Mister Madras

Director: Rathna Kumar Cast: Vaibhav, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Induja When I got to know that director Karthik Subbaraj was going to produce a film with a debutant in the director’s chair, I knew it was going to be a dark horse which will get onto the screens silently only to become a hit. Thie belief went multi folds when his production banner cropped up in the screen with the ever awesome Jigarthanda theme as its track. And now that I’ve seen the film, I’m glad that I am right. Comedy, love failure, friendship and sister sentiments are nothing new to Tamil cinema. As a matter of fact, Kollywood once sat on its throne with these four genres as its legs.  Meyaadha Maan rides high with only this and yet, thanks to having them in almost right proportions, the film works. The biggest plus of the film is its subtle humour which doesn’t look forced anywhere. Scenes where Vaibhav goes on to sing the entrance music of WWE’s The Rock and how he answers to his cru...

Director: JPR Cast: Sarath Kumar, Suhasini, Munishkanth, Anjana Prem When I heard that the 2013 hit film Chennaiyil Oru Naal was getting a sequel, I thought it was a joke. In not titling it Chennaiyil Rendaavadhu Naal , thought they missed a great opportunity. Having now seen the film, I can see why they didn’t. Coimbatore is the backdrop for this story. Talk about trying to piggyback on a good film. The original was about a race-against-time story propped up by an ensemble cast. But the sequel, though about the happenings in a day again, has no real connection with the first, except that Sarath Kumar again plays a cop. In the first, he was the commissioner, but here, he reports a higher authority, a character played by Napolean, who, along with Suhasini appear in roles that are more than cameos. Other than Munishkanth, there’s no other familiar face in this film and this is a major setback for those who loved the first part for its ensemble cast. Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2 i...

Director:  Atlee Cast:  Vijay, Kajal Aggarwal, Nithya Menen, Samantha Ruth Prabhu Mersal Arasan vanthutan ! One of the most awaited films of the year, Mersal is here and boy, has it been a ride. Unlike Theri where the storyline was wafer-thin, Atlee has opted for a much serious subject in the form of medical mafia and thanks to Vijayendra Prasad of Baahubali fame, the story, on its own, can be called as the best from the tiny filmography list of the young director. In a recent interview, the film’s producer stated that Vijay has done a few things for Mersal which he hasn’t done in other films. While I was under the impression that it was just another marketing gimmick, now I realise how wrong I am. Yes, Vijay looks younger than ever and if his muscular look isn’t enough to justify the statement, you should see him dance. The dancer we love in Vijay is back and Mersal Arasan track is a treat to our eyes thanks to his steps. He has also opted for a much needed get...

Bejoy Nambiar Director:  Bejoy Nambiar Cast:  Dulquer Salmaan, Sai Dhanshika, Neha Sharma, Sruthi Hariharan, Arthi Venkatesh Not many films can have the uncommon honor of running in theatres for just a day and stirred enough interest (and controversy to an extent) in just that one day. With the film, Solo ,  back on screens after close to 10 days, I thought this would be the best time to have my say on this anthology. After David , which was almost shot as an anthology until the climax where the sub-plots divulge, Bejoy Nambiar is back to Tamil cinema with four tales which aren’t inter-related to any of them. What makes Solo even more interesting than David is the attention to details. Of course, it is something you gain when your mentor is known for such detailing (none other than Mani himself), but incorporating it in a fashion which doesn’t get easily figured out is a knack that not all can possess. Solo sees the trials and tribulations of Shekhar (Water), Trilok (Wind...