96 (TAMIL) (2018)

While we are still some weeks away from biting chills of the winter, in '96, debutante director C Prem Kumar and his team present a movie experience that comes closest to a warm blanket of nostalgia that we could snuggle into on a cold winter morning. This is a slice of life of Ram & Janu (Vijay Sethupathi & Trisha) - two school-time sweethearts, separated early in a twist of fate, meeting after two decades in a brief, yet beautiful encounter. 

The movie takes us on a memorable journey along with its leads - Ram & Janu - traversing twin timelines of their school life two decades ago and their present day when they meet through a school reunion. The movie hooks us in early and makes us relive the school days which we may or may not have had, but could definitely relate to - making us willingly surrender to those mushy memories. The narrative seamlessly oscillates between the past and the present day events spanning over a night where we are invisible and non-intrusive guests in the personal space of these two diehard romantics.

Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha share a crackling chemistry and ace their parts with superlative performances. Vijay Sethupathi steps out of his template nonchalance to sink into the role of Ram and underplays brilliantly to bring a rare depth in his brooding silences and tentativeness that feels real. Trisha, who is closing on almost two decades of stardom, brings all that experience to good use here in the role of Janu as she lights up the screen with resplendence in every frame. She owns the role of Janu in a performance that is perhaps her best after Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa, being naturally confident, composed and provides a perfect foil for Ram who transforms into a nervous wreck near her. 

While Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha appear as natural choices for the leads, the casting team deserve kudos for making apt choices for almost every character of the supporting cast. Aadithya Baaskar and Gouri G Kishan as younger versions of Ram and Janu are perfect in their expressions -  as are the casting choices of their childhood friends as well as for crisp cameos by Devadarshini, NKPK Bagavathiperumal, Aadukalam Murugadoss and a surprising choice in a very effective Janakaraj.


Music from Govind Menon (aka Govind Vasantha) adds a richer soothing dimension that permeates the movie like the warmth of a sun on winter day. Every song of the album is an enchanting ear worm and a winner in its own way. The mellifluous melodies are accentuated by thoughtful lyrics (Karthik Netha and Uma Devi) which add a richer texture to the proceedings on screen. The background score makes use of silences and soulful interludes to add nuance to the narrative.

The movie also benefits from the exquisite cinematography by N. Shanmugasundaram who knows the art of composing picture perfect frames like a painting which is pregnant with meaning. Every frame from the very first which introduces Vijay Sethupathi as a traveling photographer to the dull urbanscapes or even indoors like a corridor of nondescript hotel is captured with care as well as clarity of purpose. 

C Prem Kumar making his debut as writer and director, after cranking the camera for some movies like NKPK, Pasanga and Sundarapandian, has made a steady and firm-footed start. His command over his craft is manifest in the way he marshals the multiple resources at his disposal - the leads, supporting cast, music, cinematography, editing - just like a master chef would concoct a delicious offering from the finest of ingredients with due care in preparation as well as presentation, especially with all his heart.


He has a deft touch to his narrative that is at once sensitive, subtle and searing without ever becoming melodramatic. His impeccable eye for detail, gentle waft of humour in good measure especially in tricky situations which is reflected in almost every aspect of the movie beginning with the imagery of the title which is an impressive collage of multiple elements that remind us of the period, to the casting of Janakaraj and many more seemingly minor aspects. Look at the way the portions where the  budding romance of school days are handled with minimal conversation between Ram and Janu. While there may not be many spoken words, the stolen glances and  expectant expressions adorned with the beautiful score and the silences convey volumes. Equally notable are the choice of Ilayaraja's songs with pertinent lyrics which are carefully chosen to suit the occasion besides just conveying Janu's liking for singer S Janaki's songs. He acquits himself as another talent to watch out for after the recent debutante effort from Mari Selvaraj (Pariyerum Perumal). 

Overall, the movie has the feel of a poignant poetry penned in the medium of moving frames rendered on the silver screen - a poem that would linger on in the memory for a long time. 

A MUS(H)T WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

PARIYERUM PERUMAL (TAMIL) (2018)

Message movies are dime a dozen and they regularly run the risk of being skewed towards the former to such an extent that they superimpose and even drown out the latter. In the hands of inept amateurs or even overly zealous veterans in an evangelist mode, they tend to become preachy at best and quite often, end up cringe-worthy. Consequently, message movie could well be called an oxymoron.

Seen in this light, debutante director Mari Selvaraj's maiden effort comes as a whiff of fresh breeze and is, indeed, an extraordinary achievement. This slice of life drama, set in southern Tamil Nadu, is the story of the protagonist - Pariyerum Perumal (Kadhir) - a poor law college student from the oppressed caste trying to find his place under the sun as an equal. And  . . it is through the prism of his life story, the director surveys the spectrum of class as well as caste divides and many more minor, yet finer nuances.

Mari holds a mirror to the contemporary society and finds rich shades even in what looks like staid stereotypes. Look, for instance, Perumal's connection with his father, compulsions of Jo's (Anandhi) father, the characterisation of the college principal or even that of Yogi Babu or Anandhi who, despite coming from the upper class, have very different takes on their milieu as compared to their counterparts which, in turn, defines their own individual connection to Perumal. Mari maintains a meticulous focus on the narrative even as his layered writing ensures that the smallest of characters are imbued with sufficient texture to make them feel real and have moments of their own which fit seamlessly into the story arc.

Kadhir is excellent as Perumal and gets under the skin of the character to explore his insecurities about his identity, humiliation, helplessness, simmering rage as well as quiet determination. Anandhi, Yogi Babu, Marimuthu and the rest of the supporting cast turn in credible performances as well. Mari is also complemented well by Santhosh Narayanan who infuses life through his unique songs as well as background score. The cinematography by Sridhar captures the locales in their natural flair without being flashy and adds to the urgency in the action sequences.

The craft of Mari Selvaraj on display here is superlative and even surpasses his mentor - director Pa. Ranjit - who is the producer here. His narrative has the gift of a natural flow that courses through the mundane to the gut wrenching to subtle layers without making anything look forced.  The manner in which he has created the shocker of an initial sequence as well as the evocative finale, which is one of the best we have seen in recent times and the narrative journey in between bear testimony that, despite being a debutante, Mari is a consummate creator, confident of his craft.

Kudos and plaudits are richly deserved by the duo of Pa. Ranjit - the mentor - as well as Mari Selvaraj - the prodigy - who surpasses his mentor for making this movie and if their debut efforts - as producer and director, respectively - are anything to go by, we can look forward to more such meaningful fare at the movies.

AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE ! A MUST WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

CHEKKA CHIVANTHA VAANAM (TAMIL) (2018)

Multi-starrer movies are a rarity in Tamil cinema. Hence, when a master auteur like Mani Ratnam assembles an enviable ensemble that includes Arvindswamy, Jyothika, Arun Vijay, Aishwarya Rajesh, Silambarasan, Prakash Raj,  Aditi Rao Hydari and the ever dependable Vijay Sethupathi in a movie about gangsters titled Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (aka Crimson Red Sky), one tends to look forward to it. When you top this enviable star cast with top notch technical team that Mani Ratnam marshals including A R Rahman, Santosh Sivan and Sreekar Prasad, the expectations are literally sky high to match the title.A slick trailer only whetted our appetite even more.

Alas.. instead of painting his canvas in bold shades of red, Mani Ratnam could only manage a mishmash of colours with just occasional glimpses of brilliance that one associates with his work. While the plot itself, about the internecine battles in a gangland family between three brothers to succeed their father along with a cop with an ambiguous moral compass, while not new, does offer ample scope for an engaging crime drama. However, despite having a heavy duty cast,  Mani fails to flesh out the characters meaningfully and consequently, we don't feel any connection to the characters. While a hurried narrative could give a sense of urgency, here, it cuts down the impact of even the critical situations. As a result, it appears to be an exercise of style over substance.

The main cast have tried to do their best within the minimal material that they seem to be working with and sure enough, they have their own moments when they shine. But, these are not sufficient in themselves and definitely, are not coming together in a coherent manner.

Overall, CCV is a misfire from Mani Ratnam and just an average fare.

At best, A ONE-TIME WATCH  !!

RATING - 2/5

KAALA (TAMIL) (2018)

The second collaboration between director Pa. Ranjith and superstar Rajni - Kaala, while better than their earlier Kabaali, remains an above average fare. Set in Mumbai's Dharavi, this is a crime drama based on the land rights of the oppressed class. It provides mixed results as the director tunes up his own ideological leanings with a generous garnishing of Rajni's machismo. To his credit, Rajni, the actor delivers in the emotional scenes as much as the superstar in the style quotient.

Strong supporting cast shine like Easwari Rao - a natural and Samuthirakani as a confidante. Nana Patekar tries to be his menacing best in a one note character even as the movie wastes the immensely talented Pankaj Tripathi, Sayaji Shinde and Huma.

While Santhosh Narayanan's BGM is top notch, I would not rate the songs as high as Kabaali, except perhaps, Kannamma which stands out.

I still remember Kabaali as a good movie that could have been great in so many ways; stumbling somewhere in its efforts of trying to bridge the seemingly disparate universes of the Superstar and an auteur with almost a missionary zeal to bring out the voices of the oppressed and marginalised to the mainstream.

In his second iteration, Ranjith is still looking for that fine balance and seeks to find it by amping up the star quotient as well as the ideological heft. Some parts of it click while there are several (in a movie that stretches close to three hours) that don't. At least, not so well on the big screen as the writing would have intended. I wish Ranjith concentrates more on his story arc that made Madras and Attakathi so satisfying.

I sincerely hope that he gets third time lucky and delivers to his and the superstar's immense potentials.

Till then, this should be good enough.

A GOOD WATCH !

RATING - 3/5

SUDANI FROM NIGERIA (MALAYALAM) (2018)

The movie is set in a village in Northern Kerala in the milieu of the Sevens football tournament (7 persons per side as against the regular 11) which is quite popular in that region. Majid (Soubin Shahir) is a school dropout and as a result, is unable to seek any permanent employment to secure his livelihood. However, he is passionate about football and is also manager of a local football team - MYC Accode - along with his friends. Their team, which includes three africans as star players, is popular among the fans and is also reasonably successful despite facing financial challenges. When Samuel  - aka Sudu (short for Sudani) - (Samuel Abiola Robinson) - who is one of the star players meets with an accident, he is ruled out from the rest of the tournament. 

The injury puts Samuel in a desperate situation since he is not in a position to earn any more from the games which is the sole support for him as well as his family back home in Nigeria. It also means more financial outgo for a club whose finances are already precariously perched. In order to avoid hospital care expenses during the recovery period, Majid decides to bring Samuel to his home. Majid lives with his aged mother Jameela (Savithri Sreedharan) and estranged stepfather (KTC Abdulla) who works as a security guard. However, he is bitter with both of them due to reasons buried in the past and turns down their repeated warm overtures. Samuel is eager to return home to support his family, but is hobbled by reasons that are far more serious than his injury. What unfolds is an endearing narrative of humanity, hope and warmth that seeks to explore these distances - both physical and emotional.

Debutante director Zakariya Mohammed crafts this simple premise into a gem of a movie that is rich in emotions and drama. While Majid's family and his friends may be of limited means, the movie effortlessly portrays the magnanimity of such simple people with minimal means which reinforces the dictum that you do not have to be wealthy to be generous. 

The common thread that binds the entire narrative is that humanity is all that one needs to connect to a fellow being separated by any barrier. Through multiple interactions between Majid's mother and Samuel, the movie extols that differences in cultures and especially languages need not necessarily be insurmountable impediments in connecting to people.  A gentle smile and moist eyes are part of  universal language of love and humanity and they can communicate much more fluently and deeply than man-made contraptions for communication like our languages. When one can connect so easily beyond the contours of creed, nationality, ethnicity, religion or language, one tends to doubt the need for such markers which seem to be mere tools for division rather than cohesion.The movie is frequently funny as the director mines multiple references to sports, local culture and difference in language for laughs. The performances of both the leads - Soubin Shahir and Samuel with his winning smile - are apt and they are ably supported by the cameos from veterans KTC Abdulla and Savithri Sreedharan.

Malayalam cinema continues to churn out these gems in regular intervals where simple stories are brought to life in an appealing manner without resorting to raucous melodrama or any garish glitz of stars who tend to turn the focus from the story towards themselves. Director Zakariya Mohammed acquits himself as a welcome addition to the league of exemplary torchbearers of this great tradition.

AN EXCELLENT WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5

AVENGERS - INFINITY WAR (ENGLISH) (2018)

It is finally here.. the culmination of 10 years of multiple MCU story lines spanning 18 movies and ship-load of superheroes and their support cast which we have grown to love.

Thanks to the well orchestrated marketing campaign as well as the gradual buildup over the years through all the story arcs converging to this climactic showdown, the tsunami of expectations for Infinity War had hit a crescendo before the release.

Credit to the director duo of Russo brothers who have managed to deliver despite such stupendous expectations and hype. 

The movie is chock-a-block with our favourite superheroes and towering above all of them, is their nemesis - the mad titan Thanos who spells death, doom and destruction from the word go, as he sets out on a quest to capture all six infinity stones which would make him the most powerful entity of the universe.

While the narrative is indeed weighed down by the sheer mass of the material on hand and the multiple characters vying for screen-time, the directors have managed to provide space for almost all of them to come into their own.

Given the scale of the challenge at hand, the sinister designs of Thanos and his team and his superlative power which continues to multiply as the movie progresses, there is a palpable dark tinge that permeates the movie. Despite being shrouded under the dark cloud of impending doom an gloom, the narrative is frequently funny with clever cracking quips coming from the clash of several superhero sized egos as well as genuinely tongue-in-cheek conversations as all these characters get to know each other.

The action is often frenetic and the set pieces are brilliantly mounted on a dazzling scale with scope for almost every character to shine in brief bursts. In a movie of this scale, with more superhero per minute than any other venture, Josh Brolin is impressively menacing as the invincible, Thanos who seeks to bring balance to the universe even if it involves wiping half of all lives, including many of our favourite superheroes, at the snap of his fingers.

While some of the outcomes are on expected lines as indicated in the many trailers and teasers, the Russo brothers have packed quite a few nasty surprises that could leave the audience gawking, especially - an epic cliffhanger ending.

As the dust settles after a feverish run-time of almost 160 minutes and an audacious climax (yup every minute counts.. including the end credit scene), the audience are left at a perilous precipice that is shocking and desperately seeking answers to multiple questions from the sequel that is slated to hit the screens next year. 

Till then... we are left to MARVEL ... What could be lying beyond this insidious infinity ? 

A MUST WATCH (preferably on the BIGGEST screen possible) !!

RATING - 4/5

A QUIET PLACE (ENGLISH) (2018)

The movie is set in a post apocalyptic world haunted by blind alien-esque predatory creatures which zero in on their prey by sound. The very thought that any and every sound could literally be your death knell makes one shiver as the seriousness of the situation strikes us in an early scene. 

The narrative focuses on the ordeals of a small rural family of the Abbotts consisting of - real life spouses - John Krasinski (as Lee Abbott), Emily Blunt (as Evelyn Abbott) and their two kids - a daughter who is hearing impaired - Millicent Simmonds (as Regan Abbott) (hearing impaired in real life too) and a son - Noah Jupe (as Marcus Abbott) - as they adapt to a silent survival mechanism. Most of the movie proceeds in sinister silence with just the ambient sounds of nature as we find that the family has adapted to survive by walking barefoot always, giving up using any silverware and communicate almost exclusively in sign language.

John Krasinski who has also directed the movie has created a tense thriller which keeps the viewers entirely engrossed and riveted to the edge of their seats. He extracts remarkable performances from the entire cast - especially from Emily Blunt  who aces her role as an expecting mother encountering several terrifying turn of events along side Millicent as a rebellious teen with daddy issues.

Special credits are due to the sound designing duo of Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn who have done a tremendous job with the silences and natural ambient sounds that infuse every frame with the apt atmospherics of terror that runs through the entire duration of the movie. It is interesting to note that they have also worked on the latest sequel of that junkyard jamboree of Transformers - The Last Knight.

Krasinski is economic with his storytelling and builds the dread with every passing frame as surviving every silent second becomes a spellbinding and spine chilling experience as you fear that your own excited heartbeats are getting too loud for your safety.

Overall, it is a well crafted sci-fi thriller which elevates a simple premise into an absorbing adrenaline rush that stays with you long after your viewing.

A THRILLING WATCH (best enjoyed on a big screen with excellent acoustics) !!

RATING - 4/5