Nanban - A neat remake

Will Nanban be very different from 3 idiots? Did Shankar add any value to the original? Most importantly, did Vijay screw the character done by Aamir?

NO is the reply for all of them. Yes Nanban is a scene by scene repetition of 3 idiots, but that is why it is called a remake. 3 idiots is a movie which can be seen any number of times and it is definitely a good experience to see the same rendered different way in our language (instead of seeing 3 idiots with subtitle).

Vijay is PERFECT! (Mind you I am also a Vijay hater just like most of those reading this because of his many meaningless movies) I would say that even the so called soft role of him in 'Sachin' was over-acting. This is the best simple acting of Vijay after REALLY long time. He never appeared different from the movie as he used to be. He did nothing more than what the important character of 3 idiots script should do. Good man!

Srikanth is another actor in my hate list and that guy is also good in this movie; all in the hands of director. Jeeva was awesome and natural as usual!

I feel that Ileana belongs to "extreme slim" case ;). Elumbum tholumaa irukka but of course she has precisely replicated the cute role of Kareena.

Omi Vaidya (3 idiots) had set a high benchmark and it was actually tough task for Satyan but he did meet it brilliantly. In my opinion, he was the best of Nanban. I laughed more for 'Karpazhithaar' when compared to 'Balaatkaar'.

Satyaraj was appearing like a 'over acting headache' in trailer but I was completely wrong. He was fabulous. Experience speaks!

Manoj Paramahamsa's camera was aesthetic and pleasing. Those elevated views of Pamban bridge, tea estates were magnificent. Frames were fresh!

Harris Jayaraj has done exactly what is needed. He being known as a Copy (or to put it decent Inspire) King has given an almost original songs. Nalla Nanban is of course m favorite but I personally liked all the songs. BGMs were neither out-standing nor standing-out. There were enough silence which itself is a good sign.

Remaking 3 idiots was a risk (that too with a hyped hero like Vijay who is sunk in image) but director Shankar didn't appear to have taken that pressure. He was cool and clear. He should have definitely felt relaxed while taking this movie after a painstaking Endhiran. A well written and established script was in his hands and he just had to present it for a different set of audience. I can bet, not many can do that but Shankar didn't disappoint.

Overall, Nanban is a neat and best remake of 3 idiots!

Veppam - Tasty but non-crispy Chips

With the kind of expectation Joshua Sridhar had created with his songs (esp Mazhai Varum Ariguri) and Photon Kathas banner (we may mock at Gautham but his name is definitely a value add at least with respect to expectations) this movie had good basement for a hit.

But director Anjana didn't build an aesthetic building on that basement. She had just built something mundane. When it comes to Chennai gangster stories there are many benchmarks. After seeing movies like Aaranya Kaandam which was cool and at the same time high-class presentation of gangsters, Veppam was just looking ordinary.

Though there weren't any spectacular shots (which in my humble opinion is not mandatory. Camera shouldn't disturb the screenplay), it was the pleasing visuals which helped the movie get going. Good work by Cinematographer Om Prakash.

Naani has an inspiring look. He is young but at the same time doesn't have childish personality like Santhanu (S/O Bhagyaraj) or Adharva (S/O Murali). Nothing to tell about his acting skills since he didn't have scope to showcase that in this movie.

Karthik Kumar has done a decent support role again. But it is not his career-breaking role though his role had all the needed importance. His death in the movie doesn't create much impact.

Nithya Menon is another homely (and bubbly) arrival to Thamizh cinema. Her role in both 180 and this movie is quite good. If she don't take the wrong decision of doing glamor roles, she has opportunity to get good roles

Bindhu Madhavi was looking like a real call girl. Sorry to say that but that's how I felt. This itself might be an appreciation for her acting in this movie.

Amma ji role is supposed to be serious like Sorna akka (Dhool) but it didn't create any impact. Jothi character was good and so was the Bai character (though he appears in only couple of scenes). It would have not been a bad choice to have swapped Bai and Amma ji's characters.

Balaji (brother) character (done by Muthukumar) was given too much hype since the plot started but he had a low profile right from beginning to end. Gautham Menon's voice for him was not a good choice. Gautham has a unique voice and it didn't blend with actor Muthukumar's acting.

I think it was the brother character which the director didn't handle properly. If she has brought in intelligence through that character, the movie would have been another crispy gangster movie like AK. Just because she was convinced with some casual screenplay, even the taste she had added became non-significant. Even though tasty, who will prefer eating non-crispy chips?

Potta Potti - Cricket movie in a different ground

Well if we look for logic or extreme humor in this movie, then we will definitely won't like it. I am a person who expects either of those. So I didn't like the movie..[Theatre'la thoonginavangala pathi naan inga ezhudha poradhilla :)]

Lagaan's cricket had a strong purpose. Chennai 600028's cricket had complete fun. In this movie Director Yuvaraj has tried to have both but didn't succeed in both..

Reg fun... Humor wasn't that great... First half had probably 10% good humor and 90% mokkai.. But it was the same 'Kodaivannan' who bored in 1st half secures claps from us in climax..

The person who did the role of 'avatar'  has done a good work...

Reg purpose.. It looks like the message about hills being exploded was forced into the movie. It suddenly cropped up in 2nd half... Anyways, it was a nice message..

Sadagopan Ramesh has done a decent job. His natural nakkal way of speaking has helped.. Heroine Harini looks pretty ordinary in some scenes and good in other scenes.. Overall an 'OK OK' choice of heroine..Villains are 'as usual'...

I really appreciate the camera work esp the cricket match scenes.. While the other game related movies had some cinematic shots, here I felt it natural.. Those dusty grounds, typical running between the wickets.. Good work!

One more thing to be mentioned is that the music of the movie was not irritating though it wasn't great.. Thanks to the music director Arul Dev for not giving a disturbing music..

Kanchana (Muni-2): Exclusive for 'C' center

Scary night scene with ghost showing trailer .. Sun rise... Actors shouting in the name of comedy.... One Kuthu song with 'tough looking' dance steps...Again scary night.. Again Sun rise.... After this cycle goes on for few times, a flash-back behind ghost attack and final climax fight...Run of the mill horror masala movie..When all in the family were speaking Coimbatore slang Thamizh, how come only Devadarshini was speaking (fake) Brahmin slang? Where is the logic?

I can simply write few lines like above about a movie like Kanchana, tear the performances into pieces and throw it into bin rejecting it as a worst movie.. But all those are not going to impact this kind of movie's collection even by 1%.

This movie is not targeted for bloggers/readers/geeks/freakers blah blah blah..Whistle, laugh busters, maha kuthu dance...All from Gandhi class :) I was surprised when I saw the crowd in theatre (FYI, not in multiplex. I saw in a local theatre). People who saw Show X were not able to get out as there was animated crowd waiting near gate to see Show (X+1). I just couldn't believe.. Now tell me, will my review create a negative impact anyway?

So let me try to write about this movie by digging out the 'C' center spectator inside me. Raghavendra Lawrence knows the exact pulse of his target audience.. As an actor, dancer and director he has delivered a full meals.. Sema kattu katravanga kattalam :)

Lakshmi Rai was used as a glamor doll and she danced as much as she can in the kuthu song in which she appears. 100% bonus for the thozhilaali who turned up to theatre after working hard for the whole day :)

Kovai Sarala, Sriman and Devadarshini with their kudutha kaasukku mela nadikkara reactions and loud voice have made target audience laugh. Mission accomplished :)

Thaman is known for stylish music. All the songs in this movie are rhythm numbers (Marana Kuthu).. Some people were dancing and most others were just trying to be seated.. All wanted to dance, shout, clap and whistle...So if we look it optimistically, it is a new face for Thaman!

Surprise package for this movie is Sarath Kumar... He is the real mass behind this movie.. Good to see an actor like him who is very careful about his image act in this kind of role...

Something which has to be really appreciated is the responsibility of showing good side of Transsexual people. May be Lawrence would have thought that he has to create an awareness about trans-sexuality to 'not so educated' people (indirectly C center). I am not trying to say that educated people know well about this issue and they approach this as a natural happening... Most of the educated people will not change even when it reaches them through mass media whereas those uneducated people will at least consider it with their inherent innocence.. "amam pa.. avan soldradhula gnyaayam irukku la?"

I would like to end the review with only one question to Lawrence.. Why did you make it only for C center? If you had tried, this movie might have been catered to a broader spectrum. Yes this movie might give a quick ROI but what will happen to your long-term image? Please try to consider this in your proposed Muni-3

Deivathirumagal - Reaches deep inside our heart

Disclaimer: I have not seen 'I am Sam'

The last soft movie I remember which was appreciated by anyone and everyone was Mozhi. I would say that Deivathirumagal is at least 5 times better than Mozhi and that's the reason we have been seeing sky high praises from everyone who saw the movie.

Each thing we cross in our life will have a limit related to the depth it can reach within us. Music is something which can go to any depth. I never knew that a movie also can touch such depths. But this movie has given impulses sitting deep inside our heart.

Vikram and Baby Sarah.. Can I even write 1% about their performance in words? Definitely not. When they say "Krishna Vandhaachu" and "Nila Vandhaachu" in this movie, namma manasu engeyo poiduchu :). They stole our heart. To put it simple, National award is reserved for both of them. Anyways, we have already reserved a place in our heart for their performances in this movie.

Anushkha is not very beautiful and neither it is needed for her role in this movie. She has given a satisfactory performance. I felt that Amala Paul is looking better than Anushkha. Even swapping of their roles might have not been a bad idea.

Nassar's role was not extraordinary compared to his earlier roles. Actually it is the portion in which he comes most (between interval and final court scene) which was not so great and also lacking in logic. What to do? Vikram and that baby devil [:)] have given such a performance that all others just appear very ordinary.

Santhanam played a low profile, of course sticking to his own style. He was good. The entire cast was impressive. Not even a single bad performance.

Nirav Shah's camera was brilliant as usual. Avalanche was beautifully brought in screen.

GV Prakash has given a good album once again. "Pa Pa" and "Kadha Solla" are signs of his maturity. He has started giving what is exactly needed for the movie. Vizhigalil Oru Vaanavil in Saindhavi's chocolate voice is every one's hum now. Aarariro song, its violin version as BGM, Life is Beautiful theme... GVP is an important factor for this movie's success.

How can we forget the man behind this master-piece? Yes it is director Vijay. As I said for Vikram and Sarah, praising Vijay's work by words would not be a good idea. Every time we got goosebumps,every time we were about to cry..can those emotions be replaced by words? I salute you Vijay. It should not be a difficult task for Vijay to take Part II from where he left. What would be difficult is to give the same feel with audience expectations which would have gone himalayan high. I believe Vijay can do it again!

Avan Ivan - Not a Bala's cup of tea

Bala is a specialist in showing gray areas of our society. He showed such characters in such a realistic way and that is why is considered as one of the greatest film maker of Thamizh cinema. He is also good in having some short humor sequences in movie.

But when it comes to full-time comedy, Bala is way behind state of the art. Whatever he has projected as laugh buster was looking just normal. In that process, there were lot of un-realsitic scenes, especially the scenes were all policemen where shown as buffoons. Endha oorla irukkeenga Bala?

Bala had good scope to show more about stealing and selling cows for slaughtering. But he stopped at a very abstract level. Overall, this movie is a major let down by Bala. 

Vishal has put in lot of efforts. It was a different role and also had good amount of scope for action.  I won't wonder if he is awarded national award for this role. Aarya's role was his 'as usual' one. It was a decent job!

The boy who accompanies Arya throughout the movie did a promising work. I have observed that in good amount of recent movies, al these 'small boy' characters are adding lot of valueto movie.

So called heroines Janani Iyer and Madhu Shalini had nothing much to do. Janani's role was made something similar to Laila's role in Pithamagan. Good thing is Janani didn't shout like Laila ;)

Yuvan's songs were good though it was a disappointment that 'Oru Malaiyoram' was not part of the movie. BGMs were also decent.

G.M. Kumar is the real hero of movie. Bala has decided to have some softness in this movie and it is 'Highness' role of G.M. Kumar and his interaction with Aarya and Vishal which made Bala achieve the desired softness. Such a soft character's hard-to-accept end is where there was Bala's touch. I almost cried in his final scenes.

It is only some 20 mins of movie which met bala's standard. Rest all were below average compared to his other movies. Bala should either concetrate more on his humor presentation or leave the idea of taking full-time comedy movies. Let him take his usual 3 years and give us just classic movies!

Aaranya Kaandam - Ulladhu Ullapadi

Pudupettai show-cased the story of an ordinary slum youngster who becomes No.1 rowdy by suppressing all his opponents. This movie is about how circumstances makes a Tier-2 rowdy becomes No.1 rowdy in 1 day. Mysskin has already attempted to show Chennai gangster groups as real as possible and this movie has shown it in a even more detailed and realistic manner. All these comparisons were drawn just for the sake of it. Otherwise, this movie has loads of novelty.

Yes, the movie is slow but that's how it has to be to show as many minute details as possible of different characters. Be it the dialogue delivery or the dialogue themselves, it doesn't seem to have been written for a cinema. It is as if real people have spoken whatever they thought in their mind in their own way. So realistic! Director Thiagarajan Kumararaja has lot of fire in him and I am sure that he will give lot more wonderful movies to Thamizh audience.

I don't know why director has chosen Jackie Shroff for the so called lead role. Of course, he has done a wonderful job and gave a different flavor, but a Thamizh face would have been even more effective is what I feel. Another perfect work by Sampath Raj. Ravikrishna's face and voice restricts him from becoming a full fledged hero. But the same face and voice has placed him perfectly in this movie.

Yasmin Ponnappa is looking good and also has good amount of importance in this movie. I think she has given her own voice; if that is so, her Thamizh diction is very poor. The director should have either had some one else dubbing for her or he should have at least indicated somewhere in the movie that her character was imported from some other state.

Somasundaram's performance was class! It is very clear from his expressive acting that he comes from theatre. Roles of Gajendran and Gajapathy were scary. Who is the best among all the actors? Of course it is Master Vasanth. He steals the show! All the actors have forgotten that they are facing camera. Wonderful casting!

Cinematography by P.S.Vinod is amazing. I was not very much impressed by those slow motion shots since there are many people like him who have mastered it. Those Chennai streets and subways were brought out exactly on screen and it was that which impressed me a lot.

Yuvan Shankar Raja is proving his caliber in all varieties of music. Good that there are no songs but they should have released the BGMs. Man, there are at least 5 brilliant musical clips which go into list of great BGMs of Thamizh cinema. The background score is unconventional too. Mild guitar and piano for animated climax fight was tested very few times (again by Yuvan only) and he has done that more in this movie. Great work Yuvan!

This movie is strictly for adults. I was surprised that the movie is in current form after 52 cuts by censor.  I couldn't imagine how the original version would have been. Free flow of profanity. I had a revision of all foul words ;)

Finally I appreciate producer SP Charan for taking this movie but I am afraid if this movie will not become a commercial hit though it deserves. I will tell you what. If the same movie was taken in Bollywood, they would have promoted it like anything and cinemas will be running house-full shows. Unfortunately, I was seated in a 10% full theatre :(