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 :(

Azhagarsamiyin Kudhirai - Back from Theni

I am not an avid reader (not even an occasional reader). After reading short stories in Tamizh-2 book during school I very rarely read short stories which comes in Dinamani Kadhir on Sundays. But most of them have created some impact in me.

While taking a movie from a novel has difficulties in compressing the complete stuff in a 2:30 hrs movie with the same feel, it is equally (or even more) difficult to make a movie from a short story. There won't be much of story and the film maker should be so creative to improvise on the story and also give the same feel which we get out of reading a short story.

Suseendran has almost succeeded in that conversion. He was able to take us to the place where all those characters were living and make us feel their emotions, life style etc. Short humor in serious scenes was good idea.  But overall, I would say the humor content was not enough. This movie (especially 1st half) had good scope for humor which was not utilized completely. At the same time director compensates for that with so many goosebumps scenes in 2nd half.

Appukutty has given everything possible for this movie. What a dedication man! The scene were he will be beaten by villagers is height of dedication. I think he would have really got hit while taking those scenes. Hats off!

Saranya Mohan is an angel! Though she made her presence felt, her fans like me are little disappointed because she comes in very less number of scenes. Unna laam naal muzhukka paakalam ma ;)

Prabhakaran has done a good job of a rustic village youngster. Advaita as his pair has also done a pretty decent job. She may not be as beautiful as Saranya Mohan but still she looks good.


Other than director, if there 2 people who gave life to this movie, they are none other than cinematographer Theni Eashwar and Isaignani Ilayaraja. Both being natives of Theni definitely has reason for this great output from them in this movie.


Theni Eashwar has set standards for showing Theni. There couldn't be anything better. He made us walk in those narrow streets and muddy hill tracks. I was wondering why Balu Mahendra was praising him so much during audio release function. But the movie explains for that. What a way of showing place and people!

Ilayaraaja is no doubt the greatest composer. "Song *FOR* movie" is something which young music directors are yet to learn from him. Be it the Thiruvizha song or Kuthikkira Kuthikkira Kuthirakutti, see how they blend with the movie. No one feels that they are separate songs. It goes with the flow. And BGM.. Raaja is always Raaja of background score. His oboe usage, guitar warming in title and some part of movies, grand orchestration when Saranya Mohan runs after Appukutty, Silence followed by horror music when Appukutty is beaten by villagers were all awesome and godly!

I don't know if Suseendran has atheistic inclinations or the story itself has it. I understand the justification behind making fun of all the mooda nambikkaigal but I also felt they were over-emphasized and there was too much of preaching . But when it comes to showing characters, he has done it as natural as possible. We definitely get a feel of seeing a Mahendran movie!

In recent releases, after Nandalala, this movie can definitely go into classics category!

Vaanam - An emotional movie after long time

Different characters and all of them merging at the end is kind of new to Thamizh cinema. Director Krish has rightly mixed emotion and action. Nicely conceived theme and well executed.

For the first time, I liked the acting of Simbu :) May be I liked it because he didn't speak much (Avan azhuthi azhuthi pesardha ketta enakku pathikittu varum). His face expressions in hospital scenes are too good. TR a kalaaikkardhu, konjam self mocking, climax shock.. Overall a different Simbu..I also appreciate him for acting in different kind of movies like VTV and Vaanam. But his love is lousy as usual ;). Panathukkaga dhana andha ponna love pandran, apram enna dhideer nu en love true nu oru touching dialogue?

Bharath is stiff as usual. "Who am I Who am I Who am I"  nu guitar strings a lam kadichu thuppiduvan poldrukke :P.....Neither his rough selfishness nor his change as a good human created any impact. So his character along with Vega (nee sobikanna irundha podhe nalla irundhaye ma) and co didn't make movie interesting, rather it slowed it down. His philosophical dialogues didn't make us think but made everyone in theatre laugh.

It is a typical prostitute role by Anushkha. Yes, she has done a good job and of course, she is hot ;) But I don't like the way some portions from Vedham (original Telugu version of this movie) were kept as such. Enna, Anushkha madam? Thamizh rasigargalukkaaga adhayellam thiruppi nadikka maattengalo?

Santhanam is ultimate as usual. Laugh buster in each and every frame he came. Man, you rock!

Prakash Raj, Sonia Agarwal and co were iyyo pavam characters. Prakash Raj konjam over-acting dhan. Paavam. Evlo adichaalum thaangittu indha padathula nallavaraave irukkaru ;)

Saranya and especially that Thaatha were ultimate. If I call this movie as emotional it is because of the acting of Simbu and that Thaatha. Chanceless acting thaatha (Meanwhile what is his name?).

Music by Yuvan: Except for "Vaanam" song all other songs belong to headache category. But his BGM is good, especially the hospital scenes involving Simbu and Saranya.


Though some emotions were over dosage and some actions were not gripping, Simbu's performance and Santhanam's comedy crackers make this a must-watch movie. Finally we leave the theatre with a heavy heart and that itself makes this movie unique.

Ko - Go for it

Following Ayan, Ko is another good entertainer from Director KV Anand. I have to definitely appreciate the theme. Though the core is not very new, the way it is presented is very new. If KV Anand keeps directing movies like this, he would be definitely called a founder of a new genre of movies - Stylish Masala. But I should also mention that the same theme would have been at least 10 times better if it had been taken by Shankar or Maniratnam. Anyways, good going Anand!

As most feel, a hero with a better personality than Jeeva could have suited well for this movie. But definitely a hero with too much of image might have also screwed the movie. In that way, Jeeva is a good choice since he has done exactly what is needed. I am personally happy for Jeeva since so far he was either doing a full and full masala movie or under-rated classic movie like Katradhu Thamizh. This had the right mixture. All the best Jeeva!

I felt that Ajmal was kind of stiff in most of his scenes. But he made me forget that small minus during last scenes where he was very comfortable in that cunning+casual expressions and dialogue delivery.

Karthika Nair is not a bad choice but she didn't add any value to the movie; just that she didn't do any damage. But I could not think of any other heroine too in this role. If you feels some one else would have suited well, please post it as comment :)

Piaa Bajpai stole my heart once again ;) If you need some one with modern look, don't think of any other option; just go for Piaa. She has got good opportunity (though short) for acting in this movie and she has created necessary impact.

Not a typical Prakash Raj with lengthy and emotional dialogues. He comes in few scenes and has done a decent job. Kotta Srinivasa rao was as usual good with his animated acting :)

KV Anand himself being a cinematographer has extracted the best from Richard M. Nathan, cinematographer of this movie. While song locations themselves were beautiful, camera work showed them more beautiful.

Music by Harris Jayaraj is definitely commendable. Whether we call his tunes as recycled or reused or anything, they are appealing and only that matters for a commercial cinema. Even BGMs were not bad. But placement of Gala Gala was not necessary and placement of Venpaniye was too too much. "Anga appo dhan oru ezhavu vizhundhurukku. Edhukku da duet?" ;)

Overall KO is not one of the greatest movies of Thamizh cinema or a movie full of reality. It is a well-exhibited stylish masala movie. Please see it in large screens and enjoy!

Maappillai - Pudhusa Onnum Illai

I don't have much stuff to write about this movie just like this movie also don't have enough stuff. All old stuffs presented in same old fashion.

Dhanush is a director's hero. So I don't have any complaints about his performance. He has given what he is expected to. Theatres were running house full shows.

Vivek's out of form form continues. Looked like he will come back strong after Uthamaputhiran. But it was just a surprise half century between single digit runs innings.

Hansika is another Maida maavu heroine.

Other than hype, I don't find any reason for choosing Manisha Koirala for mother in law role.
 

Music by Manisharma was another negative. Only "Ennoda Raasi" was nice to hear and credits for that song should go to Raaja.

This already being an old story, Director Suraj should have made efforts to have some new interesting scenes.Only in last scene, he showed some difference - villain making fun of himself but by that time people have started leaving theatre.

All theatres were showing house full shows in Bangalore but most of them were disappointed when coming out from theatre.

Ponnar Sankar - Sappa matter'ku sandai

I have not read original novel by Karunanidhi. So I have no comments about that. But by any chance if the movie is very close to the original novel, then I can definitely say that the novel is not worth reading.

Except that Gounder was added to names and the place names were chosen from Kongu district, I couldn't see this movie as an exclusive Kongu district movie. The director should have taken efforts to bring that Kongu flavor.

I have to compare this movie with Pazhassi Raja. In Pazhassi Raja, more than the fight, we also got the Wayanad district feel while seeing that movie. That was missing in Ponnar Sankar.

Prashanth was not bad. There was a huge star cast (Kushbu, Jayaraman, Napolean, Nasser, Vijaykumar, Ponvannan, Rajkiran, Prakash Raj, Prabhu, Sneha, Seetha.....) but almost all of them were under utilized. It was looking like a 'fixed' match where all the star performers were just coming and going without impact.

Dialogue was a major set back. Karunanidhi couldn't get out from his Parasakthi time and at the same time also have to fit current trend. In that process he is just writing some mundane dialogues and all the people who are directing for his story and dialogue have no guts to give this feedback to him.

Music by Isaignani Ilayaraaja.... 6 songs got released. Out of which I was expecting an excellent picturisation of "Kodi kotti koduthaalum".. But that song along with Annanmar Kathai and Thedi vandha devadhai were not included in movie. Malar villile and Kannai Padithen are nice melodies but were located in the manner so that movie got slowed down. I liked seeing Bavani Vaurgiraa... BGM is supposed to have been great but it was dampened completely. In Pazhassi Raaja sound effects were very loud but at the same time BGMs were not dampened.. But in this movie, grand orchestration by Raaja was made to sound simple. Special effects were badly dominating.

Too much of fights in this movie and none of them had a big reason.. This should have been Thiyagarajan's thought.. Paiyana vechu padam edukkanum...Edho Kalaignar kitta kadhaya vaangitton.. avar pera solli financier kitta mothama neraya panatha vaangittom.. egapatta aalungala vechu puzhudhi parakka brammandama fight edutha makkal paappanga...chumma kudhiraya eduthukuttu angayum ingayum oda vitta podhum..

Just got reminded of a Lollu Sabha movie title while seeing this movie.. "Sappa matter'ku sandai" ;)