zombie movies prove to be a commonplace in Hollywood,for the normal tamil viewer,this film certainly offers a plethora of opportunities in terms of viewing experience and thrills associated with such movies.Kudos to the Director for going ahead with such a premise,and  he also succeeds partly in producing a decent movie with a limited budget

Once again Jayam Ravi showcases his mettle as a seasoned campaigner,as he effortlessly fits into the role of a Traffic Inspector and delivers what is needed of him.His Fan Base seems to be growing leaps and bounds in recent times,and this talented actor certainly deserves it big time.Another notable mention should be "Kaali" Venkat,as his comic one liners throughout the entire run time of the movie,tickles the funny bones of audiences.Lakshmi Menon too,seamlessly transcends in her role of a Doctor,and yet again proves she has enormous potential to be unearthed. Look out for this talented girl directors!

As the genre demands,lot of bloodshed occurs,which prove to be an eyesore beyond certain limits.One must definitely appreciate the Production Unit,as assembling and organizing such humongous number of junior artistes for the "Zombie" roles is not an easy task.Also CG works are praiseworthy,given the shoestring budget at their disposal.Music by D.Imman certainly proves to be a pillar of strength,as he impresses big time through his  BGM and soulful RR,especially in the climax stages,as 'Mirutha Mirutha' and 'Munnal Kadhali' prove to be definite hit numbers.

Given all these facts,it appears that some thought-process should have gone into the second half of the movie,as the film meanders aimlessly towards the end,and the climax portions certainly needed a changeover,as Ravi,destroys the entire army of zombies single handedly,which does not go well with audiences.

For audiences not familiar with zombie movies,this movie definitely strikes a chord,though the overdose of violence could have been trimmed a bit.The Director definitely needs a pat on the back for going ahead with a different movie.

MIRUTHAN- Shakes you up a bit,but not entirely!

Jil Jung Juk - Praiseworthy!!

 Jil Jung Juk (JJJ)  directed by Deeraj Vaidy ,has certainly warmed upto to it's pre-release expectations,as it doesn't take the long taken route followed in Tamil Cinema,breaking all the stereotypes and producing a movie that will satisfy the creamy layer audience audience,yearning for a "Tarantino" or may be a "David Fincher or Guy Ritchie" kinda movie in Tamil.

          

          **No spoilers ahead!!

          

            Hats off to Actor cum Producer Siddarth for going ahead with such a different script and encouraging youngsters to aspire in making such films.Certainly his efforts will pay rich dividends in the near future!

           The movie,being partly a Road movie,has its fair share of minuses,be it the Screenplay which lags in the second half,or the over-utilization of the character artists,but,the Director has to be patted on his back for coming out with a such breezy and fresh characterizations,as each character in the movie,be it the the main leads Jil(Siddarth),Jung(Avinash Raghudevan) and Juck(Sananth Reddy),score admirably in every scene.Also his attention to detail is visually pleasing as the scene showing the Petrol Silo blast and the following events are a treat to watch.Though most scenes seem to be heavily inspired from the 'Tarantino's' and 'Guy Ritchie's',It's an altogether different viewing experience for the normal Tamil Audience.

          Special mention to Mohan Ramakrishnan,who has written the dialogues along with the director Deeraj.Most part of JJJ falls under Adult or Slapstick comedy,which mostly work out,particularly the the voice modulation of character "PAI",showing the Director's connect to the everyday happenings.Though,it has to be admitted that,this brand is not entirely suited for Tamil Audience,not as of now,.

       "Vishal Chandrasekar"-This name could become a household name in a few years time,as this talented musician has taken the bold attempt in experimenting with such innovative and out-of the box thinking,particulary the Carnatic Dubstep,which few others might have been able to pull off.His BGM too elevates the cast's screen presence big time,reiterating the fact that Tamil Industry is in good hands like VC,Santosh Narayanan etc.Take a Bow,Sir!You certainly killed it!

     In a praiseworthy attempt,The crew has decided to trim the film's running time,based on audience feedback,which is a welcoming sign.Such activities lead to a mutual bonding between the makers and the common audience,resulting in harmony.

   Instead of just brooding on how better the movie could have been made,People have to come out of their shells and start supporting such kind of movies,for the eventual betterment in quality,which has been on the downside,ever since the turn of the Millenium in Tamil Cinema.

     

   Or else,JJJ could be another "Anbe Sivam" in the making!!!!

Visaaranai - To Be Lauded

Talking Points Of Visaaranai...

The movie which affected the minds of endless people,this epic has just transformed the way people perceive the power which regulates us.The very fact that every single person would have his heart in his mouth when a policeman approaches him,is the biggest victory fr director Vetrimaaran,who has taken Tamil Cinema to another level..

Visaaranai, written and directed by Vetrimaaran, partially based on M.Chandrakumar's novel Lock-Up, certainly had heads turning about as it premiered in the 72nd Venice International Film Festival and won the Amnesty International Italia Award. Upon theatrical release, the film has garnered Critical Acclaim and positive reviews from the whole Cine Fraternity Unanimously, as it is being celebrated from accomplished directors like Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap to Living legends like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. Some of the talking points of the movie can be listed as follows:

1. The Powerful people in the "SYSTEM" keep on exploiting the hapless, poor, and bewildered and 'allegedly' accused in the movie, raising serious questions about the violation of human rights and malpractices being meted out to innocent civilians by the Police Department.

2.At a point of time, it feels like a battle between Goliath and David, as the accused in the movie, namely "Attakathi" Dinesh, Murugadoss, Silambarasan and Pradesh are mercilessly tortured and beaten up  to the core, sending a chill down the spine of the viewers. Realistic Filmmaking at it's very best!

3. As the credits rolls out, it is mentioned that more than 30% of cases in our country are closed in the manner depicted in the movie. Is the Indian Judicial System really efficient or is just acting as a cover for such inhuman and barbaric activities behind the screen is the question that arises in the mind of everyone that comes out of the theatre after watching the movie.

4. Also, not only the poor and marginalized sections are being vandalized, the well-off sections are also targeted as K.K, played by Kishore, is an example.

5. Special Mention to the role Essayed by Director Samuthirakani, as his characterization is like a pendulum swinging between two extremes. He is caught between Good and Bad people of the force, and finally ends up on the wrong side of the spectrum. 

Kudos to Director Vetri Maaran as his attempt on undertaking such a debated subject has paid off really well. His detailing and pre-production works is certainly visible on the screen, thanks to captivating performances from all the artists. He once again emphasizes the fact that a solid story coupled with a gripping screenplay, laced with powerful dialogues with underlying humour, can certainly make the audiences happy. Congrats on making such a Realistic movie!

Celebrate this movie folks....

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Irudhi Suttru - Boxing it's way to glory!!

Review on Irudhi Suttru
A Sports Drama entwined with Emotions and feelings make the audience sit up and enjoy this movie throughout d whole running time..

Ever since Lagaan released in 2001, Indian Audiences have always welcomed sports-drama films and Chak D e India, Mary Kom, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag have followed suit, to name a few.

Irudhi Suttru (aka) Saala Khadoos has certainly captured the imagination of audiences through its hard-hitting, true to the genre story coupled with brilliant, incisive screenplay and technical aspects.

Coming to the lead cast, R.Madhavan, who makes a comeback to Kollywood after 4 long years, has truly delivered what's expected of him, and has underplayed his role of a coach (Prabhu), who struggles to keep his emotions in check and displays a badass attitude, whomsoever may be.His ability to choose classy scripts and providing his best in such movies has been a regular feature and he has set a high benchmark for himself. Keep doing such great  movies Sir!

Ritika Singh, who makes her debut, is the natural, playful, bubbly yet 

strong-willed boxer who makes a perfect combo for Maddy and solely carries the movies on her shoulders.Ritika,who is professional mixed martial arts expert,has fitted into the role of 'Madhi' with aplomb and delivers admirably,be it emotional or gut-wrenching fight scenes,overshadowing Maddy in some scenes.Truly a Great Find and watch out for her!

Special mention to all the support cast particularly Nasser sir, Radha Ravi sir, Kaali Venkat and Zakir Hussain who have delivered fantastic performances, without any hiccups along the way

Finally, a Big Salute the Director,Sudha Kongara Ma'm,who has come out of the cliches that women directors are soft-spoken and make only feel-good movies.Her hard work and efforts over a period of 6 years are clearly evident in the way she has sculpted the movie through a riveting screenplay coupled with top-notch dialogues by  Arun Matheshwaran,who has written bold dialogues which strike a chord with the viewer instantly and additional screenplay has been done by Rakjumar Hirani and R.Madhavan himself.A Sports-Drama movie certainly needs efficient background score and Santhosh Narayanan has certainly provided one of the best movies of his career and his BGM takes the viwers to an altogether different level,especially in the climax sequence,which is of international standard.A big hats-off to the sound effect and mixing teams,who have put their heart and souls into d movie!Also the fight choreos have been done efficiently in a proffesional manner.

Irudhi Suttru - A movie to be welcomed with warm hands and a big wake-up call to restructuring the sports system in India, once again.

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