ROWDY RATHORE MOVIE REVIEW

Cinemimi [Sunday, June 03, 2012]
Review by : Pranavikha
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha
Direction: Prabhudeva
Music: Sajid-Wajid
Production: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Following the massive success of Housefull 2, Akshay Kumar is back in action with Rowdy Rathore, the remake of Vikramarkudu which was also made as Siruthai in Tamil. The trailers met with good response from the general masses. Whether this film directed by Prabhudheva (yes that is how he spells it now) and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali in association with UTV, does provide the expected entertainment quotient? Read on to find out.

Shiva (Akshay) is a petty thief who is an expert conman along with his partner in crime, 2G. He makes a lot of money out of this and also succeeds in bowling a girl over (Sonakshi as Paro) with his dubious charm and antics. But after the entry of a little girl (Chinki) into his life who calls him as her father, things turn upside down for Shiva. Certain goons are behind his life while certain people swear by his side. Why exactly this happens, who are these goons and how does Shiva finish some unfinished business with these goons is what unfolds in the remainder of the film.

There is no point in comparing this movie with the original as it is more or less a faithful remake. The essence of the original is not lost though as comedy, action, sentiment and masala are there in correct doses.

Akshay Kumar is in home territory as funny antics, punch dialogs, clumsy body language, atrocious dressing sense etc. are so easy for him. He pulls it off convincingly though a proper mustache would have helped his looks much more than the artificial mustache. Sonakshi Sinha dresses properly as the mandatory eye-candy in a commercial movie though the scenes involving her waist give us doubts whether they are graphically enhanced. The villains are all loud, inclusive of the seasoned Nassar as Baapji.

Among the songs, ‘Chinta Ta’ is a universally likeable number with special appearances for Vijay, Kareena and Prabhudheva himself. They are all ‘blink you miss’ type cameos. The other songs will appeal to the masses though placement of these numbers have been done randomly. Costumes for the songs are pretty crude and could have been toned down. Action choreography by Arasu Kumar has the necessary punch what with Akshay’s proven prowess at martial arts.

The mother sentiment element in the movie might be laughable for the youth but, will appeal in the heartland of the country. Ultimately, this is a movie that will give critics a lot of fodder to pan upon the fact that this is a mindless commercial movie. But, this is escapist cinema and it is meant to be enjoyed. Just switch off your analytical mind and you will find yourself clapping and whistling happily at many points in the movie.

To conclude, Rowdy Rathore in all probability will join the list of blockbusters (Bodyguard, Ready, Singham, Wanted) remade from Southern super hits. This will also give that much needed solo hit for Akshay Kumar who has generally been riding on multi-starrer comedies for the past few years. This being another cop movie based on the South, after Singham, Force and Wanted is another coincidence.

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Movie Review : 'Nanban'

Cinemimi [Saturday, January 21, 2012]

Director Shankar’s Nanban, starring Vijay, Jiiva, Srikanth, Sathyaraj, Sathyan, and Ileana has come as a fresh air in the arena that is filled with mindless clichés. The movie has a strong message to the society and it tells it in an enjoyable manner. Hats off Shankar and co for making this to happen in Tamil.

Vijay and Shankar have the guts to attempt a movie that doesn’t belong to their styles. Nanban puts forth a strong criticism on our education system and the approach of our parents towards their kids. It talks about the pressure and the importance of pursuing one’s own interest and dream in best possible manner.



Venkatramakrishnan (Srikanth) and Sevalkodi Senthil (Jiiva) are succesfull professionals in their chosen ways. They studied together in a college a decade ago. Now they want to meet their dear friend Panchavan Parivendan alias Pari (Vijay), who had effected a magical change in their lives.

Pari is a genius. He has unique ways of looking at things and different methods of working. He is not the one who goes behind books blindly. For him, studying is an enjoyable experience. He guides his friends who struggle to find their identity and the elusive success. He teaches them to pursue what their inner heart tells them and he motivates them to develop courage to make their dream reality.

Principal Virumandi Santhanam (Sathyaraj) is a hardcore believer of the system. He cannot tolerate mediocrity in any form. He is irritated by the unorthodox ways of Pari.

Principal’s daughter Riya (Ileana D'Cruz), quite impressed by Pari’s uniqueness, falls for him.

Gradually Pari wins the hearts of everyone and the principal gets furious. The conflict grows and the principal decides to teach Pari and his close friends a lesson. He catches Pari when he steals the question paper to help his friend. Principal shows him the doors a twist in the tale makes him rethink his decision.

Though Pari emerges as topper in the collage he vanishes all of a sudden as soon as the course gets completed. No one knows where he goes and what he is up to. His friends search for him for ten years. Finally they get a clue and they embark on a journey to find him.

Are they able to find him?

Shankar has chosen to remake this film that doesn’t suit his style. But he has done a marvelous job by recreating the magic of the original with all Tamil flavor. The movie is so interesting that you don’t feel that it runs for three hours. Shankar has executed the scenes well. The scenes depicting the changes in the lives of Jiiva and Srikath are moving. The child birth scene was outstanding in the original and Shankar has matched it perfectly. He has given attention to the minutest details to make the movie enjoyable. There are many scenes that brings tears in the eyes of the viewers.

Some scenes however, lack credibility. For example the scene when Ileana comes to Vijay’s room in a drunken state and Vijays visit to her home during night. These scenes are entertaining but they lack credibility. The reason behind Pari’s vanishing act is not at all convincing.

Vijay excels in a role that doesn’t give any scope for his brand of action, comedy, and romance. Finally Vijay has got a real different role and he handles it with amazing ease. Jiiva and Srikanth have rendered strong performance. The script has provided almost equal scope for everyone to perform and these two have utilized it well. Srikanth is outstanding in the scene where he meets his parents to tell about his dream and Jiiva is awesome in the interview scene.

Sathyaraj has given a powerful performance and Sathyan has provided comic relief.

Ileana D'Cruz, the fabulous beauty, adds colour to the fare. She also gets scope to perform and she proves her mettle with ease.

Manoj Paramahamsa's camera work is top class and Harris Jayaraj's music is trendy.

Overall, Nanban is a top class entertainer with a strong message.

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Velayudham Movie Review

Cinemimi[Friday, October 28, 2011]
Velayudham - Vijay is the weapon

Vijay's wish to act in a Shankar's film might have come true with 'Nanban'. However, it is not going to be the usual Shankar movie we had watched so far. But there is nothing to worry about, as 'Velayudham' is 'Jayam' M Raja wearing the mask of Shankar and projecting the 'Ilaya Thalapathi' as the messiah of masses. The story is as old as the sun and the moon. Though it is actually inspired from Telugu hit 'Azad', Kollywood is already familiar to it thanks to a number of films from 'Indian' to to 'Citizen' to 'Samurai' to 'Anniyan'. To make things more clear, 'Velayudham' is about a common man, who vows to clean evil things in the society. The way it has been presented by Raja makes all the difference. The director has packed the screenplay with ingredients that would be liked by one and all. There is action, comedy, romance and sentiment- neatly placed and packaged. In all, Raja, in the able company of Vijay, has ensured that the film has got something for everyone to enjoy. Velayudham (Vijay) is a milk vendor in a village called Pavunoor, who has a sister Kaveri (Saranya Mohan) to shower affection and a cousin Vaidehi (Hansika Motwani) to go crazy about him. Life is cool for Velu till he comes to the city to withdraw money he had saved for his sister's marriage.

In the city, there is Bharathi (Genelia D'Souza), a television journalist who creates an imaginary character called Velayudham, and instills fear among baddies that he would put an end to all atrocities in the metropolis. Situations force the milk vendor to wear the attire of the crusader. It's Vijay all the way. From scene one till the end, he is there fighting, dancing and tickling the funny bone. In comedy scenes, he allows Santhanam to dominate him and this brings the roof down. As the actor said in one of his interviews, 'Velayudham' is a Deepavali treat to his fans. Hansika, without vanishing with mere skin show, tries her hands at comedy too and her chemistry with Vijay is cool. Genelia as television journalist fits the role well and she emotes well in serious scenes. Santhanam as Speed throws some good one-liners at the audience which are received well. There are Manivannan, Shayaji Shinde, M S Bhaskar and Suri too who do their parts well.

Vijay Antony has played to the gallery by giving songs that would be loved by Vijay fans. Priyan's cinematography does its bit in elevating Vijay's image. V T Vijayan's editing proves the experience the veteran has in the job. Tom Delmar's stunt scene is of top-notch quality. However, the film makes you feel lengthy, especially at the second half. Also, songs appear from no-where putting a speed breaker on proceedings. But these things fail to stop 'Velayudham' from emerging a racy entertainer this Deepavali season. A right choice for the festival mood.

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7aum Arivu Movie Review

Cinemimi [Thursday, October 27, 2011]
7aum Arivu - Of sense and sensibility

No fiction is 100 per cent imagination. Somewhere in its bottom lies a pinch of truth. And if blended with history with the carefulness of a master chef, it could result in a delightful dish, sorry, entertainer. Precisely that is the case of '7aum Arivu', A R Murugadoss' magnum opus starring Suriya, produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin.

The film takes us to the era of our valorous forefathers, explains their greatness, brings us back to the present, entertains us and ends up giving a message. Though a preachy tone at places could have been avoided, there is no denying that '7aum Arivu is one of the biggest entertainers of the year.

The story starts in 6th century AD, when a part of Tamil Nadu was ruled by Pallava kings. Bodhi Dharman (Suriya), a prince who is an expert at martial arts, medicine and 'nokku varmam' (or hypnotism) was sent to China with a purpose. There he imparts his skills to the Chinese, who learn them with all interest, and present death to him in return. But they start to worship him after that.

Cut to the present, China sends Dongli (Johnny Tri Nguyen), a modern day master of all skills taught by Bodhi Dharman, to India, as it comes to know that genetic engineering student Subha Srinivasan (Sruthi Haasan) has found circus artiste Aravind's (Suriya) DNA matches with that of Bodhi Dharman. As the neighbouring country plans a bio war against India, it feels that Bodhi Dharman, who could prevent its attempts, should not be given life again.

Suriya is superb as Bodhi Dharman, a great saint and Aravind, a circus artiste. The homework he has done for both his roles is visible on screen, especially in the first fight sequence with the Chinese and in the opening song (The actor performs some breathtaking circus stunts during 'Oh Ringa Ringa...').

Sruthi Haasan is not the usual heroine. The elder daughter of Kamal Haasan has a meaty role to play and she proves where she hails from. She pronounces Tamil like English and we have no complaints as long as she gets such urban-suave characters.

Johnny Tri Nguyen is menacing. His eyes do all the talking for him. There are others too in the cast (like Ilavarasu), but we are unable to remember them, thanks to one big factor, or actor, and it is Suriya. Harris Jayaraj's background score is good, but his songs remind the ones we had heard from him already.

Ravi K Chandran's cinematography is a pillar of support for A R Murugadoss. His stunning visuals in the first 20 minutes leave us in awe. Looks like there was much work for Antony's scissors, as there seem to be some cuts to the original footage considering the length, especially in the climax.

There are two things on the flipside for '7aum Arivu'- one is the glaring preachy tone which very often tells the greatness of ancient Tamils and how the race is suffering now, through lengthy dialogues. And the second is the visual effects. The main road fight scene before the climax, where vehicles collide with each other, is just a sample to prove our claim.

All said, Murugadoss has made a bold attempt and has succeeded in it with the help of Suriya and Udhayanidhi Stalin. The director should be lauded for conveying a bitter truth- that we are not aware of the greatness of our ancestors- in a sugar coating. This 'Ghajini' seems to be a winner in all his invasions.

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Movie Review

Cinemimi[Thursday January 26,2011]
Dhobi Ghat tells the story of four different people in Mumbai. Monica Dogra plays Shaai, a banker who is on a sabbatical. The South-Bombay girl spends her days taking pictures and hanging out in the nooks and crannies of Mumbai with Munna (Prateik), her dhobi (washer boy). Aamir Khan plays Arun, a lonely painter. He sleeps with Shaai after meeting her at his show. Munna is his dhobi too. Arun spends his time watching videotapes left behind by Yasmin (Kriti Malhotra). And the stories do not culminate in anything.

Dhobi Ghat is disappointing and does not move you. It starts off as an off-beat film but becomes unnecessarily dramatic in the end. The drama and violence are out-of-sync with the peaceful and leisurely pace of the movie. The general perception about art films is that they are abrupt, sad, slow, boring, and abstract and the problem is that Dhobi Ghat plays by these rules. There are many art, unconventional, or festival films that are moving and soulful and yet have happy or pleasant open endings. Amelie, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, (500) Days of Summer, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Queen of Hearts, and Lost in Translation are examples of such films that are entertaining and in-sync with their premises.

DG is all about close-up shots, conversations, and moments between its characters. It is refreshing to see real locations and actors minus inches of make-up. DG captures how people have legal jobs by day and questionable jobs by night and how everybody is linked with each other as they survive and live it up in the city. The English dialogues are fine but they will be murdered when dubbed in Hindi. The movie moves at a leisurely pace and the conversations between the characters are realistic and normal. Arun’s track with Yasmin is engaging and original though it should have ended on a happy note. It is interesting to see Mumbai through the innocent eyes of Yasmin, an immigrant from U.P. Shaai and Munna’s encounters are funny and sweet but their story is cut short abruptly. It is difficult to comprehend Shaai’s feelings for Arun. Does she have feelings for Munna? Why doesn’t Munna tell her about the way he feels for her? There are many unanswered questions. Nothing really happens through most of the movie. That is fine because we get to know the equations the characters share with each other as they live their lives in Mumbai. The problem is that the movie becomes dramatic and depressing in the end. The characters suddenly realize that they have to cut ties with each other and do something with their lives. It seems that Shaai is unaffected about hanging out with her dhobi but later on, she succumbs to societal pressures. That sums up the problem with Dhobi Ghat as it tries to be different but succumbs to the misconceptions or boundaries of its genre.

Aamir Khan gets into the skin of his loner painter character beautifully. He leaves his superstar aura behind and makes Arun very real. He is the typical arty type who is appealing and moody. Prateik is a joy to watch and brings out the layers in his character. As Munna, the dhobi who does odd jobs to make ends meet, he is charming, entertaining, sweet, and vulnerable. We would love to see more of him. Monica Dogra and Kriti Malhotra are perfectly cast as the spontaneous Shaai and the guileless Yasmin, respectively. Kriti strikes a chord without actually being on screen. However, it is unlikely that they will make it in Bollywood.

If you enjoy watching interactions and conversations between people and have patience for leisurely-paced films, then you can give Dhobi Ghat a chance. Masala film lovers will have a hard time staying awake.

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MAGIZHCHI MOVIE REVIEW

Review by : Cinemimi Team

Starring: Gowthaman, Seeman, Prakash Raj, Anjali, Karthika
Direction: V Gowthaman
Music: Vidyasagar
Production: D Manivannan

Adapting novels into movies has been quite a frequent (not as much as we would like) practice in the film industry. But, the most common complaint that we come across with all such efforts is that the soul of the book was ultimately lost while translating it onto screen. But, Magizhchi is one effort that cannot be accused of


tampering with the original feel of the book that it has adapted. A screen version of acclaimed author Neelapathmanabhan’s Thalaimuraikal, Magizhchi is set in the rural folds of Tamil Nadu and tells the story of a family, focusing primarily on the brother-sister relationship while also spreading the attention of the viewer onto a variety of socio-economic issues of villages.

Two siblings; the sister being the elder, share an almost ideal relationship. Each other’s happiness means the world to the other and it is shown in many instances in the film that either of them would go to any lengths to keep the other happy. They grow up and soon the sister is wedded off with great hopes of having a good and happy life. But, what happens is quite on the contrary. She is subject to intense domestic drudgery; both physical and mental torture. At first we don’t understand the reason behind her husband’s behavior towards her; is it sheer male chauvinism or is there a more serious rift between them. That is what her brother tries to find out. Not much to our surprise; he finds out that his brother-in-law is being cruel and unreasonable towards his sister and there is something that he wants to be hidden from the society on the whole. But, the brother is not ready to sit around and watch his sister getting tortured and decides to put an end to this marriage which is causing only grief to everyone. But, his brother-n-law is not ready to give in all that easily and the ugly caste issue threatens to raise its head when a solution to all this seems in sight.

The first thing that we notice about Magizhchi is the simplicity and natural charm that it possesses. There has been absolutely no attempt to try and infuse anything artificial or extraneous into the script with the excuse of making it more ‘cinema friendly’. It is an honest adaptation of the book. It is definitely a throwback to the 80s kind of family drama with overbearing husbands and brother-sister sentiment all playing a part. But, if willing with an open mind; contemporary appeal can be found in this movie. It shows that male dominance and domestic violence are still a part of the social fabric; especially in rural India. The movie also highlights the economic backwardness of the villages; especially in portions where the bride’s father has to sell the land that he has tilled for years to get his daughter married. His grief and helplessness have been well portrayed. Also the fact that caste is still a major issue in the minds of the rural population is depicted in the movie; especially during the final portions. One of the portions of the movie that attracts most due to its novel and extremely simple narrative styles is the one where the grandmother is narrating an old fable to her grandchildren. The story is shown to us on screen in the form of sketches by Trotsky Marudhu. It is quite interesting to watch.

The director has managed to extract good performances out of almost everybody in the cast. The experienced hands like Prakash Raj and Sukumari walk through their roles with consummate ease and expertise. The actress who really impresses with her performance is Anjali. She is almost perfect as the young , a bit mischievous, village girl. Karthika, as the elder sister, is also very good, especially in portions where she gets tortured by her husband. Seeman delivers a dignified and typically sober performance while Sampath Raj makes an impact as the man who is trying to assert himself on his wife, but is in fact afraid deep inside that a truth about him might surface if he gives her too much freedom. The director Gauthaman, after focusing on everyone, seems to have overlooked himself just a little bit. One gets the feeling that he could have given himself a bit more attention.

Technically, Magizhchi is not a movie that demands much. But, the locations, bordering on Theni are a treat to watch and have been captured well on camera. Music by Vidhyasagar reiterates the fact that he is rightfully called melody king.

Magizhchi is a well made film about family relationships and social issues. However, it has its innate limitations in terms of being an entertainer. To the team’s credit, the movie has never aspired to be an entertainer that is out of the scope, the story permits. If you are the sentimental type whose idea of a village based film is not just ‘sickles and sevals’, then Magizhchi will make you happy.

Verdict: Faithful adaptation of a good literary work

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KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY MOVIE REVIEW

Review by : Cinemimi Team
Starring: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and other revolutionaries
Direction: Ashutosh Gowariker
Music: Sohail Sen
Production: Ajay & Sanjeev Bijli and Sunitha Gowariker

The Chittagong Uprising is a relatively unknown episode in Indian history. Ashutosh Gowariker deserves a special word of appreciation for having chosen an inspiring story and presented it on screen. Though he has directed historical and periodic movies like Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar,



Swades remains his most patriotic movie thus far as it was a contemporary take on love for the country.

In KHJJS, a youngster asks his friend what Vande Maataram means. Though a few of them remain ignorant, one of them says "Vande Maataram... bolne me acha lagta hai na? (isn't it nice to say it?). This comes from the heart of a director, a person who realises that today's youngsters know more about Western history than ours. KHJJS is an adaptation of Manini Chatterjee's 'Do and Die'.

It is about Surjya Sen (Abhishek) and his aides who decide to attack the heart of the ruling British in Chittagong by planning simultaneous attacks in 5 places on April 18, 1930. By recruiting an army of revolutionaries, the attacks are made possible by shrewd planning. But little do they know that an obstacle awaits them at the time of the attacks. Do they succeed in their quest? What happens to Surjya Sen and his young group of associates who volunteered to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of India? Find the answers by watching the movie only in cinema halls!

Ashutosh is among a rare breed of directors who relentlessly gives us movies by digging our treasured history. Here again, he brings the charm of Chittagong in Goa through some meticulous research. Watch the end credits and you will know why! Since most of us are not aware or have read Manini Chatterjee's novel, it will not be prudent to judge if KHJJS is a pure adaptation. But one feels that Ashutosh slips a little with an incoherent screenplay, especially in the first half. What irks here is the postcard-perfect shots, whiter-than-white kurtas of the leads and well delivered stage-perfect dialogues. Though the art direction and detailing are perfect, you somehow fail to connect with the story.

The second half is gripping and definitely coveys what the director first set out to do. The intense struggle of the bravehearts, the British's carnivorous search for the revolutionaries and the eventual happenings make you sit up and move forward with the narrative. Music in such historical movies needs to be point perfect. Sohai Sen's music is too amateurish and does not appeal at all. It is often repetitive and fails to conjure our instincts.

Occurrences in the first half are very sporadic. Dilip Deo's editing could have been tight and slick. Dialogues again seem to be very common and something which does not evoke the right amount of patriotism. Scenes which involve Abhishek to ignite fire in the revolutionaries fall flat. If Deepika is called Kalpana in a scene, she is 'Kolpona' in the other. The characters also seem confused whether to speak Hindi or Bengali and hence the authenticity is missing here.

Cinematography by Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri are up to the mark. They bring the small village of Chittagong to life with their dynamic shots. Art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai must also be appreciated for his work. A lot of effort has been spent in research and to get the detailing in each shot right. Good job!

Performance-wise, Abhishek Bachchan is the biggest disappointment of the lot. With his sober expressions and sparkling-white kurta and dhotis, he cuts a sorry figure. He fails to show the fire in his eyes to ignite the passion in others. He seems happier to let others steal the show with their performances. A rather uninspiring leader! Deepika Padukone does well in the role given to her. But the stand-out performances come from the rest of the cast. Vishaka Singh as Pritilata is a revelation. The emotions she displays in her eyes are indeed nice. Sikhander Kher as Nirmal Sen steals our heart with his performance and so do Mahinder Singh, Shreyas Pandit and others. The young lads do a handsome job as the 'krantikaris'.

Overall, KHJJS could have been hard-hitting if it had a cohesive screenplay, inspiring music and compulsive dialogues. In spite of all this, the movie must be watched for one person: Ashutosh Gowariker. His tenacious passion for showcasing Indian history must be lauded. The way he ignites the passion in the second half definitely warrants a dekho.

Verdict: Salute the heroes, 80 years on! Vande Maataram.

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THA MOVIE REVIEW

Review by : Cinemimi Team
Starring: Sri Hari, Nisha
Direction: RK Surya Prabhakar
Music: Sri Vijay
Production: Rajesh Uthaman

Just before a couple enters into marriage there are a thousand matters swarming around in their minds. Thaa explores the feelings and doubts of a couple as they get to know each other, develop affection and prepare to get married. It is more than just another regular love story.



The movie is about a young man doing a normal blue collar job in his hometown. Simple, shy and quite careless about his appearance; he just goes about his daily life as any other youngster would. His only social life is when he meets his group of friends who are quite unlike him. Yes, they have their jobs and do them responsibly, but they also show a very active interest in trying to woo girls of their choice; only the protagonist is an exception to all this, choosing to stay away from all matters related to love. Now, perhaps you would think that this is yet another story of masculine resistance being broken by one look at a beautiful girl; and violins begin playing in the west with sunshine in the background. But, that is where Thaa differs from regular love story that is part of cinema. The protagonist does have deep feelings inside him, the desire to find a girl for himself, but is really too much of an introvert to get on with it. And, as is the norm in all such cases, the parents step in and find a bride for their son. The twist happens here; the chosen girl holds a white collar job, is very sociable, sophisticated and looks upon the prospective groom as professionally, socially and personally incompatible. But, as the families have agreed upon the match, there is little she can do about it. What happens next? Does the girl agree reluctantly, does the marriage succeed or is there something else in store?

What could have ended up as just another love story does eventually manage to make a sort of impression because of the hint of reality and practicality that is thrown into the script. We have been used to seeing girls falling head over heels in love with heroes either after being impressed by their machismo and style, or by their ideals and bravado. But here, the reasons for which the heroine disapproves of the prospective groom appear to be taken out of real life; the financial differences, the professional gulf etc. Also convincing are the portions where the hero tries to win over the heroine’s heart. Here again there are no cinematic clichés like ‘saving the heroine from eve teasers’ or ‘masquerading as an idealist out to save society’ or ‘ramp walk Remo kind of stuff’. The hero tries very sincerely to establish a deep personal relationship with his bride to be. The film carries yet another twist in the form of the hero’s psyche which makes him think that what is happening is ‘too good to be true’.

Looking at the movie in totality, there are only a few turning points during the entire course of the narration. There are not many moments that make you sit up. It is rather plain viewing; but don’t mistake plain for bland; it is a good kind of plain. The slow forging of the relationship looks genuine, so does the internal turmoil of the hero’s mind which keep one connected to the characters. There is also the odd lively fun moment which involves the gang of friends, but not too many. Songs too have been sparsely used.

Almost the entire cast consists of fresh faces and to their credit they have done a fair job. The hero Sri Hari and heroine Nisha carry off the demands of their character well. There is not much of note on the technical front which is strictly okay. Debutante Sri Vijay has come up with a couple of hummable tunes.

Thaa is neither the family entertainer, nor is it the sugar coated love story. In fact, there is more of a mature relationship of understanding being formed than any romance happening on screen. That treatment puts Thaa on a different track from other love based subjects and director Shurya Prabakar deserves credit for adopting this treatment. A simple, self-contained film of a mature relationship and inner doubt!

Verdict: A different perspective of love

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