2017 has been kind to most of the movie buffs thanks to some splendid works by debutants and new actors who, together, redefined Tamil cinema. But, as always, there was also a fair share of films which didn’t give that bang for that buck. Incidentally, I also found such films to be as high as the good ones. So here are some of the films I consider to be the ones that managed to disappoint me immensely.
PS: Of course there were terrible films such as Mangalapuram and Yaar Ivan, I’m sticking to films which had known and bankable stars who are known for delivering decent films. Also, kindly note that these films are in the order in which they released this year.
Muthuramalingam
One of those films which I seriously expected to be a spoof. But the film was serious throughout the whole time but those who watched this were serious for different reasons. As someone who grew up seeing Napoleon films, Muthuramalingam was even more disappointing.
Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva
Yet another hero stepping into the shoes of a cop. But that wasn’t a problem at all. Unbelievably naive dialogues, an illogical hero, a heroine that defines the term arm-candy and a plot that’s as old as the hills, Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva is a film that shouldn’t have been made.
Bruce Lee
Mindless comedies test our patience at times, but nothing came even close to this one. I knew that GV was going deep into this zone thanks to his previous slew of films such as Kadavul Irukaan Kumaru and Enakku Innoru Per Irukku. But Bruce Lee was the cherry on top of the cake. Fortunately, his line up of films looks so better that people are now eagerly waiting for some.
Saravanan Irukka Bayamaen
If there weren’t enough horror comedy films this year… Saravanan Irukka Bayamaen offered nothing new apart from the pleasant Yembuttu Irukkuthu Aasai track. The comedy too wasn’t chuckle-worthy and the audience left the theatre wondering who the actual comedy piece was.
Bongu
Bongu was a textbook example of how an idea might sound great but can become a colossal mess when the execution goes wrong. Those like me who expected a Sathuranga Vettai-isque film were sheerly disappointed thanks to the fact that this film had nothing to offer in the first place.
Sathriyan
It just gets on my nerves when a brilliant title of a yesteryear blockbuster is reused on a film which isn’t even its remake. Unfortunately, Sathriyan too felt like a yesteryear movie as the film – based on a gangster’s life – said the same things almost all such films have preached for decades.
Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan
This film probably doesn’t need a caption I suppose. I’m sure some of you might not agree with me on some of the films that are here but I’m sure that Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan is a film everyone knew was going to make it to this list.
Podhuvaga En Manasu Thangam
When will we ever get past the typical jobless boy-next-door goes head-on with a village head only to end up loving his daughter? Podhuvaga En Manasu Thangam was yet another film that belonged to the previous decade. Fortunately, despite having two bad films this year, Udhay managed to end it decently with Ippadai Vellum.
Kathanayagan
And there are some films that make me wonder why there’s no committee which foresees a film and decides whether they should give the title they’ve asked for or not. Even a cameo from Vijay Sethupathi couldn’t save Kathanayagan which tried to ride on the comedy entertainer wave which has since fortunately subdued.
Aayirathil Iruvar
Probably the only film in this list that didn’t disappoint me because of hopes I had on the actor. I actually had my bets on director Saran – the man behind some of Ajith’s biggest hits. It’s hard to digest the fact that he is reduced to such movies. Aayirathil Iruvar too made it out after being on cold storage for a long time as it tried to piggyback on the Vinay starrer Thupparivaalan that released a few days before this dud, to positive reviews.
Hara Hara Mahadevaki
Tamil cinema is yet to make an enjoyable adult comedy film. Hara Hara Mahadevaki, obviously, wasn’t one of them and nor was it a film ‘that paved way’ for more such films. It was a film that believed the genre can be justified with double meaning comedies and sexual innuendoes and obviously – didn’t ‘excite’ us.
Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2
It’s so obvious when a sequel comes out of the blue trying to captivate on the success of the original. Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2 was plagued with multiple issues and the most obvious one was the fact that the film was based in Coimbatore. Read the film’s title again and you’ll know why this film made it to the list.
Kadaisi Bench Karthi
I think I can confidently say that Kadaisi Bench Karthi was THE worst film I saw this year with a bankable star in it. Ironically, it was a bilingual. A lot can be said about this film but I’m refraining from doing so. All I can say is that I watched this film first day first show and it made me want to kill at least one person who thinks reviewing films for a living is a walk in the park.
Indrajith
Action adventure genre is rarely tried in Tamil cinema and the Indiana Jones style promos lured me into this tedious journey which is nothing short of a dangerous adventure on its own. It must’ve been a mixed year for Gautham Karthik as out of five releases he had in 2017, three are on this list and the other two (Rangoon and Ivan Thanthiran) are actually some of my favourites this year. Talk about irony!
Annadurai
Some films give us a feel as to why this actor do this film while his films have been consistently decent. Annadurai gave me that vibe, as it felt like a film that doesn’t really had to be made. It’s a pity that Vijay Antony’s first double action film in which he also debuted as an editor went completely unnoticed.
Kodiveeran
Yet another rural script that failed to hit the bulls-eye, but what makes Kodiveeran get on this list is the fact that both the actor and the director are known for their rural scripts. The film is a reminder of why both actors and filmmakers should experiment with different genres and not get stereotyped.
Brahma.com
Fantasy films are always a risky move in a market like ours and Brahma.com proved it once again. Irrespective of how good the concept is, packaging it in an entertaining way is even more important and the makers of this film failed there. Nakul is an underrated actor who could do much if the right script falls into his hands in my opinion. Hoping to see him in better films.
Sakka Podu Podu Raja
The transition from a comedian to an actor is challenging. But what happens when you try to skip that and aim to become an action hero overnight is the moral of Sakka Podu Podu Raja. Apart from a decent debut by Simbu as a music director, this film offered nothing new. Interestingly, the story is eerily similar to that of Dhanush’s Uthamaputhiran, but still didn’t find a fan in me.
Click here to read my list of the best films of 2017
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