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Caste and class in popular Tamil cinema
Observing and interpreting class or caste markers in the discussion of a film isn’t the same as celebrating them. I co-wrote a screenplay some years ago, and we named the hero Rahul. We hadn’t thought...
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“Uttama Villain”… A superb core let down by lackluster filmmaking
Spoilers ahead… Kamal Haasan’s films suffer sometimes because they end up looking like vanity projects, but Uttama Villain, directed by Ramesh Aravind, couldn’t be anything else – for this is the...
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“Vai Raja Vai”… An inoffensive caper
Spoilers ahead… Aishwarya R. Dhanush likes men who see things. The protagonist of her first film, 3, saw holographic demons. Or something. The protagonist of her follow-up, Vai Raja Vai, sees the...
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“India Pakistan”… A not-so-bad comedy
Spoilers ahead… Midway through India Pakistan, Karthick (Vijay Antony) and Mellina (Sushma Raj) – Chennai-based lawyers both – find themselves in a village. Karthick is hanging out with some guys who...
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“36 Vayadhinile”… Worth a cheer, despite a broad TV-soap approach
Spoilers ahead… In Rosshan Andrrews’s 36 Vayadhinile, Jyotika plays an alien. What else could the character, named Vasanthi, be? She’s 36. Her eyesight is no longer what it was. Her hair is turning...
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“Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai”… An entertaining prison-escape drama that...
Spoilers ahead… A lot of filmmakers make “message” movies. SP Jhananathan makes propaganda movies. His films aren’t about walking home with a warm glow and a trite little homily ringing in the head. He...
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“Kaaka Muttai”… An outstanding debut
Spoilers ahead… The National Award for Kaaka Muttai doesn’t make any sense. Best Children’s Film. What does that even mean? Best film that has good parts for children or good performances by children?...
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“Romeo Juliet”… A preposterous mix of ‘comedy’ and melodrama
Spoilers ahead… Romeo Juliet, directed by Lakshman, is first and foremost a public service announcement from Kollywood: Look, boss, I know you saw ‘Kaaka Muttai’ last week, and it was funny and...
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“Inimey Ippadithan”… A not-bad, Bhagyaraj-style comedy
Spoilers ahead… Note the title, Inimey Ippadithan. This is Santhanam announcing that, henceforth, this is what he’s going to do. He’s going to be the hero. He’s going to wear yellow sneakers and cavort...
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“Eli”… Seriously unfunny
Spoilers ahead… All we ask of a comedy is that it keep us entertained. At least, this is what I ask. Not plot. Not acting. And certainly not whether it “makes sense.” I was doing some idle YouTube-ing...
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“Moone Moonu Varthai”… An easy-watch comedy
Spoilers ahead… In most films, we can sense the director’s terror that the audience is going to tune out and start looking at their smartphones – hence the frantic cuts, the soundtrack whoosh...
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“Indru Netru Naalai”… A time-travel thriller with more comedy than thrills
Spoilers ahead… Like Appuchi Gramam, Indru Netru Naalai is “local” sci-fi – and this localisation is the best part. The story is about a time machine from the future that falls in the hands of two men...
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Bullet-point Report: “Yagavarayinum Naa Kaakka”
I’m getting increasingly fascinated by our heroines these days. Take the Royal Enfield-riding Kayal (Nikki Galrani) in Yaagavarayinum Naa Kaakka. She knows the hero (Saga, played by Aadhi) is...
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“Papanasam”… A faithful remake, a solid thriller
Spoilers ahead… Let me begin by saying how intensely jealous I am of those of you who haven’t seen Drishyam, the Malayalam movie that inspired Papanasam. Most times, it doesn’t matter whether we’ve...
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“Baahubali”… A triumph of imagination
Spoilers ahead… At the beginning of Baahubali – The Beginning, we’re shown the lay of the land. This kingdom lies here, that one there. It’s nothing new as an idea – we saw this in Lagaan, for...
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Alice in Wonderland
Gautami opens up to Baradwaj Rangan about ‘Papanasam’, her milestone movies, and, yes, Kamal Sir. You know how some actors look even better sitting across you than on screen? Gautami is charmed like...
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“Maari”… Some nice bits can’t save a grindingly ordinary movie
Spoilers ahead… Every young Tamil-film hero looking to become a super star (if not the Superstar) makes a film in which he plays a cop. That’s when he announces his ambitions of entering the big...
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Radio days
The king is dead. Long live the king. Baradwaj Rangan remembers MS Viswanathan. At 7:59 am, last Tuesday, I got this sms from a friend: You have to write a great tribute. I hadn’t looked at news sites...
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“Naalu Policeum Nalla Irundha Oorum”… A bare handful of laughs in a ‘comic’...
Spoilers ahead… Naalu Policeum Nalla Irundha Oorum is the kind of film where we’re not supposed to care that it looks like a Class IV production of Aattukkara Alamelu. The jokes are supposed to be the...
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“Orange Mittai”… A fairly affecting road movie-cum-drama
Spoilers ahead… You may know Ramesh Thilak as the sidekick from films like Soodhu Kavvum. He’s the guy who looks like Prabhu Deva’s long-lost younger brother. Orange Mittai, directed by Biju...
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