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DEIVA THIRUMAGAL MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods Review Board Starring: Vikram, Anushka, Amala Paul, Santhanam, Direction: AL Vijay Music: G V Prakash Kumar Production: UTV Motion Pictures “Simpler a thing is, nobler it is”, said the legendary Sathyajith Ray. He would have reiterated his stance now had he watched Krishna (Vikram) in Deiva Thirumagal. What would you call someone who is an embodiment of all things good, simple and virtuous but appears in the eyes of blemished materialistic world as aberrated? A Deiva Thirumagan, indeed! DT is a poetical tale of love and affection between a dad and his 5 year old daughter who is the raison d’être of his life. He may be a mentally challenged person to the world but he is after all her dad. Director Vijay’s caliber as an effective raconteur keeps escalating in every film of his and DT is the latest example. His matured handling of the script and his characters are just testimony to this. It is endearing to watch this tale unravel itself in a very charming and touching fashion. There are no villains in DT but all the characters are driven by the goodness exuded by its lead Vikram. One of the first frames, where Krishna helps the pickpocket guy sums up his characterization. The subsequent shots of him abiding the traffic signal, wanting to stick to truth only and helping a hatchling to its nest lucidly spells forth his character. In a way, it is Vikram all the way… What can you say about this actor whose sincerity and talents that are not already known? It is not Vikram you see but it is Krishna and a dad wanting to be with his daughter suffering the pangs of separation. He has done the tightrope walking of playing a mentally challenged person to the hilt. A little sway on any one side would have worked detrimental to him as an actor and the film. The seasoned actor that he is has given a brilliant performance. Anushka looks ravishing and as a struggling lawyer gets her act right wanting to bring justice to her client. Santhanam’s comedy gels along with the story line and brings in enjoyable lighter moments. Nasser as the intelligent and cunning senior advocate Bhashyam is apt and delivers a veteran’s performance. However it is baby Sara who steals the show next only to Vikram in her angelic looks and performance. There is a serene look about her which helps the role majorly and her understanding of her dad and playing to his inadequacies warrant accolades. Amala Paul has a small role and delivers it right. The supporting casts of Y Gee Mahendra, Sachin Khedekar, Karthik Kumar, Krishna Kumar, Surekha, M R Kishore and Priya have also essayed their roles quite effectively. . Setting the right kind of mood through his camera work has been cinematographer Nirav Shah’s forte which he has adhered to in DT. Nirav has had a field day in Vizhigalil Oru Vaanavil number which is aesthetics at its best. Anushka’s expressions in this sequence and the oblivious Vikram behind her on the bike are a revelation. The sleek and discreet editing helps the proceeding in a big way. G V Prakash’s scores are already chartbusters and each track adds significant value to the film. Ore oru oorukkula number is sure to be children’s favorite Dialogues like “Vakil kitayum doctor kittayum poi pesa koodathu, aana vakillum doctorum poi pesalam” and ‘Saamikku amma kedayaada’ are noteworthy. There are quite a scenes that tug at your heart’s strings and almost all of them happen between the dad and the daughter, the cream being the one between them in the court room towards the end and that on the first day of Sara’s school where the duo communicate with each other in sign language. On the flip side a few scenes involving M S Bhaskar and the helper don’t add value to the progress of the film. However considering the overwhelming positive feeling that the film evokes in its entirety, these foibles can be forgiven. After a long while, DT gives the satisfaction of watching a film without cringing in your seats or worrying how it would appeal to the young population. In short Deiva Thirumagal is a well nuanced film that will appeal to everyone who has their heart and feelings in the right place. Verdict: An emotional tale between a father and a daughter well told

VENGHAI MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods Review Board Starring: Dhanush, Tamannah, Raj Kiran, Prakash Raj, Ganja Karuppu Direction: Hari Music: Devi Sri Prasad Production: Vijaya Production Director Hari’s forte lies in subjects that deal with familial relationships, their ramifications, their highs and lows which he usually narrates with a village backdrop. The family values and sentiments are the fulcrums around which Hari hinges his tale in an interesting manner. In Vijaya Productions Venghai, the director teams up with Dhanush for the first time to tell his story that is said to be a symbol of valor. Venghai is all about the conflict between its three protagonists, Dhanush, his dad Raj Kiran and Prakash Raj and the pendulum this time seems to sway more towards the action side than the sentiment region justifying the tagline of the film. Although Hari’s films follow a standard template which the movie going audience is well aware of, there would always be interesting knots in the narration that keep the viewer’s interest alive, but in Venghai, these features are very few and the predictability factor takes the pizzaz out from the happenings on screen. The lengthiness of the film and the logorrhea of the characters are a few factors that work against Venghai. The screen play and the narration travel on an expected course making the fare an unexciting one. Flashes of interest invoking anecdotes do appear like the hiding of counterfeit currency in Raj Kiran’s house and Dhanush’s attempt to thwart the same but they are very few in numbers. Love in Venghai has been handled well by Hari and the manner in which Dhanush falls in love with Tamannah and their subsequent interactions and the emotions that they go through are very natural and realistic and nowhere do they go overboard. Most of the sequences involving the confrontation between the three leads give a déjà vu feel from many of Hari’s earlier films and other films too, the key one being the realization of Raj Kiran as Dhanush’s dad by the baddies and their subsequent withdrawal from killing Dhanush, a la Sandakozhi. The momentum of the film is not uniform with frequent crests and troughs with more of the latter. After a point, the aruvals, the Tata Sumos and the fast moving convoy of vehicles become very tedious. Dhanush as the affectionate and understanding son presents his role convincingly but there is not enough fodder to satiate his acting prowess. Tamannah appears in homely costumes even in song sequences and comes across as a very somber and matured girl. For Prakash Raj who has done such innumerable roles in his career, his character portrayal in Venghai is just a cakewalk. Rajkiran as the man who commands respect in the village sails through his role. Orvashi and Sudha Chandran (after a long hiatus) deliver a neat performance. However in the name of comedy, it is Kanja Karuppu who gives the audience arduous times and his high decibeled voice certainly annoys. His tangential comedy tracks and antics also don’t add value to the film. Despite the songs not being forced in to the narration, but for Kaalankaarthale, others don’t make an impact. And Devi Prasad’s RR is an aural sore, to say the least. Other technical contribution just pass muster and are ordinary. To sum it all, Venghai is another Hari film with his usual ingredients but sans his usual spirit and this film might work for people who seek action entertainers set in villages. Verdict: Another Hari film that engages mildly

THENEER VIDUTHI MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods Review Board Starring: Aadith, Reshmi, Kodumudi, Swetha Direction: SS Kumaran Music: SS Kumaran Production: Anusha Devi Film direction still remains the most sought after field in celluloid and after impressing the audience with his mellifluous tunes in Poo and Kalavani, music director S S Kumaran also turns into direction in Peacock Pictures Theneer Viduthi with a bucolic backdrop to narrate his tale. For his debut directorial project S S Kumaran has resorted to the usual route of romance with a few commercial elements thrown in. Although the title Theneer Viduthi is suggestive of a premise centering on tea stall and its happenings, albeit acting as a minor catalyst to the lead pair’s love, the tea stall does not have any significance in the film. Aadith and Kodumudi are brothers who are pandal contractors in a village and Aadith falls in love with Reshmi, the daughter of a sub-registrar who is the chief adversary of their love. Did the lead pair unite in marriage or did they go their individual ways is what Theneer Viduthi all about. When love and romance are the common grounds that our film makers are known to battle in, what makes some projects stand out among the heap is the presentation and packaging. And unfortunately S S Kumaran has not got the grasp of this assignment resulting in a very bland Theneer Viduthi. On the performance side too, Theneer Viduthi does not offer anything new and the artists have a long way to go in the emoting department. As the plot travels on a very flat, expected terrain, it becomes very difficult to get involved with the proceedings on screen increasing the ennui quotient. Even the apparently serious sequences of the conflict between the father and daughter do not add any value to the film or the story. In the name of comedy, the antics of Kodumudi and Aadith are annoying and irksome and make a negative impact on the audience. The first half drags and the second half is even worse. Be it the comedy or the climax or the romance- there is no plausibility at all in the happenings. On the technical side, cinematography by Manavalan is just ordinary and so are the background tracks. A couple of songs scored by Kumaran himself just pass muster. The consoling factors in this otherwise bland fare are the soothing lush locations and the picturizaton of few songs. It would have been positive for the film if S S Kumaran had paid the same diligence that he paid to the songs to the main story as well. In short Theneer Viduthi fails to impress. Verdict: No flavor or taste in this tea

NOOTRENBADU MOVIE REVIEW
Review by : Behindwoods Review Board

Starring: Siddharth, Nitya Menon, Priya Anand,
Direction: Jayendra
Music: Sharreth
Production: Kiran Reddy,Swaroop Reddy,C Srikanth

‘I have no regrets about the past nor do I worry about tomorrow. I believe in living my life to the fullest’. Ajay’s mantra sends forth enlightenment indeed. Ad filmmaker Jayendra embarks on his directorial venture with eminent writers Subha involved in screenwriting. Produced by Sathyam Cinemas in collaboration with Aghal Films, the film marks the comeback of Siddarth into Tamil film territory after 7 long years.

Ajay (Siddarth) takes a dip at shores of Ganges in Kasi and the very next shot we find him in search of a house for rent in Chennai. His high-spirited and good-hearted nature easily make everyone fond of him and so does Vidhya (Nithya Menon), a photo-journalist. Saying ‘Cheers’ to every moment, Ajay keeps the magic of happiness going on, but is haunted by his past memories of a beautiful wife Renuka (Priya Anand).

Jayendra wields complete control over technical departments, especially on cinematography, costumes and set works. The strikingly spectacular backdrops and colorful costumes add more splendors to the screens. Incidentally, it’s an unforeseen experience for the audiences, as Tamil cinema had rarely seen such colorful visuals throughout the film. Dialogues are yet another spotlighting element for we find most of the lines simple and short, yet gain our attention vividly. A fair illustration is the dialogues between Siddarth and little boy Mano in Kasi, where he says, ‘Naan Mano va Vaalanummnu Aasa Padurein’, which ultimately gives a brief description about his characterization.

Chocolate boy Siddarth showcases matured level of performance effortlessly.. Be the romantic portions with Priya Anand or as a panic-stricken victim, we find him best in any situation. His rational thought during the climax is inspiring and ends the film on positive note. Priya Anand’s glamorous appeal enchants us, but her performance remains mediocre. Nithya Menon excels in living up to the expectations. The sequences of cinema hall, enacting before mirror are some of her best strokes. But again, it’s too silly to find a girl running behind a guy for no reason. However her gestures are justified later, which indeed is a timeworn concept. Mouli with his witty-liners keeps us laughing during first half.

Background score by Sharreth is literally loud and harsh as he repeatedly uses the percussion and Kerala’s traditional instrument Chenda Melam. Mild instrumentals or even silence at places would have enhanced the visuals to a certain degree. Never witnessed Kasi as beautiful as this and credit goes to cinematographer Balasubramaniem and so are the exotic locales of San Francisco and Chennai. Since Jayendra has been a part of ad filmmaking business, he seems to have purposely stressed more on lighting. Almost every indoor shot has a sun ray passing in, which seems to be a little unrealistic. Title song ‘Poi Sollum Pothu’ canned by Phantom Flex Camera (usually used for stunt sequences) is a good attempt while picturing of ‘Sandhikaadha’ and ‘Nee Korinaal’ is fabulous.

Jayendra gets going with creative ideas that surely deserve appreciations, a sample being the usage of ‘Pudhu Vellai Malai’ song from Roja as the background score sparkling up the entire situation. Jayendra’s writing is filed with innovative ingredients that is going to garner lot of fans. But it would be the same unique narration that might not have takers among a huger section of the audience. Since the major twist in the tale occurs only after intermission, the proceeding does tend to make the viewers restless. At the end, one gets a feeling that the screenplay, especially in second half might be the weakest link.

Verdict: Great visuals, wonderful colors, weak screenplay.

AANMAI THAVAREL MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Dhruvah, Shruti, Sampath, Dharan Direction: Kuzhanthai Velappan Music: Mariya Manohar Production: Kamal Nayan Films that delve into the actual nature of crime, the machinations of those involved in it, the virtual industry that is built around it, are very rare. Most films tend to go on a path where the hero’s saga of courage is more focused upon. Aanmai Thavarel is one film that attempts to portray the crime more than anything else and that makes it stand out. Based on the woman trafficking nexus, Aanmai Thavarel follows the kidnapping of a young urban lady from a prominent public place in the wee hours of the day. The script traces the path that the ‘professional network’ takes in moving the victim rapidly away from the location, following what it seems like a well sketched plan that will leave even the police dumbfounded. At the same time, the script also shows how the police move in its trace for the victim; knowing where to knock for the right kind of information. But, political and administrative borders hinder fast movement of the investigation. How it all culminates? Is the girl retrieved? Or does she become just another ‘sold product’ taken up in an auction? At first, congrats to the team for coming up with such a bold subject. The standard of execution of the plot in AT puts the film at a higher level. The director has a clear focus, to show the way in which crime and police operate, and he succeeds in most parts. The most interesting portion of the film are the kidnapping, subsequent movement of the victim, simultaneous tracking by the police and the final bidding process where the woman is put up for sale. These portions have been shot and edited at a tempo that keeps you riveted to the proceedings. The police investigation mechanism especially is interesting. However, this good film is not without its pitfalls. The initial portion where there is a bit of romance between the hero and heroine does not impress much though one can understand that it is necessary for subsequent movement of the story. Thus, when you think that AT is one film that does not believe in unjustified hype or build up of its characters, comes the rather pompous introduction of a police officer. Things look very cinematic here. But, subsequent portions involving him are well shot and salvage proceedings. The biggest let down however is a bomb explosion from which a character inexplicably escapes unscathed and the climax fight which stops below mediocrity. With all these shortcomings Aanmai Thavarel is still an interesting product which looks at film making from a different perspective. The debutante director shows skill that belies the fact that he has not apprenticed under anyone formerly. He must also be commended for keeping the film free from vulgarity, even while dealing with such a subject. But, cast and performances could have been a shade better. The hero looks out of place and needs to work a lot on his emotions and reactions. Sampath is his usual intense self. Other technical aspects of the movie hold up well with the standards set by the script. Aanmai Thavarel comes with a message. Crime has its roots deeper than we imagine. No matter how much the police or other forces try to curb it, crime will be part of our society. Our safety has to be guaranteed by none other than ourselves. In other words, ‘take care’. Verdict: Compelling account of contemporary crime

MAAVEERAN MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Ram Charan Teja, Kajal Agarwal Direction: S.S. Rajamouli Music: MM Keeravani Production: Geetha Arts The blockbuster from Andhra Pradesh is finally in town. It has been a while since we first heard about Magadheera and the great things it has done at the Telugu box office, and it also has been a while since its dubbed Tamil version was announced. In fact, we were expecting it around Pongal. The Chiranjeevi heir’s first mass blockbuster released in Tamil this Friday. This is a season where dubbed Telugu films seem to be finding increasing possibilities in the Tamil market, tracing back to the success of Arundhathee. Now, we in fact have more than one dubbed Telugu feature in our theaters at a time, Nagarjuna’s Vambu is the other Telugu film doing rounds in Chennai theaters currently. So, how good or otherwise is Maaveeran or Magadheera? Is the big hype of being one of the all time big hits in the Telugu justified? Starring Ram Charan Tej and Kajal Agarwal, Magadheera is about reincarnation, revenge and love that transcends rebirth! Why reincarnation and associated astrological concepts play such huge parts in Telugu blockbusters, you might think, recalling that even Arundhathee had run on a similar premise. But, Magadheera is very much different from Arundhathee or any other film of the same genre. The director has not tried to create an aura of cosmic wonder or thrill around the story. There is also no black magic and dormant evil powers that are awaken by some stray incident. Instead, the director, S.S. Rajamouli, has narrated the story in a fairly straightforward manner, resorting to a flashback when required. The beginning of the rivalry between Ram Charan Tej and Dev Gill goes back 400 years, a time when Ram was a warrior chief in a king’s army, Dev was a man with royal connections and Kajal Agarwal was the princess. Dev wants the reigns of the kingdom and also the princess’ hand. One wonders whether he wanted the latter because it would automatically lead to the former? But, the princess is in love with the warrior! Perfect settings for political heist to happen. The throne is usurped and great injustice is done to people who never meant any ill to happen. It takes 40 years for the wronged to be reborn and seek justice against the traitor. There is great scope for action, heroics, romance and sentiments in such a plot and the director has used it extremely well. Poor handling could have made this plot look archetype in current times, but the director puts the pieces together and delivers a final product that has got enough tempo, twists and turns to keep you from thinking about the logical relevance of such a story. Yes, there are instances where the cinematic liberties have been stretched a bit too much for one’s liking (like the bike stunt, or the remnants from the 400 year old kingdom that are untouched) and there are also occasions where it is blatantly apparent that there is an attempt to promote Ram Charan Tej as the next Megastar (in the scene where Chiranjeevi himself appears and there is an exchange of plaudits between the two). But, they can be overlooked because of the standards set by the final product. More than the actual plot, it is the quality of the making that deserves mention. Be it the stunts, the songs, the battle sequences, the period portion, the effort is evident in all these areas. The art work in the flashback might be a bit of a letdown, but it still manages to hold good to the requirements of the plot. Music, by Maragadhamani, also adds value to the film, and the director has placed the songs intelligently. Ram Charan Tej has shown his commitment to the craft through Magadheera. Though not the complete performer as yet, the hard work he has put into dances, stunts and horse riding shines through in many places. Kajal Agarwal looks and feels different from the actress we have seen in Tamil, but she too makes an impression. Dev Gill looks menacing as the scheming villain. Overall, Magadheera is a film that is built on a premise which is neither unique nor holds too many surprises. The usual ‘cosmic’ kind of aura that is built around such reincarnation films is also not there. But, a consistent tempo, crisp making and dedicated performances make this film watchable, even enjoyable, if you are willing to forget or overlook the reincarnation thing. The one thing that could stop one from enjoying it is the nativity factor. Somehow, it does not feel like a Tamil film. Dialogues, by K. Bhagyaraj, have tried hard to mask this, but it just keeps popping up time and again, which makes viewing a bit uncomfortable. Verdict: Romance, revenge, reincarnation – typical masala – watchable – conditions apply!

KANDEN MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Shanthnoo Bhagyaraj, Rashmi Gautam, Santhanam Direction: A. C. Mugil Music: Vijay Ebenezer Production: TCS So you thought our movies are getting novel with their indigenous stories and delightful performances? Not so much. Kanden is strictly old-schoolish romance, but not particularly in a nostalgic manner you would want any old-school romance to be. It’s your regular boy-meets-girl, boy-falls-in-love and will-the-boy-marry-the-girl-after-the-obstacles kind of story. Not that we have a problem with such stories, but there’s a thin line dividing the ‘treading the beaten path’ exercise; that makes it either to make it exciting or insipid. It requires a lot of expertise. Director C Mugil has attempted to bring about a romantic caper with good-looking cast, peppy music and eye-ball-grabbing cinematography thrown in for good measure. He has almost got it right but for the basic problem his exercise is facing. His script is just not as sprightly; not as full of beans as the movie’s music. Or say, the actors who have tried their best to come up with endearing performances despite the lack of the indispensable twists and turns in the story. Kanden is the story of Vasanth, who sets out to meet a girl of his dreams lest succumb to his rich grandfather’s threat of ‘arranged-marrying’ him. Meet he does and its love at first sight for him. And as the love matures, he has to pull out all the stops to make his dream girl love him for he has lied to her and that lie is the basis of this love/relationship. Vasanth, played by Shanthanoo Bhagyaraj, is your regular chocolate boy who meets his dream girl in the most stereotyped way. He plays blind to earn the sympathy of Narmada, played by the perky Reshmi Gautam. You either have to be as daft as a brush or a Tamil film heroine to fall in love with someone sympathizing for their physical disability – that too at the first meeting. Shanthanoo’s beatific smile sits comfortably on his lips and on the character’s shoulders almost convincing us about the strength of his character. But as the movie progresses, we fail to connect with the character and hence Shanthanoo’s Vasanth is left in limbo despite his earnest efforts. The movie’s glam-quotient is Reshmi Gautam. She shows streaks of brilliance every now and then, lighting up a few scenes with her demeanor and smile. She seems to be the one who knows what she is doing onscreen and has the potential, provided she makes smart choices. Kanden seems to take ever to lumber towards the interval the least. Santhanam’s presence and his usual antics could do very little to brighten up the movie’s proceedings in the first half. As a result, you end up wondering where the movie is headed to. As if to patch it up, the Shanthanoo–Santhanam combo works well enough to keep you hooked. On the upside, the movie has some really peppy songs. Thanks to debut music director Vijay Ebenezer’s two songs ‘Unai Kandene’ and ‘Eno Nenjam’ manage to make you hum long after the movie is over. The fact that they are shot beautifully in stunning locations also play up to the success factor of these songs. But otherwise, Kanden simply doesn’t manage to stand out in terms of anything else. It’s just another uninspired version of a candy floss romance that fails to impress. Verdict: Candy(floss) gone bitter!

AZHAGARSAMIYIN KUDHIRAI MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Appukutty, Saranya Mohan Direction: Suseenthiran Music: Ilaiyaraja Production: P. Madhan First thing that has to be said - Azhagarsamiyin Kudhirai has no hero or to put it in a better way, the story is the hero of this film. Penned by renowned Tamil writer Bhaskar Shakti, this movie is directed by Suseenthiran who charmed us with his earlier ventures Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu and Naan Magaan Alla. Produced by Escape artists and distributed by Cloud Nine movies, the promos and the quirky image of actor Appukutty had us all curious. Rural flicks have become a staple today and it no longer bears the cult status. But AK despite being set in a village is nothing like what we have seen before. It is a movie that has its story built around characters, superstitions and faith in God. Mallayapuram is a village where a ‘thiruvizha’ happens every year to bring rains to the dry village. The most important necessity for this function is a wooden horse on which the deity is placed and taken for a parade. All of a sudden the wooden horse gets stolen. At the same time, Azhagarsami (Appukutty) loses his horse, his only means of livelihood and is frantically searching for it and comes to Mallayapuram. What happens next? Do they get their respective horses back? These questions are answered in this movie. This movie, like every other rural flick, has several characters and the regular ones at that- loud mouthed women, respectable men, serious yet sarcastic cops, young couple in love and many more. But the things that make them different are their characterization and the way they are associated with the story. They are not unwanted or stereotyped but are given a delightful and bold make over by the writer. Best example for this would be a woman who beats up her husband for cheating on her by sneaking away with another woman barring the usual rural tales where we have women sitting in the corner crying and willing to take back her despicable husband. There is an undercurrent of situational humour running throughout the movie that is intelligent and heartwarming. There are several scenes that stand out for this factor and the director also takes a dig at certain atrocities in a remarkable manner. When the village headmen go around door to door collecting tax, they walk up to a house where a young boy is reading his English book and the moment they enter, he recites the Kattabomman dialogue, “Nee enathu maamana allathu machaana… Naan etharku unaku vari kudukka vendum” and acts as if he is reading it from the book. Subtle and situational, it embarrasses the village heads and has us in splits. Another instance is when an old lady feigns deafness in order to avoid paying the money. AK is replete with such lovely moments. On the performance side, all the characters are memorable and have performed well but it is Appukutty who walks away with top honours. He is adorable as the curly haired plump man who is in despair and is desperately searching for his runaway horse. Prabhakaran who plays the character of a young man Ramakrishnan has delivered a noteworthy performance. His lover Devi played by Advaitha looks every bit a village belle and shines in almost all the scenes. Saranya Mohan plays Azhagarsami’s fiancée Rani and does the needful. Her role is more of a cameo. Though she tries hard to look like a villager, wearing mismatched old sarees and blouse, her sweet face and neatly threaded eye brows don’t convince us of her being a village girl and that is a bit of a dampener. Her romantic track with Azhagarsami is pleasing and sweet. The director has totally shunned the superstitions that villagers believe in this film. In one scene where the village head, after hearing the news that his son has married against his wishes, screams that it is never going to rain in the village for his son has committed a crime by marrying a girl not belonging to their caste and it starts raining the very next moment. Here, the director creatively and symbolically conveys that superstitions are never true and that it should get washed away in the rain that very moment. Music by Illayaraja fits perfectly with the movie’s plot and none of the songs are forced in. ‘Poovakkelu’ sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Karthik is a radiant melody but it is ‘Kuthikira Kuthikira’ that gives us the goosebumps. Cinematography by Theni Easwar is an added advantage and the beauty of the village is brought out to the fullest. The director must be praised for having his heart at the right place and making the movie entirely realistic. AK is supported by a strong story, stronger dialogues and great characters but it might fail to work with all kinds of audience. Some sequences, especially post-interval disengage and will work for audiences who have the patience. It is not your regular commercial cinema - racy with foreign locales and stunts nor is it a rural story filled with blood, gore and tragedy. It is a simple heartwarming and realistic film which has us smiling as we walk out of the theater. It is one of those movies where content is the king and deserves praises for just that. Verdict: A charming and happy rural tale which is fairly engaging.

ENGEYUM KADHAL MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Jeyam Ravi, Hansika Motwani Direction: Prabhu Deva Music: Harris Jayaraj Production: Kalpathy Agoram Set against the beautiful backdrop of Paris, the world capital of love, Engeyum Kadhal directed by Prabhu Deva and produced by A G S Entertainment, pivots around LOVE, a theme which could be relatable to a wide section of the audience. The film languorously opens up with the Engeyum Kadhal number with Prabhudeva’s slow motion movements criss-crossing the various lovers in Paris and the introduction of his lead characters. EK is about the rich hero Kamal (Jeyam Ravi) who works hard for 11 months and relaxes for one month in a year and what happens when he meets Kayal Vizhi (Hansika) in one of such sojourns. As the name suggests, it is love love and love everywhere and Prabhu Deva has used this premise to tell his story and the three major components which help him in this undertaking are pleasing cinematography, vibrant music and uber-chic costumes. Nirav Shah takes us round the breathtaking France and other overseas locales in an enjoyable fashion and Nalini Sriram’s costumes bring about the rich and the trendy look of the lead characters in a fine manner. Harris Jayaraj’s mostly mellifluous numbers are also one of the key positive contributing factors to EK. Having said that, EK almost appears like a musical with a song being thrown in every now and then and Nenjil Nenjil, Nangai and Thee Illai emerge winners from the group. Although Prabhu Deva has such major supporting features by his side, he has failed to utilize them to the fullest. The intentions may be worthy but the execution is frivolous. This is a clear case of a weak content failing a movie despite support from other departments. The screenplay is given a short shrift by the director and EK goes south in the engrossing scale too. The love between the lead characters is very shallow and EK never makes you invest enough emotions in its characters. EK is also plagued by feeble characterization. The premise of the film may be soaked in love but the reason why the lead pair falls in love with each other appears very flimsy and lacks depth resulting in a flat and abrupt climax. Added to that, there is no chemistry between Ravi and Hansika. In the name of comedy Raju Sundaram is irksome and Suman is completely wasted. And the boy who is shown to have a crush on Hansika is a caricature. The lip sync of the heroine is not in tune and the voice of the dubbing artist is highly pretentious. There are not many redeeming factors which makes the two hour and five minutes film seem much longer than its actual period. Jeyam Ravi looks smart and scores well in the dancing department. It is also interesting to hear him take a dig at his own voice and the ticket checking scene in the train is delightful. But unfortunately such patches of goodness are far and few in between and the film fails to connect. Verdict: All glitz, no substance

VAANAM MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Str, Anushka, Bharath, Vega, Santhanam Direction: Krish Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja Production: Cloud Nine Movies (Dhayanidhi Azhagiri) Prolific Telugu director Krish comes to Tamil bringing with him his critically acclaimed Vedam as Vaanam with an ensemble cast of STR (Silambarasan), Bharath, Anushka, Vega, Saranya, Prakash Raj and others. Vedam had given Krish an admirable name to reckon with in the Telugu industry and for his debut in Tamil, the director has chosen the same premise which explored the various layers of human emotions, adhering largely to the original. Vaanam follows a multi narrative format, which is fairly new to Tamil cinema. The product is about how the lives of five completely unrelated individuals from different places converge at one point cascading in a transformation of their persona and the ensuing corollary. The refreshing factor about Vaanam is it has eschewed the standard DNA of commercial flicks and Krish’s authority on the narrative comes to the fore with this delectably mounted product that tugs at your heart strings. The characters in Vaanam are very ordinary, relatable mortals with their respective grey shades. Krish has not attempted to aggrandize them and they stand before you immaculately unornamented with their blemishes. STR as cable Raju, Bharath the rock star, Anushka the commercial sex worker, Saranya the helpless mom of an abducted son and Prakash Raj on the look out for his lost brother are the axles around which Vaanam hinges. The screenplay is intelligently woven around these characters and Krish builds his narration in a neat pattern not losing steam or our attention anywhere. Although dialogues by Giri provide a significant value, it dazzles when Anushka insulted by policeman Radha Ravi says “we sell our souls unrobed but you guys do that with all your robes on” (naanga thuni avuthu velai porom, neenga thuniyoda velai poreenga) or when she jocularly says that while for other jobs, experience is a big plus but in flesh trade, it is just the reverse. Giri’s caliber as an effective dialogue writer is revealed when STR in a choked voice states that truth needs courage and lies do not. And mind you, Vaanam is replete with such gems. All the artists have performed well and have equal screen presence. But the finest moments, of course, belong primarily to STR who reiterates that at the hands of a good script and a director, he can walk away with all the acting honors. The testimony to this is the scene when he snatches the money bag from Saranya and the vicissitude of emotions that play on his face that toggles between greed and conscience. And the scene at the police station when Anushka wonders if his love was true, the profound expression on his face is noteworthy. Anushka, the foul mouthed sex worker oozing oodles of oomph meets the sensual demands of her character but sans vulgarity brings tears while pleading to the doctor to save her friend saying that she is ready to sleep with him innumerable times. Bharath delivers a subdued performance and Prakash Raj is his usual best. While Vega, Soniya and Jasmine are adequate, Saranya, Santhanam and VTV Ganesh have delivered a natural and neat portrayal. The scenes with VTV Ganesh are enjoyable and when he talks about standing in front of director Shankar’s house with Rahman as company is hilarious. Santhanam as STR’s friend is his perfect humorous foil. Anushka’s transgender friend Karpuram and Saranya’s father-in-law are impressive. Under Yuvan Shankar Raja’s music, the opening song ‘Who am I’ showcases Bharath’s dancing skills which is youthful and peppy. The latest youth anthem ‘Evandi Onna Pethan’ is well picturized and STR’s adeptness with his feet and Nirav Shah’s brilliant camera work in the number are noticeable. Although ‘No money no honey’ is enjoyable, it does not add value to the film’s progress in any way. Nirav Shah’s cinematography is appreciable and the angles and lighting sensibilities up the production value of the film. The different type of lighting at the lodge is just an example. With his tight frame composition, Editor Anthony is impressive. Even though Vaanam is alluring in most aspects and travels linearly on the attempted track, the cinematic feel of the climax is a placid wart. The track ‘No money no honey’ is apparently forced and brings down the tempo of the film. Director Krish makes his impactful debut with a different narrative format that holds the attention of the audience. Vaanam is succulent with diverse complex human emotions from deceit to greed to rage to remorse. The film has a plot that can find patrons among wider variety of audience as the theme of humanity is much a catholic one that transcends barriers. Verdict: An intelligent fare with substance

KO MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Jiiva, Ajmal Ameer, Karthika Nair, Piaa Bajpai, Prakash Raj Direction: K. V. Anand Music: Harris Jayaraj Production: Kumar,jayaraman Subtitles: Rekhs Click, click, and click! You might wonder why the review is starting with a meaningless piece of literature, but well, it is a tribute to the star of this film - the camera. Director KV Anand who was previously a photo journalist has made this film amidst high expectations and with extreme care. It has every ingredient of an entertainer - a juicy premise, a good star cast, foot tapping music and of course interesting foreign locations and the director’s love for making stylish and flamboyant films. Ko is the story of the entwined lives of an adventurous, honest, astute photo journalist Ashwin (Jiiva) and an aspiring young politician Vasanthan (Ajmal). Renu (Karthika) and Saro (Piaa Bajpai) are Ashwin’s colleagues and fellow journalists who also get sucked into Vasanthan’s political aspirations and election campaigns. Does Vasanthan achieve his goal? What does he do to achieve them? Ko answers these questions. The director has aptly mixed intelligent and commercial cinema in Ko. The film making is nearly flawless and excels in places where he brings in slice of life incidents to invoke humor. The way the photo editor always finds a fault with Ashwin’s pictures despite them being good is an example. The events that hold the film together are fresh and albeit a straight forward story, it offers some interesting twists and turns that makes the audience eager for more. Another commendable aspect is that both the heroines actually have a role to play and are not mere glam dolls. Jiiva as Ashwin once again proves that he is a versatile actor. The body language and obsession of a photographer to click pictures are brought out well by Jiiva and we wonder if anyone else would have done this role as well as he has. Among the others in the lead cast it is Piaa with her comic timing who scores a tad higher than Karthika and Ajmal. Her small yet meaty role gives her scope and she has a good screen presence. She shows her prowess in the scene where she gets emotional knowing Ashwin loves Renu and not her. Karthika has very expressive eyes and looks good in saree but her costumes in the song sequences could have been better. Ajmal is a perfect choice to play an aspiring politician - his looks, build and dialogue delivery elevates the character he plays. Special mention to Bose Venkat who makes a huge impact with his acting and proves that one doesn’t need big roles to make a mark. He shines in the scene where he makes some revelations to Jiiva. He mouths strong and sensible dialogues that will evoke applause from the audience. All these five actors have managed to overshadow the performances of seasoned artists like Kotta Srinivasa Rao and Prakashraj. Jagan who plays the role of Ajmal’s friend has a mix of humor and seriousness in his dialogues that makes us think and laugh at the same time. Dialogues are one of the strong points in the film. Songs which are already chartbusters have been picturised well and are a feast for the eyes and the ears. Yennamo Yedho, Amali Thumali and Venpaniya are visual treats from cinematographer Richard. Surprisingly, Aga Naga which features several celebrities like Tamannah, ‘Jeyam’ Ravi, Harris Jeyaraj etc doesn’t live up to the hype it garnered. The special phantom camera used in the climax is a good effort and Peter Hein’s stunt together makes it more gripping. Art direction in the opening bank heist, set in backdrops of a hotel in Pondicherry, needs a special mention. Colourful and insightful photographs that make an appearance as the credits are dished out is creative. On the downside, the narration of the film is a bit slow and at times has songs cutting into the interesting narrative, making the audience impatient for the scenes to resume. The Venpaniye song in the second half of the film is misplaced and is an example for what is said above. The movie spans for over 2 hours and 45 minutes which might also prove to be a dampener, though there are no scenes in the film that is unimportant. Cinematic liberties are allowed but the director has slightly overdone it. The very beginning where Jiiva does somersaults in his bike to capture photos is an overdose of cinematic liberty. The most admirable aspect is the fact that despite the slumps in narration, the film manages to engage and has us hooked to the proceedings from the word go and carries us to an interesting and intelligent climax. The twist in climax is the biggest plus. Overall, Ko impresses, entertains and is likely to click with all kinds of audience. Verdict: A stylish commercial entertainer!

MAPPILLAI MOVIE REVIEW Starring: Dhanush, Hansika Motwani, Vivek, Manisha Koirala Direction: Suraj Music: Mani Sharma Production: Sun Pictures After a lull in Tamil silver screens owing to World Cup Cricket, the summer season begins with the Suraj-Dhanush combo Mappillai, whose last outing Padikkadhavan impressed quite a few. Expectations surrounding Mapillai are high primarily because it is the remake of Rajnikanth’s yester year hit of the same name and his real life son-in-law plays the role essayed by the superstar himself with consummate ease in the past. Secondly Dhanush, after establishing himself as a versatile actor in Aadukalam, is stepping onto a mainstream commercial venture once again and thirdly the humor quotient associated with Suraj and Dhanush concoction also aids in augmenting the anticipation levels. Story wise, Mapillai adheres mostly to the original premise but Suraj has added a few and deleted some portions from the old to suit to the current times. An established and a proven template already lies in front of the director and all that is required from him was to retain the original magic and add pizzaz to the proceedings. Having chosen to remake a hit and that too of a superstar film, Suraj has to bear the burden of comparison. It is only but natural. To sail through this, it is evident that he has relied heavily upon the caliber and capabilities of Dhanush and the talented actor has not let him down. In fact it is Dhanush’s nonchalant performance and screen presence that takes the audience through the happenings. The false compliance when he first meets Manisha, the look on his face when he checkmates her in the climax and the scene where he lectures Hansika in the mall are a few samples. Vivek as the ardent Namitha fan with coiffured hair attempts at comedy but annoys for the most parts with his accent and logorrhoea. Thankfully, as JP, he makes up for his quirks and provides the necessary laughter that was intended. Mapillai suffers from weak characterization especially of its lead character Manisha Koirala and this cannot be pardonable as the main premise itself is the confrontation between mother-in-law and son-in-law. There is no zing or fizz in the altercations between the duo which is where the epicenter of the film rests. One cannot but stop remembering the brilliant performance of late Srividhya and her body language. Manisha as Rajeshwari provides a frail foil to the effervescent Dhanush and this evinces an indifferent reaction from the audience. It is like a lopsided match. To top it all, the lip sync of both Manisha and Hansika does not match making it difficult to relate with the characters. Rohini dubbing for Manisha has done a good job but Manisha mouthing the dialogue should have brought out more power emoting them. Hansika makes her debut and the girl looks plump and cute and excels in midriff exposition. The costume designer has done a good job and Manisha’s sarees and accessories are stylish reflective of her opulence. Mapillai opens up with the comedy track of Vivek, Sathyan, Balaji and cell Murugan and its lengthiness tires. There are many logical loopholes. While Suraj can take umbrage under the mainstream cinematic lenience for few scenes, for some he cannot. An entire village unable to handle Dhanush because he is the son of a thasildar and Manisha very quickly accepting Dhanush meekly as her son-in-law are a few samples. There is no mention anywhere about Manisha’s husband. Mapillai is sprinkled with such foibles. Some dialogues from Dhanush’s previous film have been used with a twist like ‘onnai parthale pidikkanum, paakka paakka pidikka kudadhu’. The climax scene though illogical evokes humor especially with the gymboy Gemini Ganesan and the dialogues spoken by Asish Vidyarthi who is wasted in Mapillai. Music by Mani Sharma is peppered with the aroma from Andhra and ‘ready readya’ number is passable but the remake ‘Ennaoda Rasi’ falls below expectations. Suraj has attempted a remake of super star’s film but has only been half way successful in his task. Verdict: This Mapillai entertains in parts

SIRUTHAI MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Karthi, Tamannah, Santhanam Direction: Siva Music: Vidyasagar Production: KE Gnanavel Raja Karthi is the latest to jump the bandwagon of Telugu remakes. Dhanush has done it with fair success and Jeyam Ravi thrives on it. But could Karthi pull it off with Siruthai, which is the remake of the four-year old Telugu hit Vikramarkudu? Rocket Raja (Karthi) is a pickpocket whose ally is Kaatupoochi (Santhanam). Together they perform con tricks on seemingly innocent people and when they stumble upon Swetha (Tamannah), it’s

immediately love at first sight for Karthi. Despite his dubious credentials, he perjures himself as being a software engineer to win the rich Tamannah’s love. His life is further complicated when one of his thieving expeditions make him bring home a child. The girl child identifies him as her father and there begins a string of events; Karthi is being mysteriously chased by blood thirsty, burly goons after the child’s arrival. Tamannah breaks up with him after the child’s entry thinking he lied to her about the child. As one can see, the movie has enough potential to be presented as a no-holds-barred entertainer. Instead, the director borrows the Telugu version’s garishness and manages only to translate (sometimes even transliterate) the dialogues and comes up with a banal stereotype of a movie. To muffle the questions that would arise out of the language that is being used, the director inserts a disclaimer at the opening of the movie stating that it’s for the benefit of the viewers that every character speaks Tamil although most of the proceedings happen in Andhra Pradesh. But he conveniently forgets the other questions that would arise out of unreasonable sequences that fill the movie. Those might never be answered. Karthi’s smile is his asset but in a movie that has little scope for such endearments, his qualities are of little help. There is one scene that pronounces his versatility. He gets annoyed and smashes the little girl’s walkman without knowing how precious that is for her. And he melts down immediately after revelation, embracing the child and cocooning her with his fatherly love. The last scenes, in which the character Rocket Raja dons the cop uniform, are also a riot. The actor pulling off two diverse roles with consummate ease is the saving grace of the movie. Since the originality of the Telugu version is retained, when released in Andhra this movie might serve as Karthi’s launch pad in Tollywood. In the little time he’s allowed to be on screen, Santhanam manages to break the movie hall into laughter with his wisecracks. Karthi and Santhanam complement each other as well. Tamannah is just another pretty face in the movie and has absolutely nothing to do other than look pretty and dance gracefully. She also seems to be willing enough to flaunt her navel area, much to the delight of Karthi and her fans. Which brings us to the songs; all of them seem to follow the same beat and are equally humdrum. The movie is also riddled with crude dialogues; it would still have been tolerable if they were used only for comedy, but in the name of villainy the movie throws in some cringe-worthy dialogues and scenes that are sure to make the women in your family squirm in their seats. Ganesh’s stunts are old-schoolish. Sample this: Karthi leaps out of a 10 storeyed under-construction building and lands in his two (feet). And we said it’s only a sample. Despite this, Velraj’s cinematography manages to tone down the movie’s violence with its subtlety (a quality that is otherwise non-existent in the movie). Watch Siruthai if you are a hardcore mass masala fan. Chances are that you might like Karthi, who is trying his best to prevent the movie from its impending dive into the depths of hackneyed void. Verdict: Another mass masala remake!

AADUKALAM MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Dhanush, Tapasee Pannu, Kishore, Karunas, Daniel Balaji Direction: Vetrimaaran Music: GV Prakash Kumar Production: Kathiresan The Polladhavan combination of director Vetrimaaran, music director G V Prakash and cinematographer Velraj with Dhanush and Kishore is back once again in one of the first releases of 2011. In Aadukalam, Vetrimaaran takes to Madurai backdrop and rooster fights to tell his story in a distinct manner which makes his enterprise stand out tall and high from the rest of the crop.

Resorting to rural milieu is not something uncommon in Tamil cinema but the director has justified the usage of his premise ably. Having said that, he has employed myriad human emotions like unquestionable trust and the breach of it, loyalty, pain, anguish, manipulation and remorse to convey his tale. Rearing roosters, maintaining them and using them for fights are a way of life and a matter of honor and lifeline to many people. In such a tenement, Pettaikaarar (Jayabalan) leads a very respectable life with his key aides Durai (Kishore) and Karuppu (Dhanush) along with others. His main adversary in hen fights is Rathinam, the police inspector. Pettaikaarar is known to have an impeccable track record of successes when it comes to fowl fights especially with Rathinam’s. In an unexpected situation, Pettaikaarar challenges Rathinam to a fowl contest which witnesses Karuppu violating his mentor Pettaikaarar’s word but emerging successfully with enviable proceeds. This results in the swelling of his status among his folks which plants the seeds of animosity in the minds of Pettaikaarar. Rest of Aadukalam travels on an unexpected path with twists and turns highlighting on the way the multiple layers of human emotions with sense playing truant. The major plus point of Aadukalam is its strength in characterization. Nowhere in the film will you find the characters oscillating. Vetrimaaran proves that he is after all an adept raconteur with an eye for details. Every scene substantiates his efforts. The amount of detailing especially pertaining to the roosters needs plaudits which incidentally justifies the long period in making. It will be an understatement to say Dhanush steals the show as the actor has lived the role of Karuppu. What a multitude of expressions in a single twitch of muscle or in a raised eyebrow? It is a visual treat to watch this talented lad perform be it the love that he feels towards Tapasee or the rambunctious jive he breaks into when she declares her love for him or the pain he feels when Jayabalan treats him badly or his regret when he loses his mom or the anguish on discovering betrayal. Dhanush is a revelation and makes you wonder if anyone else could have done justice to this role. Jayabalan, the Tamil poet as the Pettaikaarar delivers an effective portrayal. With the right kind of expressions and body language, he demonstrates a new type of villainy and Radha Ravi’s voice adds strength to his role. Tapasee Pannu as the Anglo Indian girl Irene is adequate and portrays her role in a respect worthy fashion. Kishore as Durai with Samudirakkani’s voice is valuable. Besides these, there are many small characters that make their mark like the Pettaikaarar’s young wife, Karuppu’s friend and so on. G V Prakash’s music elevates Aadukalam and intensifies the effect over the audience. Songs are rightly placed and none of them are contrived. While Otha sollaale makes the audience boogie, Ayyayo and Yathe Yathe’s melody enthrals them. His BGM during the pre-interval rooster fight slowly reaching the crescendo adds up to the suspense quotient and the spiralling frenzy. The action sequence especially in the climax is realistic and credible. Velraj’s camera travels to nook and corner of Madurai areas and sucks in the audience to the film. On the flipside, the film is a tad lengthy in the first half and there are patches of slowness but they are few and far between. It is evident that the director has resorted to graphics for rooster fights to abide by the rules of animal welfare board. In all, Aadukalam is an attempt that requires appreciation where the director has hackled his way through the path less trodden with aplomb. Aadukalam reiterates that Vetrimaaran belongs to the league of film makers who has understood the semiotics of film making perfectly. Verdict: A winning rooster!

KAVALAN MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Vijay, Asin, Rajkiran, Vadivelu Direction: Siddique Music: Vidyasagar Production: C. Ramesh Babu It played hide and seek on Friday when all other Pongal releases arrived and it wasn’t even sure whether it would make it to theaters on Saturday. After facing many troubles from different sides, Kavalan finally hit the theaters. Coming at a time when Vijay is at a bit of a crossroad regarding the path he has to choose further in his career, Kavalan is crucial even while not being a grand venture.

Kavalan , remake of the Malayalam film Bodyguard, brings together the successful duo of Vijay and Siddique once again, not to mention the hit Vijay-Asin combination. Coming from Siddique, the man who gave us Friends, the expectations is of a Vijay starrer that would be rather different from the ones we have been offered lately. Kavalan is an emotionally narrated love story about a righteous and innocent man who is assigned the task of being a young woman’s bodyguard. He puts full faith and confidence in anything that he does; his love story too blossoms because of these qualities. But, unwittingly, the faith that he shows is taken advantage of in a way that no one would imagine. It is not with malice or any villainy that this is done; but out of love and admiration towards such an innocent person. It is love and destiny that play hero and villain in this story of relationships. The movie also subtly tells us that it is never good to leave things untold for too long in love. Kavalan is redemption of sorts for Vijay – the actor. For the past couple of years or more, a lot of Tamil movie buffs have watched in dismay as he slipped further and further into a quagmire of senseless commercialism; sometimes not keeping up with the trend of change in the industry. But, Kavalan is a reminder to all of us, most importantly to many directors in the industry, that he can act; not just as the ‘savior hero’ or messiah of the masses, but as a person who feels love, happiness, sorrow and all other emotions. For the first time in a few years, a Vijay film is not only about its hero, but about the characters and relationships. That is about Kavalan with respect to Vijay. But, how has the film shaped up otherwise? Its a fairly engaging, relatable, simple and sweet story of love which has an unexpected twist and an emotionally charged climax. Nothing that goes remotely close to commercial formulae, has been added here; which does not mean that this is an offbeat or art-house film. It is an entertainer all right; but one which looks to engage you more through the interplay of characters rather than grandeur. Shot and narrated with simplicity, it leaves you with a warm feeling in the heart because the director makes you empathize with the characters. At no point does the consistency of characterization get abandoned in an attempt to provide a few extra laughs or thrills. Fights, a couple, look every bit reasonable and comedy handled by Vadivelu and Vijay, puts a smile on your face but fails to make you burst out with laughter. On the flipside, the length of the film might work against it. It starts and keeps moving at a consistent pace (generally considered slow on the commercial scale) and never really accelerates. The final hour in particular would have looked much crisper with a bit of trimming. Even with very well conceived emotional scenes well enacted by the cast, one does feel a bit tired. A couple of songs towards the end too could have been better placed or even avoided. This is a script which gives actors a lot of room to emote. Vijay has grabbed the chance with both hands. One wonders if it was his decision to stay away from ‘down to earth’ characters all these years, or the compulsions from a commercially driven industry. Kavalan is a throwback to the ‘Thulladha Manamum Thullum’ days of Vijay and we hope the days are here to stay. He has lived the character. Asin, in Tamil for the first time after Dasavatharam, convinces us with her portrayal. The chemistry of the lead pair has worked out well; especially the portions where Asin tries various ways to exasperate Vijay; things that ultimately result in love. Vadivelu evokes smiles and the occasional laugh. The rest of the cast including the experienced Raj Kiran and Roja add weight to the movie. Camera, editing and all technical departments have adhered strictly to the requirements of the movie. Two compositions of Vidhyasagar make you hum along. Director Siddique shows excellent command over proceedings right through the movie. Overall, Kavalan is a movie that defies all the preset notions of a Vijay starrer that have been built over the last couple of years. It is his return to the romantic hero mould and also a call to all directors of the industry to stop pre-meditating ‘over the top’ scripts for him. A relatable love story shot in a cute and simple manner, rich with emotions, but on the slow side of narration. Yes, there is nothing special, but nothing to grumble about either! Verdict: Vijay (re)turns romantic! Feel good – Feel emotional!

MANMADHAN AMBU MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Kamal Haasan, Madhavan, Trisha, Sangeetha Direction: K.S. Ravikumar Music: Devi Sri Prasad Production: Udhayanidhi Stalin The much awaited film with a tried and tested combination of K S Ravikumar and Kamal Haasan finally hits at the end of the year with an ensemble cast that includes Madhavan, Trisha, Sangeetha among others. Kamal takes charge of story, screenplay and dialogues while K S Ravikumar steers the directorial department in Manmadhan

Ambu produced under the Red Giant banner of Udayanidhi Stalin. Adhering to the title in its literal sense, love and cupid form the peripheral element while faith and honesty are the core constituents which have been dealt in a light manner. Ambujakshi (Trisha) is an actress whose fiancé is industrialist Madana Gopal (Madhavan). Trisha’s profession comes in the way of her impending marriage to Maddy and after a rift between the two, she takes a break from her career on a European cruise with her friend Deepa (Sangeetha) who is a divorcee with 2 kids. On the other hand, Maddy sends Mannar (Kamal), an ex-army man to spy Trisha’s movements. Kamal takes on this job to meet the medical expenses of his friend (Ramesh Aravind), a cancer patient. What happens in this cruise, whether Trisha and Maddy resolve their differences of opinion and what happens to Kamal is what Manmadhan Ambu all about. K S Ravikumar who understands the semiotics of film making has attempted to narrate the story in his style but its languorous pace works against it. Although the story is interesting, the film unfolds very slowly and does not gather momentum at any stage. The script sparkles in patches and fails to engage the audience completely. Dialogues are enjoyable in some places like the scene where Sangeetha says – matrimony may not be good but alimony is. The way in which Kamal narrates his past in a reverse mode is intelligent. There are no words to talk about Kamal who has completed half a ton years of diligence in the world of greasepaint and glory. He wafts through the proceedings seamlessly. Sangeetha overshadows all the other artists in her natural and spontaneous performance. Trisha for the first time in her career speaks for herself and it is a revelation and certainly adds greater strength to her character. Hope she continues this exercise in the future too. Madhavan teams up with Kamal after Anbe Sivam and is his ‘spirited’ self mostly. His debonair and suave looks in the initial scene accompanied by the right kind of body language for a rich industrialist fits the proceedings aptly. Suriya in a small cameo as Trisha’s co-star in her film is adorable. In their small roles Oorvasi and Ramesh Aravind bring out the agony of illness. In fact, the performance of the cast compensates for the languid narration. Under music director Devi Sri Prasad’s compositions, Oyyale stays in mind and the other numbers are just about satisfactory. Cinematographer Manushya Nandan adds value to the film. Gauthami’s stylish costumes work right for the script. Overall, Manmadhan Ambu is an entertainer but in parts. Verdict: A passable cruise!

EASAN MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Sasikumar, Abhinaya, Aparna, Vaibhav, AL Alagappan Direction: Sasikumar Music: James Vasanthan Production: Sasikumar Sasikumar who brought in a new method of story telling in Tamil films with Subramaniapuram and Nadodigal is back with Easan and this time around he has spun his story in an urban milieu. Supporting him in this enterprise is producer AL Azhagappan, Kaja Moideen, Samudirakani, Malayalam director Blessy along with Vaibhav, Abinaya and others. Although the premise in Easan is urban, its quintessential sensibilities are

very definitely bucolic and Sasikumar’s gimlet-eyed exploration of the subject warrants a special mention. Chezhian (Vaibhav) is the son of politician Deivanayagam (AL Azhagappan) and is exactly like one speckled with vices. He falls in love with Reshma (Aparna), the daughter of a business tycoon from Karnataka. Deivanayagam agrees to this match with an ulterior motive and that’s when Chezhian goes missing. The trail to Chezhian is what Easan is all about that has been narrated in a riveting manner in the second half. The film opens with ‘Inda Iravu Daan Pogude’ number (nicely done) which is followed by the chase of a lone girl in a two-wheeler by a group of drunken boys in the middle of the night which leads to her death. The story further unfurls with the boys being taken into custody by the police and Vaibhav aiding them with a helpless ACP Sangaiya (Samudirakani) as a mute spectator. Further on, the film moves with the various power games played by the politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen dotted with the pubs of city life, rave parties and hookah joints. Sasikumar also throws in the frolic of lower strata with the ‘jilla vittu jilla’ number. The tight grip that Sasikumar has on his audience for the first few minutes slackens slowly and the rest of the 1st half is filled with events and characters that leave you with wonder as to what the director wants to convey. Sasi has you in perplexity as to what the genre of the film is going to be - whether it is a political battle or a societal theme. The slow and ambiguous narration also tests the endurance levels of the audience. However, he makes up for all these in the second half where the film picks up momentum and zooms through with an intense climax. The specialty about Easan is there is no hero, there is no heroine or for that matter there is not a single character that monopolizes the screen. And more so, there is a surprise package in the identity of Easan which is new to Tamil cinema. There are some appealing twists and there is an interesting aspect of cyber hacking too. All the characters have done their part with good understanding. Samudirakani, Azhagappan, Namo Narayana and Blessy stand out and there is not much to explore for Vaibhav and Abhinaya. Wonder what the director has against Silambarasan to show a character and a voice like him in the pub with a heroine in hand. The Jilla Vittu number is an unnecessary intrusion and does not help the film in anyway except to give the audience their break. The first half, barring the first few minutes, is a non-linear presentation. On the technical side, cameraman Kadhir, editor Ramesh, music director James Vasanthan have worked in tandem with the film. Through Easan, Sasikumar has attempted to convey the dangers of city life when not dealt with carefully and it could also ring in a warning to people who take things lightly. For those who feel the anachronism in rape followed by suicide, the director has given his answer through the origin of his characters. If Sasi has pruned some of the sequences, Easan would have been a riveting offering. Verdict: An urban dark tale

AYYANAR MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Aadhi, Meera Nandan, Jayaprakash, Vishnu Priyan, Santhanam Direction: Raja Mithran Music: Thaman Production: Sri Rajalakshmi Films Following the success of Eeram, actor Aadhi opts for a commercial film Ayyanar that is laced with family sentiments, action and suspense. Debutant Raja Mithran takes on with a family drama that is interwoven with a mysterious backdrop in tale. The film opens with Prabhakar (Aadhi) burying his

dead brother Saravanan (Vishnu Priyan) and mimicking as him over the phone to his mother. Cut to flashback of 2 years time, the film is set in backdrops of Kumbakonam depicting Prabhakar as a devil-may-care lad. Younger brother Saravanan, the breadwinner of the family happens to be his only envy as his family members pamper him. This incisively leads to a blind assumption behind the shocking act of Prabhakar. But the tale proceeds in unexpected paths with an incredulous suspense unraveled at climax. Filmmaker Raja Mithran has composed a family drama that involves the projection of egoistic problems persisting between siblings. Similarly, the behavioral attitude of family members of how they treat them with their own accordance is also portrayed. The cryptic 15 minutes prologue appears effective. But in later point of time, the screenplay goes disoriented as audiences fail to differentiate between the present and flashback sequences with realms of many illogical elements. It looks like Aadhi purposely opted to jump into the shoes of mass-hero. Unlike his previous flicks, Ayyanar tries to depict him in a larger-than-life role, where he chews beedas, smashes down dozen of roughnecks at the same time and gets into dream sequences for duets with Meera Nandan. Heroine Meera Nandan’s role is restricted to same degrees of what other heroines get to play in usual commercial potboilers. A big disappointment for Santhanam fans as the actor doesn’t appear more than a couple of scenes. Having promoted the film with his solo images with looks of Osama Bin Laden, it turns out to be a letdown for them. Jayaprakash sleepwalks through the role of a strict father. Director Raja Mithran fails to focus upon certain things, which happens to be a blatant flaw in the tale. The basic confusions break open with the protagonist’s decision of hiding the death of his brother. His reasoning remains unjustified even after the show. If the filmmaker had scrupulously concentrated in these areas, it would have been better. The scene involving Aadhi’s escape from a bunch of policemen surrounding him is exceptionally displeasing. How could the director conceptualize such an amateurish sequencing? The complete drama of police investigation acts as a spoiler. Thaman limits himself to the same pattern as the songs remind you of some of his other albums. The title song ‘Kuthu Kuthu’ with the wild choreography is a special treat for the masses and ‘Pacchai Kili’ is a dulcet melody well picturized by cinematographer Sethu Sriram. Ayyanar stands in the passable league that can gratify the audiences, who are least, bothered about logics. Verdict: An average show by first-timer.

VIRUDHAGIRI MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Vijayakanth, Meenakshi, Arun Pandian Direction: Vijayakanth Music: Sundar C Babu Production: Captain Cine Creations Delivering political ideologies and agendas has been Captain Vijayakanth’s motive in ‘Virudhagiri’. The actor unflaggingly focuses upon the recent issues like Indian student’s attack in Australia and brutalities against transgenders, which haven’t been sensationalized in any films before. Most of the socio-commercial movies would have

the protagonists combating against bad politicians for society’s well being. On the contrary, ‘Virudhagiri’ proves to be different by touching upon some of the important issues. Vijayakanth delivers with his directorial touch for adding some essential ingredients in narration. The film is based on Liam Neeson starrer Hollywood movie ‘Taken’, an emotional thriller indeed. However, Captain’s idea linking the Australian attack on Indian students with this plot makes it interesting. Virudhagiri (Vijayakanth), a sincere police officer endeavors in safeguarding the societal peace. Gaining international recognition for accomplishing a security task in foreign countries, he returns to Chennai handling a serious case of transgenders being scourged to death for organ racketing. On an unexpected turn, his niece (Madhuri Idaki) undertakes a trip to Australia, where she gets kidnapped by a group of strangers. Using his high-skilled intelligence activities, Virudhagiri flies down to the foreign land for the rescue. Vijayakanth outlines whole lot of hard-hitting problems through dialogues that often wins applause from his audience, which includes the present film industry related issues of piracies... One such example is when Mansoor Ali Khan says “Avanga vaarisu edukuru pandanga mattum marketla varavae varadhu. Matthavan padam release aana anikke vandhududhu”. The title song ‘Makkal Oru Puram’ distinctly speaks off the actor’s expression on present-age political system. Implying the importance of Tamilians and their accomplishments in various arenas across the globe easily gains the attention of audiences. Vijayakanth deserves special pat for not being enslaved to clichés like heroines falling in love with him and dancing duet numbers. The actor thereby strides on a clear route and avoids such unwanted ingredients, which otherwise would have been a spoiler. But on the flipside with other characters in the film relentlessly praising the protagonist, it evokes delight only amongst his fans, while for others it may turn an ordeal. The self-aggrandizing liners penned by Vijayakanth go limitless after a certain extent, which should have been avoided. He goes irresistible over-singing self-praises to the baddies in foreigners. The screen play sometimes appears disconnected. The picturizing of trigger-violent sequences of gruesome massacre of transgenders could have been softened as it creates aversion. Boopathy should have handled these shots in a moderate way while his creative placement of lens in few places, especially the action sequences is appreciable. Sundar C Babu’s title song ‘Yezhaigal Thozha Vaa Va’ is a pure political propaganda while ‘Makkal Oru Puram’ goes in right tunes. The motive of Vijayakanth is very clear. He has used Virudhagiri as a communication vehicle to convey his thoughts at the same time satisfying the entertainment quotient to the audience. If you go with an unbiased notion, the film may appeal to you. For the hard core Vijaykanth fans, Virudhagiri is a treat! Verdict: Captain’s self-promotion

CHIKKU BUKKU MOVIE REVIEW Review by : Behindwoods review board Starring: Arya, Shriya, Preetika, Santhanam, Anup Kumar Direction: Manikandan Music: Colonial Cousins, Pravin Mani Production: Mediaone Global Entertainment Most of the evergreen love stories have shared a strong connection with journeys. The romantic travelogues of all seasons like ‘Titanic’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ and ‘Jab We Met’ (later remade in Tamil as ‘Kanden Kadhalai’) have been regarded as the best on this genre till the date. Manigandan’s debut directorial ‘Chikku Bhukku’

slightly touches this line, but takes a different route in its narrative style. Chikku Bukku is a high-fashioned flick with luxurious realms of technical aspects and boasts of some good performances by actors as well. The tale of Chikku Bukku cuts itself into two different eras – 1985 and 2010. Set in backdrops of 1985, Sekar (Arya) is found penning his beautiful memories of love with Meenal (Preetika) in a diary. Within fraction of seconds we are shifted to present epoch of 2010 in London. Arjun (again played by Arya), a peppy DJ flying back to his hometown Karaikudi to settle down property disputes. Flamboyantly cheerful Anu (Shriya Saran) is heading back to Madurai for meeting her dad. Unexpected situations bring Arjun and Anu together as they end up traveling together in a train with wrong identity in tickets. Caught red-handed for their conniving act, they are marooned halfway in a desolate station. Here begins the idyllic travel of these young vibrant couple as we commute through different ages of love. Manikandan is vividly influenced by his mentor late director Jeeva’s insatiable passion for rich colorful visuals and locations. You’ll experience the paradise right before your eyes with Gurudev’s spellbinding embellishment of visuals across scenic locales of London, Chikmagalore, Coorg and Karaikudi. On the dot, if there is one perfect reason to get you intact with the show, the brilliant visuals stand out as a substantial ingredient. On the performance level, Arya looks energetic, confident and his delineation as Sekar is effective. Watch out for his dance in title song ‘Chikku Bukku’. Shriya Saran, apart from looking ravishing, strides effortlessly, emoting to what is required. Manigandan deserves appreciation for her portrayal that breaks the clichés in many aspects. Newcomer Preetika impresses with her exquisitely graceful looks. She grabs our attention through her innocuous nature, particularly with the scenes involving the school inspection. The complete drama involving Arya, Preetika and school kids tickles the funny bones. Santhanam doesn’t get much prominence and has very little scope to amuse us. Anup Kumar takes on his role with decent approach and flawless acting. Filmmaker’s predilection towards technical arenas can be witnessed in every frame. Colonial Cousins sway to their best in every song. Specifically, the title song Chikku Bukku’ and Zara Zara stand out. Choreographers deserve special praise and so does the costume designers. Praveen Mani’s background score could have been better. V.T. Vijayan disappoints with loads of discontinuities between the shots. A smooth transition between the shots would have helped for better output. Sluggish screenplay turns out to be one of the blatant minuses of this film. What should have been a gripping tale of romance loses its pace halfway. The conflicts aren’t established properly. The main drawback of the film is the narrative imbalance. The flashback sequences are narrated through the lead characters’ glimpses on diary. But the lack of continuity during second hour trivializes the intensity. The term Chikku Bukku is often related with the slow-paced steam engine trains. In all likelihood, the film often becomes slow-paced and director Manikandan could have literally focalized into this attribute diminishing certain illogical traits. Verdict: Passable journey with few breakdowns