Raavanan - A good movie but where is Mani's touch?

Before going critical, I shall start with some positive comments.

Locations were the backbone of movie. Every frame was beatiful and exceptionally fresh. We should appreciate the efforts that went in deciding those places.

Camera work. I don't know how many exclamations should be put.. Two brilliant cameramen Santhosh Sivan and Manikandan were involved in the project. There is a saying that too many cooks spoil the broth. But these 2 together multiplied the standard of movie by 100 times.. Brilliant!!

For the location and camera alone, this movie is a MUST WATCH in theatre.


Vikram. A decent job from him. But that ' bag bag bag'. 'dandandanaka' all reminded Kandhasamy.. Not just for me but most of the audience in theatre were shouting the same. All thanks to Susi ganesan :P

Aish. No disappointment :P

Prabhu has done a good supporting role.

The songs already had a good reach. Usure Pogudhey had great applause in theatre. The picturisation added more value to the song. BGMs were OK (One chorus BGM reminded Ayirathil oruvan BGM). Overall, a minimum guarantee work by ARR again which will surely be hailed by his fans.

Suhasini's dialogues were good in some scenes. But some dialogues were not very clear (may be the movie might have repeat audience for hearing the dialogue clearly). Usually all the dialogues in Mani's movies will be precise, sharp and effective. This movie lacked such dialogues throughout the movie and that could possibly be the reason for not getting the feel of seeing a Maniratnam movie.

Prithviraj, Karthik, Priyamani etc didn't have much scope. Not a commendable performance from them.

So why is it that I say, this movie doesn't have Mani's touch? I don't have a specific answer. Mani's touch is more a feel than a parameter which can be clearly defined.

Yes, we all know Raamayanam story. What is that extra flavor which Mani has added (like he did in Thalapathi with Mahabaratham story base) is the reason for high expectation. But Mani missed to do that this time. Except for a good last 2 mins in climax, the movie was predicatable and usual.

But I would like to appreciate Mani for one thing at least. He continued with Ranjitha wich shows his decency. But it was kind of irritating to see audience whistling whenever Ranjitha came on screen. Podhum sir, vidunga!

Definitely, this movie is better than most of the contemproary movies. But there is something called Maniratnam's standard which is not met in this movie.

But Mani sir! Fans like me will look for your next movie with same expectation, bit pls don't disappoint us one more time :)

Singam - Not bad

There were mixed reviews about Singam.. I went to theatre with the belief that I won't like the movie..May be, that attitude helped.. The movie was not appearing that bad as I was told..

Yes, yet another commercial masala.. But there are some good scenes too.. While in all films, hero will be single man army and villain will have a big gang, the first half of the movie was different with Surya having such a big gang in his native which scares even Prakashraj..

What I didn't like in this movie are Vivek's mokka comedies, 'engeyo ketta maadhiri irukke' kinda songs from DSP and the theft done by Hari during 2nd half. That diverting police and villain moving in Andhra direction is completely stolen from Anjaadhe.. Why do you want to do it Hari? Your creativity is not that bad.. You could have tried something on your own..

Surprisingly, I liked Anushka for the first time..Don't know why (But definitely not because of that rainbow song :P)

The stunt master should be appreciated.. The fight sequences were really powerful..

So were the dialogues.. That 'ongi adicha ondra ton weight' dialogue appeared like 'too much' while seeing in trailer.. But while looking in sequence, that scene was sema mass. Surya had really done a good job..

I don't know what my review would have been if this movie was acted by Vijay or Ajith. I have a positive bias for Surya that he is balancing between commercial and classic movies. Next is Rakthacharithra from him which is a good sign that he didn't get caught in image net like Vijay or Ajith..Keep going Surya!

Singam can be watched once, for sure!

Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam

Brilliant art direction photography and all the technical aspects..

Lawrence is stylish.. After Rajini, style suits only for Lawrence..

We should appreciate Simbudevan for giving this try..

But I have to tell that the film was boring.. The comedies were so explicit and childish (looks like they aimed at school children as audience)

If there was some good humor, this movie would have gone to classic list..

Sura

A very late movie review..

But I want to register briefly what I thought about the blockbuster from Vijay :P

No I am not going to write anything very bad about Vijay. Ppl are tired reading the SMS, mails and reviews making fun of Vijay..

I actually pity on him.. He is a good dancer.. He can do good comedy.. Very dynamic hero.. But he is wasting all these by choosing based stories and mundane screenplays..The time he realise this, there will be no one to recognise his talents..

Vijay antony helped in Vettaikaaran's oralaukku collection.. Mani sharma vum serndhu kazhutharuthuttaaru..

Thamanna was very irritating..

Vadivelu was of no use..

Ada ponga pa

Angadi Theru - Fine and Clean movie!

"No heroism. No punch dialogue. Be simple and show the reality. Movie will be a hit".

"Life at Ranganathan Street, T Nagar". Wow! Very interesting to hear the one liner. Good that the director got the spark to make a movie about life of people in that special street of Chennai. Though there was little exaggeration in portraying their life, it disappears since there was a huge amount of reality shown in movie.

Bala showed the other (mostly sad) side of beggars et al in 'Naan Kadavul. Vasantha Balan has shown the other (sorrow, happy, love) side of salespersons working in the gigantic shops of Ranganathan Street.

This movie need actors who look like our real life salesboy and salesgirl and it has got a perfect star cast. Mahesh resembles Kathal Bharath. Some one has to advice Mahesh, not to act in Perarasu movies :P. Anjali.. I am already a fan of her 'Nejama than soldriya?' in Katradhu tamizh (My all time favorite movie!) She has done a wonderful job in this movie too. Very dynamic and cute. Pandi's innocence is a treat to watch.

Director Venkatesh and Pazha Karuppaya have a done a good job in their 'anti' roles. I just wanted to tell you all that Pazha Karuppaya is a wonderful writer. Recently, I had posted one of his article for Dinamani in my blog.


With 2 young music directors (GV Prakash and Vijay Antony) who have been successful, recent days, the songs could have been even better. Only 'Aval appadi ondrum' is good. There should have been at least 2 more good songs. The songs were actually slowing down the pace of movie which was already going at a slower tempo. Vijay Antony has done a decent job in background score.

Direction: Vasanthabalan. What to say! This man is a wonderful film maker. We are expecting more and more good movies from you.

Angadi Theru is a fine and clean movie. Best among the recent releases and of course, a Must Watch!

Maathiyosi - Yosikkave Illa

Yes, it was told that movies like Subramaniyapuram, Paruthiveeran are trend setters. Of course, we saw good follow up movie like Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu.

On the negative side, It gave liberty to think that any movie taken in Madurai base will be a success. PSSR FIlms (Production) might have thought, with amateur director, useless music director and new actors, (overall with a LOW BUDGET) he could take more money out, just by producing a Madurai based movie. But I am happy that this movie will be a flop.

The 4 heroes are as bad looking as possible (typical south TN c*l*ny guys). Their slang, the place in which they are living, the high class Th*v*rs... everything was shown good, though there was some exaggeration. But all were shouting at high decibel (especially President's wife). It was very irritating.

After looking at that dry village, heroes who appear like they have never taken bath, Chennai slum etc. the heroine's face was so relaxing to see. She(Shammu, Kanchivaram fame) was looking very nice. I think, only she would have got the highest salary in the movie.

The small girl character (karuvaachi) was very nice and it should be the best character in that movie.

The movie had many logic flaws, suicide of Ponvannan's wife for a dummy reason is a sufficient example.

The songs and BGMs were horrible. Guru Kalyan! Nee mattum en kaila kedacha!!! Sundar C Babu would have been a reasonable pick. I don't think he asks for more money, does he? If PSSR Films wants all technicians for free, then they will get MD like Guru Kalyan only.

About the director, Nanda Periyasamy. Nothing much. He has been strongly inspired by Subramanaiyapuram and Paruthiveeran. There are lot more stuffs to be told about villages. Konjam Maathi yosikkanum sir.

Maathiyosi. If you are a person like me who has no other work and staying in a place where an expected movie like 'Aval Peyar Thamizharasi' didn't get released, then go for this movie.

I didn't see Thambikku Indha Ooru, but was convinced that it will be worse than Maathiyosi.

Vinnaithandi Varuvaya - Chemistry or Biology?

Well, people say, it is a great chemistry between Simbhu and Trisha in the movie Vinnaithandi Varuvaya. If kissing, touching foot, hugging and speaking about it throughout the movie are reasons for telling so, we could call it a good biology. Or maybe, shall we call it Biology due to chemical reactions? I am weak in biology, chemistry and the so called Love too (You are going to give a strange look at me for this? ). So Vinnaithandi varuvaya didn’t make me feel for Karthik(Simbu) or Jessie(Trisha).

I was happy that Karthik and Jessie didn’t marry at last. If they had married, they would have got divorce in not more than a year and it would have been Nadodigal part-2. I have never fallen in love. But I am rest assured; our real life lovers (not the daters) are not like Karthik and Jessie. Our real heroes and heroines never think 24*7 about kissing. Of course, I am not saying that sex is something bad and I will never say that such relationship is non-existent. But we are never ready to consider this sexually driven love as something poetic or classic. 

It was mere infatuation which is unreal for college passed-outs (like Karthik-Jessie) in today’s scenario. Such love happens these days in higher secondary or max college initial years. It was surprise and strange to see such an immature love which groomed at the age of 22(Karthik) and 23(Jessie). Fighting, saying sorry, admiring the beauty, kissing/touching, again fighting, and again saying sorry…..1^st half was mundane.

Second half was comparatively very good. 2^nd half dialogues were very effective. Showing a Positive ending, taking the camera out of screen with ‘Movie by karthik’ in it and then showing ‘movie by Gautham menon’ with a hard ending…There were lot of creative and feel good factors in 2^nd half.

I am a die-hard Simbu hater. But this movie didn’t have anything for which I should hate Simbu. As expected, he has done a decent job without doing any seshtais with his fingers or punch dialogues which irritate everyone to the core (The boxing scene was dhisti parikaram. “Naan unga kitta lam sollala. I am a boxer” Dhideernu adha sonnadhum sema comedy a irundhudhu). But Simbhu can’t act many soft movies like this. If one had watched his face reactions closely in songs, especially Hosanna, we could see how uncomfortable he is in doing such soft roles. He couldn’t bring that feel in face which Surya does with ease. Surya and an even more matured love story would have been a real classic.

Trisha was OK during 1^st half and very beautiful during 2^nd half. Started as a wonderful character with small smiles and careless looks slowly lost grip as she was shown falling in love (immaturely) for Karthik. The moment she started getting confused, the character lost the importance. May be, that was the need for movie but not very nice for Trisha. She missed expressing the real pain which a girl would feel while having such dilemmas.

That Kakka Kakka cameraman character was helping on the humor side but he was talking a lot.

Coming to technicians.

Appreciations to cinematographer ‘Manoj Paramahamsa’. Man! He is the backbone, front bone :P, muscle, tissue and most importantly, face of the movie. What a camerawork!! Every place was beautiful. Kerala is a natural beauty and it was even more beautiful to see on screen. Crystal clear picture! We need people like him to give technically perfect movies.

ARRahman. Sorry to say this my dear Pseudo fans. The music review which I wrote earlier holds good. Not to compare Harris and ARR and bring down the Oscar hero, but all of us should accept that Harris touch is missing in the movie. Harris was a major factor in the success of Vaaranam Aayiram while the ‘Mozart of Madras’ could not help the movie except for his name and fame. Tell me a song which added value to the movie. In my opinion, Aaromale was the only song which fitted the movie perfectly. Rest all were of same nature just lengthening the movie. Same kind of tune, same kind of dance (with 8 group dancers). No varieties in VTV music!

This review is not a complete VTV mockery. Of course, VTV is not a bad movie. It is good compared to many recent movies. The way love is proposed, they way it is rejected, the way it is confessed, the way confusions are portrayed, everything was very natural. I would say, there is no other movie which has zoomed the relationship of love between 2 youngsters this much. Thanks to Gautham menon for giving yet another soft movie. But is he going to give the same kind of movies forever? Vaaranam Aayiram had everything and it is a classic. I thought, Gautham will shift gears, change path and come up with something different. But he has taken a slow ‘U’ turn. Next is a police story eh?

50% of Gautham admirers (mostly A class)will like this movie. Rest 50% (I am in this group) will have an OK kind of feeling. The huge B,C and D will as usual have a puff for every song, come out 15 mins before the end commenting “Machi enna solla varaan?”