Ponniyin Selvan 1 Review – Pure Love

When it was announced that the most beloved novel in modern Tamil Literature is going to be made into a movie, 70 years and endless pursuits by countless others, most notably MGR & Kamal Hassan, more than being elated, I was actually relieved. With no disrespects to anyone who tried before, there could be no one better than Manirathnam and no time better than now. Being one of the biggest fans of the novel, he lets Kalki’s vision flow like Ponni at her peak. And that can be seen in every frame of the movie. To put it simply, it is India’s answer to the Lord of the Rings in the sense that it is the most faithful adaptation of an epic novel.

For the few who have not read the books or know what it is about, PS-I tells the story of Chola Empire just before their biggest boom period. It is a complex political drama of Raja Raja Chozhan’s ascendency to the throne and the many plots to make sure that does not happen.

Vallavarayan Vanthiyadevan is not just the main protagonist of the books but he is written in the most envious way ever. He is charming, he is brave, he is slippery, he is virtuous, he is funny and he is fierce. The whole story is seen through his eyes which can only exacerbate the one selected to play it. But Karthi takes it all on and brings about an array of emotions that only a gifted natural actor like him can. Arunmozhi Varman’s poise and might are renowned and Jayam Ravi with his understated acting has managed to bring just that. There could not be a better choice for Adita Karikalan than Vikram and given what is going to happen in the second part, I feel excited about how his take on the upcoming events are going to be. All the seniors have played their part to perfection but the stand out is obviously Jayaram as Azhwarkadiyan Nambi. You will know from reading the books how difficult this casting was going to be but the veteran knocks it out of the park. Nambi & Vanthiyadevan’s chemistry is a strong point of the books and is the same for the movie.

Right! Now for the most important casting choices. Because the men may be the brawn of the story but the brains are most certainly the women, especially the two forces which are both unstoppable and immovable. I was critical of Trisha’s casting as Kunthavai but watching her on the screen was the happiest surprise. Because Kalki’s women are never frail or afraid. They are brilliant, brave, measured and mature. She is all that and carries herself with so much grace and dignity. Trisha’s performance needed to be all of that because of who she is going against, both as an actor and as a character. Shobita Dhulapia as Vaanathi and Aishwarya Lekshmi as Poonguzhali have done justice to their part. But for all that, there is one who stands out. Aishwarya Rai is such an inspired choice for Nandhini that absolutely no one who could have played the role better. She spoke in the promotions about discovering the character during the course of the shoot. Of course, those who have read the book knows how difficult that is. Nandhini is a mystery even for those who have read the book multiple times. She is a cornucopia of human emotions. The way Kalki wrote about her, you cannot define her as anything in particular. Is she the antagonist? Is she evil? Does she use her beauty to get her way? Does she have reasons for certain decisions she makes? Was she right in her own way? Does she really want to bring down the Chola empire? I can go on but that would mean I spoil part 2 for you. The point is, she is all of that and none of that. Kalki’s brilliance lay in how he left her undefined and for us to imagine. Aishwarya Rai is such a tour de force in this part that she too lets you pick and choose. And in whatever way you go, you are justified. Or you’ll simply be enchanted by her beauty like how Vanthiyadevan was in that amazingly shot scene when he sees her through the closing door in her palace. “Don’t get mesmerised by the golden treasures on the way” tells Nandhini to Vanthiyadevan. She looks at her and replies “Why would I be since I have already seen a diamond mine!” Indeed!

Manirathnam! What is there to say about this master and PS is most precious masterpiece. What I loved about him is how much love, care and affection he gave to the original story. There is so much actual history in this fiction. Even most of the character names and titles existed in real life and so are the places. Reference points are in abundance and so is the wrath of the passionate millions who have read the book and are ready pounce on any cues of over indulgence. Thankfully Mani being one of them simply decides that the original story is enough. And thank God for that. There is a sense that scenes were rushed in the beginning but everything falls into place eventually for even non-readers to grasp the context. By the time Vanthiyadevan leaves for Sri Lanka we are in the clear. Manirathnam has poured all of his 4-decade long experience in Ponniyin Selvan that is visible in every frame. The vision, the sets, the locations, the planning, the casting and most importantly the writing are all at the apex as he weaves a magic while crafting this masterpiece.

The technical team is the industry’s highest standards with A R Rahman, Ravi Varman and Sreekar Prasad being the obvious standouts. While Kalki himself wrote songs in the book as ornamental pieces, here they are used to progress the story.

I can see why this movie may not work for a section of audience. It would have been so much easier to take the Baahubali route and make it more fantasy with lots of mass scenes. There is great scope for that in the story. But with all due respects to Baahubali whose success is one of the main reasons why PS got greenlit, this isn’t that. This is more about the brain than about the brawn. There were times by the end of book 4, you wonder how in the world would Kalki finish the book because of how complicated it becomes. But he does, beautifully in the end while also leaving us plenty to think about. Mani has already given a cliff hanger of a finish to PS-I. Given I know the book, I can say for sure that PS-II is going to be 5 times as good as PS-I. It is only going to become more convoluted without being confusing. But it will all make sense in the end.

Having seen countless screen versions of novels that I have read and created my own worlds of it and seen most of them crumble, I can only say this about PS-1. Watching PS-I was like reading the book all over again. And that was the most unique of experiences.

Thor – Ragnarok Review: Marvel’s emphasis on moments over script will hurt them

There is a scene in the movie where Thor and Hulk try to identify themselves onboard the Quinjet with the word “Strongest Avenger”. I think henceforth The Hulk must be called the “Funniest Avenger”. It was funny when The Hulk smashed Loki like washing clothes in the Avengers. It is funnier when he does the same to Thor but it does begs the question, is Marvel looking to create more moments than a gripping and engaging script. It’s funny and some of the 3D work is stunning but if Marvel continue to make laughing stock out of their super heroes then The Infinity Wars will not be a landmark as it is supposed to be.

Thor Ragnarok is an extravagant journey from start to finish about the prophecy that destroys Asgard. Thor’s elder sister Hela, the goddess of death comes back to extract revenge on her father who banished her and literally covered up all her traces under the Odin treasure room. On top of that Odin is missing and Loki is blamed for it. That itself is a compelling plot with a lot of family history and two of the greatest actors of our generation in Anthony Hopkins (Odin) and Kate Blanchett (Hela) with a potential face off that could have become a signature moment, not just in the movie but also in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Odin’s dark side to the fore and establishing Hela as a villain with a cause. But what should have been compelling storytelling turned into moments that stands out here and there but stitch them together and it becomes a dud.

Chris Hemsworth seems to grow into the character of Thor but it takes the character’s depth away when he decided to play it with a comic undertone especially after the death of his father, a vengeful sister and the prophecy to wipe out Asgard for good. Tom Hiddleston is brilliant as usual as Loki. His character has so many shades to it that it’s hard to imagine anyone doing it better than the Brit. I think the reason why Cate Blanchett decided to play Hela is that she wanted to have some fun. This double Oscar winner never seems to break a sweat and sweeps the role with ease. Anthony Hopkins seems to be at ease as Odin, so is idris Elba as Heimdall. Jeff Goldblum has made the Grandmaster character his own, pouring his unique style into the role. Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk feels like there is more to the character than just an enraged monster. Tessa Thompson is a refreshing addition to the MCU as the badass Valkyrie while Karl Urban does what is required of Skurge. There are delightful cameos from Benedict Cumberbatch, Sam Neil, Luke Hemsworth and Matt Damon who is making it a habit of surprising cameos after Interstellar.

It remains to be seen what the MCU is trying to achieve with this not so serious treatment of an otherwise engaging story. Taika Waititi, the New Zealand director has sprinkled the movie with special and memorable moments. I thought Doctor Strange was refreshing and the next step in the MCU but this I feel, although refreshing in other ways, does not suit the heavy core of the movie. But stunning visuals and delightful performances will make Thor: Ragnarok a must watch and Marvel fans will watch it out of habit and for continuity since 2008’s Iron man if not for anything else.  

The Revenant – Welcome to Hell, on Paradise

Very few movies provide its audience one particular experience that can only be given by a book, getting lost into it. While other movies let us watch the story unfold, these select few let us be part of it. We struggled to differentiate reality and a dream state (Inception), we felt grateful to have touched the soil after passing enormous hardships to get back to ground from outer space (Gravity). Likewise, we have now felt pain, hunger, anger and solitude in a barren tundra and know what it is like to be left to die alone. There have been a lot of Man Vs Nature movies before but none have left us this beaten and bruised as Alejandro Innaritu’s exceptionally shot, The Revenant.

Legendary Rocky Mountain Frontiersmen Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is injured in a vicious bear attack while guiding a fur trapping expedition in the northern Missouri river. Left for dead by members of his hunting team, he needs to find extraordinary skills of survival to stay alive and extract revenge on John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) who had done him great wrong.

In what is essentially a simple tale of revenge, Alejandro Innaritu manages to create an unforgiving masterpiece of grit, determination and survival so raw that you can even smell the breath of the characters. The intimacy of the work is such that you wonder if what’s giving you the chills, is the air conditioning of the movie hall or the landscape depicted in the movie come to life. It is minute-after-minute of arrow stricken men, butchered animals and ghastly moments that are downright visceral and can leave you with a disturbed gut but it is also of visual brilliance and great acting. While you could literally feel the drooping saliva of the grizzly, you can also taste the water when Glass sticks his tongue out to drink water from the falling sleet.

Eddie Redmayne’s reaction when Julianne Moore declared the winner of best actor at this year’s Academy awards perhaps encapsulates just how much the World wanted to see Leonardo DiCaprio lift the Oscar statuette. Some might question the choice given that there were two other power packed performances last year from Bryan Cranston (Trumbo) and Redmayne himself (The Danish Girl) but perhaps its poetic justice and a culmination of all his previous nominations that tipped the favour towards DiCaprio and now the World has one less thing to worry about. The performance itself resonated with his Oscar misgivings: Beaten, Bruised and left in the cold, he eventually crawls and fights his way to get his revenge.

Mark Rylance’s phenomenal work as the captive US spy in Bridge of Spies was the only thing that stood between Tom Hardy and a first academy award as he spits venom in his role as John Fitzgerald who is as cold and unforgiving as the landscape of the movie itself. Tasked with a role that is more challenging than DiCaprio’s, Hardy captivates the audience with so much of dark side that you are forgiven to have missed the humanity in it. How much he communicates through those powerful eyes! The premise of his character is not new to him specially after The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior and Legend but he brings something fresh to it every time he laces up his boots as a Villain. This complex, power packed performer will be one of the best performers of this era.

Alejandro Innaritu’s vision is a testament on how to convert what in essence an art house making into a commercial blockbuster. The Revenant is grand, brilliant and spell binding but ultimately exhausting. In an attempt to elevate the movie from a simple revenge tale Innaritu poses a lot of questions from race to climate change to humanity to a brutal system that helped build a nation. But he leaves no attempt to answer them but simply lets his characters be victims of all these problems. In doing so he has left a sense of incompleteness which is akin to Glass’ final moments in the movie, a long stare into the emptiness. Is that the point of it all?

It is not customary to finish a review with a take on a movie’s cinematographer. But Emmanuel Lubezki’s work is so captivating that you really wonder what this feature would be without this triple Oscar winner and multiple time nominee. His work in the Revenant is not just visual but also the way he lets the audience feel the movie or in his own words, immersive. Shot exclusively in natural light which is limited in the terrain where they shot the movie (Canada and Argentina), Lubezki brings us every sunrise, frozen plants, shooting stars, frozen waterfalls, every wound in Glass’ body and the fear in the men’s eyes. What could be equally or more challenging than shooting landscapes is capturing human emotions in its micro detail. So, the idea a movie like this involves the camera to be more emotional than mechanical and that is exactly what Lubezki achieved. Shooting for this movie was termed hellacious by the cast filled with unnatural hardships but the end product is heaven. The movie itself is a grand statement of what happens when the director and cinematographer works perfectly in sync with each other.

While the Revenant falters on content and grace, it more than makes it up with its unique style of moviemaking that’s brutal and awkward to watch but ultimately manages to floor you with knock out performances and out of the world cinematography. 

The Conjuring 2 Review – The Sequel that does just enough

I don’t watch a lot of horror movies, simply because I am scared of them. I remember watching Darkness Falls back in the day and keeping a torch next to my bed for a week because the ghost, Matilda is afraid of light. But then, that’s what they are supposed to do aren’t they! I remember watching Conjuring and thought to myself, this is the sort of horror movies that I want to watch! Good investigative storyline, no over the top acting or short & wet dresses and really good light and sound effects. But then Annabelle happened and ruined it for me. I mean what kind of horror movie was that predictable. But when they announced The Conjuring 2, I started hoping again and I have to say that they did not disappoint although that is another way of saying, they did only just enough.

Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are back, this time in England to investigate the supernatural incidents happening to a family of single mom and 4 young children. The Warrens themselves experience strange visions not necessarily relating to this event. How they manage to solve both (In an extremely well thought out twist in the end) forms the crux of the movie. The template doesn’t change at all. A family experiencing strange and horrifying incidents during the night, a resident ghost who just won’t leave and finding a medium to fulfil its demonic wishes. Then comes the warrens who investigate the matter, collect proof of demonic activity and with the help of the church manages to get rid of the resident evil. Same old same old, but what separates the Conjuring series with other horror movies is how they have managed to convince human powers to fight a higher evil. It is like how Gandalf explains in the Lord of Rings Trilogy that it’s not great power but the everyday act of kindness from simple folk that keeps darkness in bay. While in the first part it was the love of a mother that fought the demon inside her, here it is a family sticking together. This concept makes the Conjuring series more endearing to all audience alike.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga has forged a simple yet formidable chemistry between them that it’s impossible to think of another pair doing a better job at it. Their simple acts of kindness like Wilson fixing the poor family’s household items or the Elvis song that puts a smile on the much affected family’s faces. But the breakout star of the movie is Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson who is used by the ghost as a medium. There is an underlying sadness in her eyes that lets her go through the sheer range of expressions the character demanded with aplomb. Like I said earlier, the movie steers clear from predictable horror movie stereotypes and therein lies their success. The fact that they used real haunted locations and simple engineering mechanics to create the horror scenes and not relying too much on CGI makes the movie that much more authentic.

The movie has got its moments, quite a lot actually. But it isn’t the scariest that I have seen and it definitely does not get you to the edge of the seat all that frequently. Although the reason why Lorraine could not sense anything in the house is revealed in an exciting climax twist, the climax itself was a bit of a let-down. But what it quietly does is, let you travel with the Warrens and experience demons in an unassuming way that you actually feel relieved for yourself as much as for the Hodgsons. It’s not the most riveting but it is not a franchise killer either. I am already expecting a third part, only this time a bit scarier.  

Yennai Arindhal Review

What do you do if you get to direct your favorite hero for the first time? You mix your previous movies into one predictable cocktail and present it straight up, no twist. I may sound a bit cynical but Gautham Vasudev Menon’s Yennai Arinthal with Ajithkumar in the lead did not satisfy the appetite of the fan inside me who craved for this combination for a long time. Let me get one thing straight. It’s not a bad movie. It had its moments sure but I did not go in there to see Anbuselvan IPS lose another Maya and do a Raghavan IPS sort of investigation, get involved in a Major Surya-esque rescue of a child only to lose his own and finally puts another Aradhana-like life in danger to beat yet another Pandiya/Amudhan. Even though Gautham insists that the mix was done knowingly and as insisted by Ajith himself, you come out of the theatre feeling a bit let down by brand GVM.

Brand Ajith however, did not disappoint. You finally get to see the brilliant actor that he is, after Kreedom (Even though my Mallu friends would probably be sharpening their knives by now!). That’s seven long years and it was worth the wait. Ajith has underplayed his image as a mass hero and delivered a soul stirring, near to life performance as an honest cop, a caring father and a passionate lover. You see him crying, searching, yearning and losing which you cannot associate with his brand. Gautham Menon’s movies always show the lead actors in an elevated scale as far as looks are concerned. But what happens when you Ajith in the lead? You vehemently agree with Anushka’s observation as “the most handsome man on earth”.

In recent times it is only for Anushka that I have seen an equal response for a female actor as much as a male actor on screen. But these days you sense that she is simply trying to accommodate a lot of movies in between her two major projects, Bahubali and Rani Rudramma Devi. You can feel the strain in her and it reflects in her performance. So it’s Trisha as Hemanica (How GVM comes up with these names!) who leaves a lasting impression in an extended cameo. To call this as a lifetime role of Arun Vijay is wrong for this wonderfully gifted actor. But he had stood up against a colossus and comes up with a performance that is appreciated by even the most hardcore of Thala fans. The support is a plethora of GVM’s cliched set of actors and you almost end up counting to see all of them made it to this movie too. But thanks be to the good lord for not letting Gautham voice over his villain again.

Dan’s cinematography gives a gloomy and dark feel to an erstwhile Gautham movie and suits the mood of the script perfectly. Harris’ songs, except for the “Unakenna” number, leave a lot to be desired and so is his BGM. It’s a classic case of “What could have been!”

Gautham Vasudev Menon as a director must be applauded for leaving his mark (albeit cliched) while working with a larger than life hero. But then if you can stand out of a Kamal Hassan movie, I don’t see why not. But it’s the script itself that I have problems with. He will convince you that Ajith wanted it to be a G

VM movie and that it’s just another episode in a police officer’s life. I don’t deny that and I think that’s how it should be. But no matter what, I am not entirely convinced with the idea of rehashing all of his old movies. It unfolds as an honest flick with realistic performances that’s sure to go well with the critics. But as a fan of GVM’s direction and Ajith’s acting, my expectations were sky rocketing into something else altogether. It could be down to the fact that the movie just happened out of the blue with him already gone shooting for his movie with Simbu and he had to get a script ready in the last minute to make a movie with an actor he had wanted to work ever since his first movie. The movie did not disappoint for sure and it was refreshing to see Ajith in a performing role but you can’t help but feel a bit let down by the writing despite having Sriram Raghavan and Thyagarajan Kumararaja on board. May be this is only the first chapter of a long and fulfilling partnership. I’d be happy to see Gautham direct a full fledged romantic movie with Ajith in the lead.

As for Yennai Arindhal, well, nothing much to know about it!  

The Dark Knight Rises - How far..?

There are movies that entertain you. There are movies that enlighten you. But there are very few movies that does both, by taking us on a magical journey and lets us experience what's going on in the screen, in our minds as well. The architects behind these spectacles are its screenwriters who bond the audience to these movies with an emotional string. Of late, these amazing writers are few and far in-between. Christopher and Jonathan Nolan are two men who has turned the art of screenwriting to a altogether new level. So before I begin my candid take on the epic conclusion to the Batman trilogy, I salute the architects who are changing our movie viewing experience for the better. Take a bow masters. But, have they scripted the perfect ending?

The Dark Knight rises is about how Batman comes back from self imposed exile to counter his nemesis, albeit in the physical sense, Bane. It shows how, a superhero having sent to the deepest dungeons and crushed both in body and soul, somehow reinvents himself to come back and save the greatest city on earth. But beyond the action, what this movie does is to question not only each pivotal character of the movie, but also the audience. When we leave the theater we are invariably drawn into a conversation not only with our friends but also within ourselves trying to find answers to those disturbing questions. It forces you to answer questions like, “What have you done for you to be saved?”. Think a bit on the cynical side and you will agree to the methods of Bane and Talia and Ras Al Ghul to restore stability to the world. That’s the kind of world that Nolan transports you to. He is one of those rare breed of directors who takes the center stage in his movies instead of his lead actors and that’s the power of good script writing. The movie has got each character having their own personal struggle to the larger one they were all facing. Bruce Wayne’s inability to get over the loss of her beloved Rachel, Alfred’s failure to take care of Bruce like the way he promised his parents, Selina’s wanting to get a new start but finding no way out, Gordon’s struggles of having to live with a lie for 8 years even if it’s for a greater cause was all masterfully interlinked to the screenplay. It proves a simple fact that you cannot protect a lie for long, not even by the strongest of hearts and that truth has to be told, even though it is bitter to swallow. Nolan also ponders into the politics of all by choosing to stage Bane’s attacks in two very distinctive places, a stock exchange and a sports field, two big money dwelling spots. That’s pure genius. Having said that, as disturbing as the movie is, it is not without its flaws either.

Now, I am no critic and being a fan of Nolan myself, its hard to come down on your favorite director but there were a few things that was a bit of a letdown in this epic finale. The Dark Knight was magnificent because of the tight plot and breathtaking performances. The finale lacked both, albeit only just. But since the bar was raised so high in the previous movie, it looked like a gaping hole. Screenplay was flat for most of the times with Nolan’s usual wise grip missing. Not to compare with the magnificent Heath Ledger, Tom Hardy had much less to improvise on his character, albeit through his eyes and body language. A wonderful actor as he is, he manages to do justice to the role if not set the stage on fire. It is the conversations between Bane and Batman that was a put down. Knowing Nolan, I was expecting it to be no less than legendary but not to be. And Bane’s motives, I thought, were flawed too. He set out to give the power to the people of Gotham but how? Rounding out thugs from prison to raise your army is so not the start. If it was shown that Bane did convince the less privileged people of Gotham to fight for him and the cause, that would have made for an intriguing climax. How would Batman fight against a man who is fighting for the people? But sadly, there was no meaning to his motive of “Giving the power of Gotham to its people” and in the end, it almost seemed too obvious that everybody was waiting for Batman to come and rescue them. There was one small scene that took me by surprise. In the end, in Florence, Alfred watches, smiles and nods to Bruce Wayne sitting with Selina Kyle. Nolan would actually finish with a smiling Alfred leaving the imagination to us like how he closed before Dicaprio's totem before it stopped spinning in Inception.

I don’t want to bitch anymore about a trilogy that set our brain sensors ringing. Rarely you will find people talk about movies like how they talk about Nolan’s Batman Trilogy. The Lord of the Rings were a different beast, but this is one series that you can talk, analyze or even do a PHD on. The scope that it showed was enormous. The casting and crew went a long way in making all this magic happen. Christian Bale grew into Batman in every installment and in the final, he has given a performance that can even land a first ever best actor for a portraying a superhero. He is now the reference for any actor portraying Batman. Tom Hardy was an inspired choice as Bane and Nolan’s liking for Michael Caine will never vanish and rightfully so. Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman proved their veteran qualities yet again and Joseph Gordon-Levitt was neat as usual. The biggest surprise is Anne Hathaway who excels in her role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. She did well not to refer to Halle Berry’s disastrous earlier attempt. Marion Cotillard is on her way to become one of the best female actors and TDKR gives her scope to get the best of her. The revealing of Talia and Robin were straight out of Nolan’s script book. Two chief technical people, Wally Pfister with his breathtaking photography and Hans Zimmer with his awe-inspiring music takes TDKR to the next level.

I don’t want to indulge so much into the theory I gave earlier on Facebook that I would have prefer an order as Batman Begins-The Dark Knight Rises-The Dark Knight for the trilogy. I know it sounds stupid outright but I am not without my reasons. I am not suggesting a scene to scene ordering here. Think of it this way. Batman Begins with evil genius Ras Al Ghul and motives followed by Talia attempts to fulfill her father’s destiny with the help of Bane in TDKR. When Gotham was saved from these physical ravages comes the threat to its very soul from the Joker which when thwarted by Batman, makes Gotham a city resilient to attacks both on its body and soul, making it a model city. Stupid or not, it is a tribute to Christopher Nolan that he made me think that way.

So, The Dark Knight Rises - Only just.

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya – First Love… Watch it, Feel it…

It’s been quite some time that I had so much urge to watch a movie over and over again. But this one is Irresistible. Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya, a breezy tale about first love is one movie that you don’t want to miss. Gowtham Vasudev Menon, the quintessential romance director of Tamil cinema has once again given a movie that will stay in our hearts for ever. Each of his movies had breezy romances but a full length Romantic movie from him after Minnale meant expectations were soaring all the time. One must admit that he had delivered.

Story wise, it’s very simple. Two beautiful individuals fall in love for the first time in their life. Will they unite despite their differences? It is the screenplay that, despite its slow pace, captures everybody’s attention. Simbhu as Karthick and Trisha as ‘I don’t know what I want in my life’ Jessie have given their best performances till date. It was good to see them break from the stereotypic roles they did of late. Their careers have moved to the next stage after this movie. The chemistry between them is so good that I thought they should get married in real life. Producer Ganesh as Simbhu’s cinematographer friend is a revelation. The rest of the supporting cast was fine. But overall, the only person who stands out was Gowtham Vasudev Menon. God only knows how he writes those romantic scenes and dialogues. His one liners were amazing. There is no one quite like him in the romantic aspect of movie making. Sometimes when you watch a movie, you will know why you need an A.R.Rahman. Music carries the movie forward and not one piece of music is out of place. It helps that Gowtham takes extra care in music. Manoj Paramahamsa, the cinematographer is a welcome arrival.

It didn’t quite find anything bad in the movie, largely because I got so involved while watching it. The slow pace, some might say is a problem. But hey, this is no action thriller, this is romance. This needed to be nice and easy. This movie may not appeal to the masses. All I can say for that is, grow up People! You need to start appreciating movies like this.

There are several scenes that capture the viewers’ heart. The best of them all is the scene in New York’s central park. Wow. That took me by surprise. I mean, anybody who’ve had a first love can relate to the scene. It was pure magic. So is the climax. In the end, the movie didn’t make me cry. It gave the same feel that my first love gave me. It was magical.

Vengayin Mainthan (வேங்கையின் மைந்தன்) – The Movie

It’s quite surprising that when we think about making a Tamil historical movie, we can’t think beyond Shivaji Ganesan. He was at his best in historical roles, be it Thiruvarutselvar, Appar, Raja Raja Cholan, Veerabagu or his multiple roles in Thiruvilayadal. It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen good serious Tamil historical movie. Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikesi came as a surprise but that was a comedy. Even when someone thinks about making a historical movie, it’s quite difficult to think of a good star cast. Let’s take the case of Vengayin Mainthan.

The title character Rajendra Cholan carries with itself, respect and dignity. Kamal Hassan, Prakash Raj, Sathyaraj or Parthiban can carry the role.

Elango’s character is quite difficult to cast. But I think Eeram Aathi (with a toned up body and mesmerizing voice) could pull it off. Prithviraj can be a choice but his Malayalam accent lets him down.

Arulmozhi’s character, a stubborn princess who lets her eyes speak more than her mouth, could only be done by Sneha.

Rohini’s character is the most difficult one to cast. I thought about it but could not come up with a convincing answer. My thinking is a new comer with stunning looks and acting skills. But the only person who has the looks is the girl who compeers for Super Singer Junior in Vijay TV, Divya. She has the looks, especially with such expressive eyes but can’t say anything on acting.
Vallavarayar Vanthiyathevar is another difficult one to think of. More than the age, the mere mention of his name would bring memories of Ponniyin Selvan, so that makes the casting difficult than it actually is.

Kodumbalar Periya Velalar, Elango’s father and a fierce lieutenant of Rajendra Cholan could be enacted by Nasser.

Suggestions are welcome for the characters Veeramallan, King of Rohanam Mahindar, Mahindar’s Minister Keerthi and others. Suggestions are also welcome for my choice of actors given above.

Vaaranam Aayiram - Love you Daddy

Gowtham Vasudev Menon’s attempt at meaningful cinema is a faithful adaptation of his real life relationship with his father who passed away when Gowtham was scripting the movie. The movie is about how a father a deep yet subtle role in defining his son’s character. He plays a significant hand in helping his son overcome different stages in his life thereby guiding him to greater heights yet preferring to stay in the background without being too proud about it. 

Surya as Krishnan (Dad) and Surya (Son) has given his best performance of his career. Tamil cinema is rest assured that the Kamal Hassan torch will be carried on by people like Surya in the future. Among the heroines, Simran has come up with one of her best performances as an understanding mother. Divya hasn’t had much to do but promises much in a small role. However Sameera Reddy takes us all as a whip of fresh air with her casual ways and beautiful looks. One can be rest assured of two things in Gowtham's movies. One, the romance part will be very good. Two, a heroine will die. The trend continues here. 

Music and Cinematography were pillars for the movie. Harris Jeyaraj has done exceptionally well in both songs and background score. Rathnavelu has done an inspiring job in giving the right mood through out the film. His contributions to the romance sequences are priceless. 

What Gowtham Vasudev Menon (Director) does here is, he did not try to make a soap opera out of the storyline but prefers a more subtle approach to it. The scene where the son calls his dad over the phone and cries for the death of his girl and also confessing that he and the girl made love shows the extent of understanding the dad has on his son. There are quite a few scenes where you will remember your dad or at least wish your dad was like the elder Surya. 

There will be criticism for the movie for its pace and for the fact that the movie shows more about the younger Surya than about the dad. To come to Gowtham’s aide, one has to understand that when a biography cannot be shown in any faster pace as that will affect the audience’s involvement in the film. We are also used to seeing movies like these as soaps where a dad’s contribution and sacrifice to a son was elobrated as a sentimental weapon to attract audience. This movie will not make you sit and cry, rather takes you on a nostalgic trip.

To like this movie you will have to get involved in it. If you are coming in just to have fun, don’t go for it. However, if u like your dad please watch this movie. If you don’t like your dad watch this movie, you will actually start loving him. 

Chandramugi and Casino Royal - Out of the ordinary hits

Now if u think that this is gonna be a review of the two blockbuster movies & comparing the scenes, then think again.. It's not a usual movie review that i'm gonna put but rather a different kind of a comparisn.. Read on..

Both movies were Blockbusters with a huge star value tag attached to them (Chandramugi - Super Star Rajinikanth, Casino Royal - James Bond). But the very fact that both failing to live up to the tag, still went on to become blockbusters is what amazed me a lot.. The general feeling after seeing both the movies was, "Hmmm.. Yeah nice movie.. but... not typical to the tag".. Here are the reasons why..

Let's start with Chandramugi... Super star movie after 3 years.. Big time hype.. Amidst all the expectations and ticket counter tussles, i watched the movie on the first day (It's a sin not to watch super star movie on the first day)... After 3 hrs, when i came out discussing with the friends, the common feeling among all of them was, "Very good movie.. But not like a super star movie"... I mean, I just watched a rajini movie that had no style factor, negligible punch dialogues as well as no cigarettes.. The only saving grace for die hard rajini fans was the climax where he dons the 'Vettaya Raja' avatar where Rajini does a negative role to perfection... Inspite of all the missing Rajini factor that the movie grossed a record Rs.1102 crores (33rd in the most grossed movies in the world) is a testimonial to Rajini's sheer presence in the movie.. I'm saying this with all due respect to a powerful performance from Jyothika...

Casino Royal... Bond movie after a long time with a new blond bond.. Sure its a blockbuster action movie.. But where is Bond in the movie.. Let's face it.. Bond actually gets hurt.. Bond falls in love.. Bond cries for his love.. Bond has an Aston Martin that breaks down in two scenes and most importantly, Bond sleeps with an unmarried woman... huh.. Are you kidding me.. But with some spectacular stunts and good acting from Daniel Craig (Now hailed as the Best Bond since Sean Connery), the movie was a blockbuster hit around the world...

The very fact that these two movies able to be blockbusters inspite of an underplay to the tag means that people's interest sure is changing all over the world.. In my view its getting better.. Movies with good story lines like United 93, Million Dollar Baby, Crash, Munich, Kanda Nal Mudal, Kaadal, and others relishing critical acclaim as well as commercial succss... So keep watching good movies... Peace..