Pattathu Yaanai Review (Tamil)

Movie : Pattathu Yaanai

Cast : Vishal, Aishwarya Arjun, Santhanam

Music : Thaman

Direction : G.Boopathy Pandian

Rating : 1.5 / 5

After kicking off the year with Samar, Vishal is here for the second time in 2013 with Pattathu Yaanai. Produced by Michael Rayyapan and directed by G.Boopathy Pandian, Pattathu Yaanai has Aishwariya Arjun, Santhanam, Jegan, John Vijay etc alongside Vishal. Music is by Thaman Sai while the camera is handled by S.Vaithy.

Pattathu Yaanai is the story of a common man who rises up to the challenge thrown against him.

The movie starts off with Santhanam being introduced as Gouravam, a caterer. Vishal and his friends arrive at the scene to aid Santhanam in his cookery chores. The premise moves to Trichy, where Vishal, Santhanam and his group plan to set up a hotel. Comic scenes entangled, we have the incidents with Aishwariya Arjun too stitched in. A series of events leads to Vishal locking horns with one of the dons in the city. A story is revealed at the interval block, from where the movie progresses on.

Into the second half, and we have more of the so-called story and less of comedy. Lots of new characters are introduced with John Vijay propelling himself as the comic villain. A cat and mouse game follows, and how Vishal pulls himself out of these troubles is what Pattathu Yaanai is all about.

Vishal is fine in his acts, but one puts up the question as to when he will come back with a thumping film, just like his Thimiru. The lead actress Aishwariya Arjun is bland, just a walking doll. She needs to learn a lot, especially to dance and a ‘debut’ is all that can be said about her. The supporting artists are okay, but the villains are damp squibs, especially the guy who flexes his abs at the end.

If there is one man who might save this movie from a dump, it is Santhanam. Even though the much talked about dual role is nowhere to be seen, Santhanam keeps us smiling whenever he appears onscreen. Some of his jokes in the first half do crack pick you up.

Nothing new in the musical department from Thaman, and the BGM which is done by Sabesh Murali is mediocre too. There are just three fight scenes in the movie, but they are well choreographed by Anal Arasu. Technically, Pattathu Yaanai is satisfying, but I would have loved to say something nice here.

We have seen tons of commercial entertainers in the past, and Pattathu Yaanai is yet another one in the list. Boopathy Pandian has a fine outing here, but it just isn’t enough with the current trend of movies passing on. Pattathu Yaanai fails to deliver something out of the bag, so watch it if you have nothing else to do over the weekend. An average film in all aspects.

Verdict : This yaanai isn’t mighty.

Siddarth Srinivas

Singam2 Review (Tamil)

Movie : Singam 2
Cast : Suriya, Anushka, Hansika, Rahman
Music : DSP
Direction : Hari

Rating : 3 / 5

Suriya is one actor on a tough patch these days. With no clear-cut reason, the public loathe him and his movies. Even though he is a dedicated artist, he has become the target for mockery amongst the ‘big heroes’ club.

Come 2013, and we have Suriya joining hands with Hari for the fourth time, making way for Singam 2, the sequel to the highly impressive 2010 hit, Singam. Produced by Prince Pictures, it has Anushka, Hansika, Vivek, Santhanam, Rahman and Hollywood star Danny Sapani alongside Suriya. Music is by Devi Sri Prasad again, with cinematography by Priyan.

Singam 2 is the continuing story of Duraisingam, as he hunts down a huge drug deal.

Singam 2 kicks off right from where Singam ended. Suriya is now in Tuticorin, an NCC coach in a school where Hansika studies. A series of events leads Suriya gathering info about a drug deal taking place in the area. The first 30 minutes of the movie are bland, and the movie does take its time to unfold. Towards the interval, Hari keeps us pinned with his crisp narration, well thought dialogues coupled with witty one liner comedy from Santhanam and Vivek. The interval bang is spot on, that is one superb scene.

Into the second half, and the movie traverses on jet speed. Hari’s thinking works here, as he overlaps the main story with the comic and dramatic scenes. The movie, even though put down by a few speedbreakers (songs) and a not-so-great climax, moves on at a good pace and ends convincingly.

Performance wise, Suriya is at full swing, perfect when it comes to dialogue delivery, facial expressions and his ‘veri’ as a cop. Stunts have been well executed, and he has pulled off some cheeky movements in Singam Dance. What Singam 2 will probably do is put an end to all the negativity on Suriya. This guy has lived the role. Hansika has a fairly mightier role to play than the main heroine, Anushka who has been carved as a glam doll just for the sake of the songs. Vivek is hilarious, while Santhanam does bore you down a bit at times. What Singam 2 lacks is a powerful villain. Yes we have Danny Sapani, Rahman, Mukesh Rishi and Rajendran. But none of them could catch up to Prakash Raj’s enthu as in Singam. Supporting artists are apt, most of them continuing off their roles from the first.

If a movie runs for 3 hours, and can manage to keep you entertained, you got to give credit to the director. Even though a little more care could have been taken, Hari must be lauded for his work. Dialogue writing is his strength and he has lived up to it, few lines do prick you up.

Cinematography by Priyan is commendable. One must appreciate the use of chopper cameras at various instances to provide a different angle. Editing is slick barring the long runtime. Stunts deserve a special mention, Anal Arasu and Rocky Rajesh – super work!

Negatives in Singam 2, and we have DSP written all over it. Bad songs, except for Singam Dance which is saved by Suriya’s movements, and the BGM too isn’t that great. The songs surely broke down the flow of the movie, would be great to chop them off. Santhanam wasn’t at his best either, and we have some over-the-top stunts to worry about.

Draw a comparison to the first, and Singam 2 might not beat that. At the same time, it doesn’t get bobbed down. It has enough stock to keep you entertained. Go watch it, you’ll like it. If you don’t, best of luck being a hater.

Verdict : Beats all odds. Makes you realize the power of the Singam!

Siddarth Srinivas

Vathikuchi Review (Tamil)

Movie : Vathikuchi

Cast : Deliban, Anjali

Music : M.Gibran

Direction : Kinslin

Rating : 3 / 5

A.R.Murugadoss, in his association with Fox Star Studios, hit the jackpot with Engeyum Eppodhum. The film traversed a different subject with fit doses of comedy and romance. This time around, Murugadoss introduced his brother Dileban with Vathikuchi, a crime thriller.

While his assistant Kinslin wielded the megaphone, M.Ghibran of Vaagai Sooda Vaa fame slotted in the musical department.

Vathikuchi is a film which dwells on the life of Shakthi, a share-auto driver and the obstacles he faced in an episode of his life.

The USP of Vathikuchi is its shift-speed screenplay which puts itself on many different gears to keep the momentum going. While on one hand we have the romantic track between Dileban and Anjali, we have a thrilling connection of three different stories on the other.

The first half of the film is filled with funny snippets, as the director builds on the romantic track between Dileban and Anjali. He also manages to cleverly stitch in the stories connected to Deliban and why he is in trouble. As the film moves into the second half, it jots down a bit and moves to a slower track. It then ends with a convincing climax.

Vathikuchi’s plus points start off with the paperwork from Kinslin. However, the execution seems to have taken a bend, only to end up as a half baked one. The supporting actors, have done justice to their roles.  

Music by M.Ghibran is well done, especially the BGM in the fight sequences. The songs Kuru Kuru and Amma Wake Me Up have hit up, the latter being a very peppy song. Cinematography was fine, but that’s about it.

On the downside, Vathikuchi suffers from a wave of logical loopholes, some which might even be a test of your patience. The slo-mo shots are fun to watch, but they could have been avoided as they were over-used.

Overall, Vathikuchi is a stiff but a good attempt from the team. It may not be as path-breaking as Engeyum Eppodhum, but it is a good popcorn movie for your weekend break. Go watch it, you might end up liking it. 

Verdict : Tense thriller which is fun to watch! 

Siddarth Srinivas

Haridas Review (Tamil)

Movie : Haridas

Cast : Kishore, Sneha

Music : Vijay Antony

Direction : GNR. Kumaravelan

Rating : 3.5 / 5

Not always does a film come to leave you with a smile on your face and a lump in your throat.  This year, we were happy to have Haridas, a film which took us to a nuance of a family entertainer. A near-perfect product by any standard, Haridas shined despite its quiet arrival and a half as famous cast.

When the subject of the film is autism, everyone puts up a frown and moves away from it. Many feel that the film would be preachy, hurting and have a depressing ending. Haridas slaps these thoughts, right across the face.

GNR Kumaravelan, who failed to click big with Ninaithale Inikkum and Yuvan Yuvathi, strikes gold here. With a simple story coupled with intelligent and convincing screenplay which rarely keeps you bored, Haridas is an epitome of how a movie on this subject should be made.

Coming to performances, it is Kishore and the little kid who walk away with all the merits. Kishore excels in his two-faced role both as a smart cop and a loving father of a ‘special child’. Hats off to the little kid Pritviraj Das for flawlessly portraying the role of an autistic child. Being an ordinary kid in real life, he has come to terms with the character beautifully to essay out this role. Sneha who walks in as the kind school teacher, is at full swing when it comes to emotions. Tamil Cinema badly misses ‘actresses’ like her, we’re in a world flushed with good looking models. The supporting cast too, consisting of Parotta Soori and the others, are well etched out and enacted.

Music by Vijay Antony is apt, especially the songs ‘Police’ and ‘Annaiyin Karuvil’ which are good both lyrically and musically. Rathnavelu’s camera catches the eye, kudos to him for bringing out the emotions through the looking glass.

On the flipside, Haridas’ negatives would be the comic portions in the first half or the prolonged climax. However, all is well when we have an end product of this caliber.

I’m going in with all praise for Haridas. It’s a must watch by any means. Good films like this don’t find a long run in this industry, so catch it before it flies away. 

Verdict : Impactful comeback from Kumaravelan. Go for it!

Siddarth Srinivas

Special Interview - Santosh Gopi ( CCL Chennai Rhinos Head Coach )

The CCL season is ripe and running and Tamil Cinema fans have turned their heads to the event where celebrities and cricket come together for some real action. As the end of the road is near for the Chennai Rhinos, Siddarth Srinivas from Team Cinema Lead catches up with Santosh Gopi, the head coach of the Chennai Rhinos, as he shares with us his experiences of working with the stars.

Here we go!

SS : Good day sir! To start off, tell us a little bit about how CCL began for you.

SG : I’ve officially been with the Chennai Rhinos for a year. I joined in last season, right before the semi-finals. Since I have played a few games under Vishnu’s captaincy, he called me in for some help as the Chennai Rhinos were in a bad patch and only a win against the Karnataka Bulldozers would put them in the semis. As I had already seen the practice matches and knew the knack of his technique, I began helping him out. Vikraanth, Jiiva and Shantanu joined in, and we began discussing tactics. At the end of the day, they accommodated me into the coaching side, and I aided them in field sets during the Karnataka game. Chennai won that game, the rest is history.

SS : Playing cricket isn’t the Chennai Rhinos’ forte. How do they co-op up? Do they play the game with a passion or is it forced upon them?

SG : Their passion for the game is very high. Cricket is a game enjoyed by all Indians. Just as they set specific timings for their shoot, they have set timings for their practice sessions too. They don’t like to skip practice and always catch up by adjusting their timings according to their busy schedules. No one is forcing them, they are very dedicated.

SS : Just like the IPL, CCL is also growing rapidly. How do you feel, is the reception for this tournament?

SG : When we go out for matches other than CCL, the public keep on asking us as to when it will begin and also point out some catchy moments from the games. The response has certainly has boomed up.

SS : When the actors get praised for something other than their acting, how do they feel?

SG : It’s a very big thing for them to excel in something other than their field. So they take it in a very big manner and feel proud about it.

SS : Your favorite player in the team? Who are you most comfortable with?

SG : All are my favorites (laughs). Since I’m Vikraanth’s personal coach and know him very well, I share a good rapport with him.

SS : The Chennai Rhinos ruled the roost last year to take away the trophy. What could have been missing this year?

SG : Just like how yellow is for Chennai, luck too has to smile upon us. In the finals, we dropped 5 catches but still ended up winning the game. They say catches win matches, but we changed that. That’s because the luck was on our side. But this time, it doesn’t seem to be anywhere around. In the first match we put up a flawless 180, but the opponents played good cricket and outplayed us. The second game was washed out. In the third game, we were in the driver’s seat until the 18^th over. Vikraanth and Vishnu got out consecutively, and the match met its end. A little bit of luck, and we could have crossed the bar.

SS : How does it feel to put it all together? It is easy or tough, to be the coach of the Chennai Rhinos.

SG : I have coached a lot of school and college teams. What lies as a cushion coaching the Rhinos is that the work is divided here. On field, Vishal is a brilliant captain. I don’t have to talk to each player separately. If I just pass the word to him, he makes sure that each player knows his job. The manager Mr.Ramesh too, is really helpful in ensuring the comfortability and fitness of the players. Thanks to God, I feel really good here. Someone is always there to lend a helping hand.

SS : Other than concentrating on CCL, how is your interest towards movies?

SG : I enjoy Tamil movies a lot. I’m a big fan of the Ulaganayagan! (smiles)

SS : What about your family’s support in this path?

SG : Well of course. I cannot do anything without my family’s support. Since we had to play two night games, our practice sessions began at 7 and went on till 9.30. The clock would strike 12 by the time I’d reach home, therefore having no time to spend with the family. Yet, my wife and daughter are very supportive and encourage me to go on with my job, smoothly.

CCL is a very entertaining tournament and the buzz is rocketing up as the days pass by. We at Cinema Lead wish Mr.Santhosh Gopi with more success in the coming years and thank him for his interaction with the team.

Interviewed by Siddarth Srinivas

NEPV Music Review

Movie : Neethane En Ponvasantham

Cast : Jiiva, Samantha and Santhanam

Music : Ilayaraja

Direction : GVM

Rating : 3 / 5

Gautham Menon’s movies are always known for their good music.. After joining hands with Harris Jayaraj and AR.Rahman, GVM has opted for the Maestro Ilayaraja in his next venture, Neethane En Ponvasantham..

Starring Jiiva, Samantha and Santhanam in lead roles, this romantic episode is touted to be one which could be your love story, as the director states it..

Ilayaraja returns with 8 tracks in this album, all penned by Na.Muthukumar..

Kaatrai Konjam is the first song in the album, and straightaway a winner.. Karthik’s voice coupled with the lovely clarinet pulls mid-on highlight this number and propel it to a high level.. Raja’s magic stamped all over it!

Pudikale Maamu is the next number, a lively college fusion with drums and beats.. Even though Suraj Jagan and Karthik are fine on the vocals, the song falls down due to its improper organization..

Karthik is back, for the third time here with Ennodu Vaa Vaa.. Ilayaraja manages to grasp you on the first listen with perfect sync in the first half of the song.. Thereon, the song takes on a different beat and fizzles out.. Beautiful, nevertheless..

Ilayaraja brings in Yuvan for Sayndhu Sayndhu, the track which was first promoted all over the net.. Music kicks the vocals here, making you notice the orchestration over the lyrics.. Had Raja gone for a better singer, this song could have come out higher in all probability!

Raja ventures into a new genre for Pengal Yendral, which is once again crooned by Yuvan.. The heavy metal touch at the beginning is a joy.. Similar to Yuvan’s tracks in his earlier movies, this song gives a déjà vu feel..

Mudhal Murai is the next track, sung beautifully by Sunidhi Chauhan.. Raja has induced violin and string tunes beautifully into the rock beat, making it a champion of a song..  Swoon in melody as this haunts you..

Sattru Munbu is the penultimate song in the album, which is a slow song talking about the pains of a young girl.. This song is prosaic and does not interest the listener, even on a second hearing..

Even though it clearly traces one of his earlier compositions, Vaanam Mella is a soulful number.. Raja’s duet with Bela Shinde once again, he brings out the magic to catch the listener’s attention with his voice as well as the orchestration.. Once again, a graceful track, all set to climb up the charts!

Na.Muthukumar’s lyrics deserve a special mention here as he has done his part in fitting into the spot left out by Thamarai.. His work in Kaatrai Konjam, Sayndhu Sayndhu and Mudhal Murai is enticing..

With Neethane en Ponvasantham, Raja has brought back the 80’s once again.. Except for Pengal Yendral, the rest of album is classic tunes revisited.. The songs fail to impress at first but climb onto you on repeated hearings.. Hopefully, they will work better with the film..

Verdict : Ilayaraja gets you a ticket back to the 80’s, your choice whether to take it or not..

Siddarth Srinivas

You can reach me on Twitter : @siddarthsrini

FIRST PUBLISHED ON YESEXACTLY.NET

Mugamoodi Review (Tamil)

Movie : Mugamoodi
Cast : Jiiva, Naren,  Pooja Hegde and others
Music : K
Direction : Mysskin

Rating : 2.5 / 5 

Superhero movies are a rarity in Tamil Cinema.. Even though some movies have cropped up in the past in the track of the undefeated vigilante, they have failed to provide a bankable character.. Mugamoodi is the next attempt in this marathon..

With heavy publicity from the UTV team, Mugamoodi stormed itself into the theatres as the kickstart for the long trail of the interesting lineup of movies stacked for release this year..

Mugamoodi is the story of a common man who dons the cape of a superhero to survive through the hurdles thrown down his path..

Jiiva, Naren, Pooja Hegde, Nassar and Girish Karnad are the main characters in Mugamoodi..

The first half of Mugamoodi is cleverly made with an equal balance of fun and intense scenes.. The opening robbery, fight scene in the fish market and the picturisation of the Bar Anthem and Vaayamoodi numbers are a treat to watch.. The chase sequence where Jiiva chases two runners with a Superman-ish costume is neatly done.. At the end of the first half, one expects Mysskin to deliver a cracker of a second..

What follows is a tardy half, which does not manage to create much excitement.. The director had a huge opportunity to hit a home run here but doesn’t do so.. Although spread on a different canvas, the movie fails to grip the attention of the viewer.. The climax stunt sequence is an ultimate bore..

The movie as it states before it begins, is dedicated to Bruce Lee.. All the fights are choreographed with the art of Wing Chun, a Chinese martial art on the lines of Kung-Fu..

Performance wise, Jiiva scores big.. The actor has put up a clap worthy effort which is put to waste by the poor writing.. It is evident that he has taken up a lot of trouble, especially in the scenes with the suit on.. The antagonist Naren tries to put up a show but fails miserably in it.. In the climax sequence, he replicates the Joker’s behavior which is immediately mocked by the audience.. Pooja Hegde as the heroine is an absolute fail, one wonders if she has a big future down here.. The supporting cast consisting of Nasser, Girish Karnad, Selvah and the others are just about okay..

Camera work by Sathya is very good, noting the fact that most of the movie was shot in the night using different angles, Mysskin’s trademark..

BGM by K is the trump card in the movie.. The young composer has come up with some hair-raising tunes and they are tangible at various instances in the movie, especially the chase cuts..

Stunt director Tony Leung must be commended for his efforts to bring out the Kung-Fu fights successfully onscreen.. The adept showcase of various moves brings in the interest, even though they are repetive..

Mugamoodi, is an experimental attempt.. The vision of the director is manifested here.. But, he fails to score on the screenplay which was the X factor in his previous ventures.. Had a little more care been taken, we would have been presented with a winner.. The resultant output, isn’t convincing..

Verdict : ‘A’ class effort. ‘B’ class product.

Siddarth Srinivas

You can reach me on Twitter : @siddarthsrini

FIRST PUBLISHED ON YESEXACTLY.NET