Mankatha Review

Where do you begin with Mankatha? From the word go, Venkat Prabhu's directorial ventures have quite a buzz about them so its hard to keep the expectations at bay. Starting with his first Chennai 600028. So ridiculously successful was the audio release, apparently there was requests/pleading from fans to release the film after the exam period. Considering it was from their target audience, request were heeded to and the rest is history. Then came Saroja which met with similar success as well as Goa with Soundarya Rajnikanth stepping into the producer seat. Now the mother of them all, Mankatha, hits screens with some of the biggest actors Venkat has worked with on board. But does all the expectation of Ajith's 50th film, an all star cast, Yuvan's music and a Venkat Prabhu game tag result in a good film? Read on to find out.

There is not much reason to writing a synopsis since the gist of it can be seen in the trailer but just to recap. Sumanth [Vaibhav], Mahat [Mahat Raghavendra], Prem [Prem G Amaren] and Ganesh [Ashwin Kakumanu] plan to heist cricket betting money worth 500 crore in transit when Vinayak Mahadevan [Ajith], a suspended police officer comes into the picture. Intelligent and with his own agenda, there is more to Vinayak than these boys know. However, where there is a crime to be commited, there has to be a hero to stop it. Enter Prithviraj [Arjun], ACP assigned with a special task force to bring down not only the robbery but the whole illegal betting system. Game set and all is falling to plan yet no one will be prepared for the game thats about to begin as the rules have changed without them knowing. The double crosser is about to be double crossed. Who remains and who comes on top forms the crux.

With all due respect, its about time Ajith had done this kind of film and this kind of role. Yes he has done, and very well might I add, negative shaded characters before but this is his first through and through bad guy role and boy does he nail it. He has made some really bad choices in the past but thanks to Venkat's writing and Ajith's acting, none of them come to mind at all. Simply put, Ajith is back and thank god for that! Out with the good guy hero image and in with the bad man, Vinayak is ridiculously cool and stylish. The actor had the time of his life playing Vinayak and its visible. In fact, his counter character Prithviraj played by Arjun who plays the cop role for the umpteenth time, struggles to get the attention of the audience. But he does the role given to him well. Vaibhav gets the meatiest role out of the four friends and plays it to the T. Ashwin Kakumanu is back with a bigger role compared to his last film Nadunissi Naaygal and is believable to a point. Prem G is relagated to funny man once again but doesn't really have a catch phrase this time. Thankfully his "Enna Kodumai Sir Ithu" was used only once through the film. While some may say his mimic act is boring, its become his trademark so its ok. Mahat tries to make an impression for his first credited role but has a long way to go. Now to the ladies. Sorry Andreah, Laxmi Rai, Trisha and Anjali, this one is definitely for the boys.Andreah takes the cake on believable acting, although only briefly. Trisha doesn't really do anything although dubbing for herself does scores her a few brownie points but even then, Anjali is a step ahead of her just slightly. In honesty, you sympathize with these 3 ladies for approximately 5 minutes which is about the same timeframe they are on screen barring their songs. Laxmi Rai is a beautiful lady but she needs to work on her acting and that too in major proportion. Jayaprakash downplays his smuggler act well and doesn't allow his previous stints on the dark side show this time either. The rest flow through.

Ok so stepping back to technicalities, we head to the music department first. Yet again, another round of banging music by Yuvan Shankar Raja and the charts are there to prove it. At the same time, the songs that stand out are Vilaiyaadu Mankatha, Ithu Namma Ballelaka and Nee Naan. However, it cant be said that this is Yuvan's best work. Cinematography by Sakthi Saravanan is passable and editing by Praveen K. L. & N. B. Srikanth could have been a little crisper. But the writing is to blame for any lack of performance here and that is in the hands of director Venkat Prabhu. While this kind of robbery flick from a negative character's point of view hasn't been seen before in Tamil and Venkat should be applauded for his attempt, there is no denying it could have been better. 

First off, we have the misfortune of pretty much every character getting overshadowed by Ajith, with the ladies taking the biggest blow. As remarkable and deserving of praise as his performance is, the focus can be a little overbearing and long winded. Plus you have to think, are the 4 boys, and everyone else for that matter, that easy to manipulate. Understandably, they are not supposed to be as smart as our man Ajith but at some points, it would have been better had they not seemed so stupid or gullible. On top of this, some of the scenes are just a little too long. Keeping the audience on the edge of their seat is vital to suspence flicks. If the scenes dragged out to one point, the songs pitched in on the speed breakers too. Vaada Bin Laada could have had better placing, forgetting that the picturisation/choreography was questionable. Yet it doesn't all head down hill in the second half. Whatever speed was held back through the songs, is picked up with the climax. By the time the film finishes, the out takes begin and you are left in stitches from laughter with the whole team and their fun.

So the final verdict? It may not be a Royal Flush but this one definitely has a Full House and Ajith.

Rating: 4/5

Teenmaar Review

What is it about Teenmaar that makes it interesting? Beyond the obvious Pawan Kalyan and Trisha combo that hasn't been seen before, I guess it would be that the two are coming together with Jayant C Paranji for a remake of a film like Love Aaj Kal. An added bonus would have to be Tirivikram penning the screenplay and dialogue and Mani Sharma's hit music. But does a film that was a box office hit in Hindi despite the negative comments on the theme stand a chance as a remake, that too in Telugu where family sentiments dominate films in a larger ratio, a factor present in the negative comments for the original. Is a hit combo enough to pull the family oriented crowd? Is Teenmaar another successful remake for Jayant after Shankar Dada MBBS, a remake of Munnabhai MBBS? And can I really stay away from the original while reviewing Teenmaar? Read on to find out.

Michael Velaiyudham [Pawan Kalyan] is a chef in Cape Town that dreams of working as a banker on Wall Street. Fun and free spirited, life runs smoothly till he meets Meera Shastry [Trisha Krishnan]. A firm believer in enjoying life and with marriage far from her radar, the two hit it off fairly quickly. But with ambitions varying and reasons mounting on how they are doomed to end, Michael and Meera decide to part ways. For Senapati [Paresh Rawal], the issues that Michael and Meera use as reason seem odd after witnessing a love story like his friend Arjun Palvai [Pawan again] and Vasumathi [Kriti Kharbanda] in Varanasi almost 3 decades ago. The ultra-modern love story in front of him seems more out of convenience than love. Michael begs to differ yet forms an unusual friendship with Senapathi as they delve into the tail of Arjun's first love. Slowly but surely the tale takes a toll on Michael and his life. Even as Michael moves on with Michelle [Dana] and Meera with Sudhir[Sonu Sood], both are only a phone call away from each other. When they meet again, they relive the good times, if only as friends. But it becomes obvious things have changed. Yet it takes more than just fun memories and separation for a dillusioned Michael and a confused Meera to understand. When and how forms the crux.

Can I just say Pawan Kalyan is probably the last person that I thought of for this remake and now is the only person that could have pulled these characters off with more flare and charisma than Saif Ali Khan. I say this because I actually liked Saif in LAK and was worried Pawan might come off a little well, old. But trust Pawan to litereally smash any apprehension you have as he plays two distinctly different characters so well and with abundance that each will make you laugh, cry, swoon and get annoyed at on cue. The quiet yet strong emotions of Arjun as pines for Vasumathi remind you of his Tholiprema days and are an eagerly welcomed memory. Michael on the other has to be one of his most charming characters I've seen, a title I personally hold Sanjay Sahu from Jalsa at right now. With these two characters dominating the screen; Trisha Krishnan and Kriti Kharbanda have their work cut out for them to maintain some connection with the audience. Yet out of the females, Kriti Kharbanda leave a bigger impact with Trisha falling behind a bit this time. Although the character of Meera is one I can’t relate to and find confusing towards the end, Trisha’s portrayal was just about ok to a little bland for such a chirpy character. Whats more is much like her character, her stylist seemed a little confused as well. But then again, this is mostly due to high expectations on the actress who has done some amazing work in the recent past. Kriti is back in a full-fledged rôle after Ala Modalaindi and although limited with her lines, she does really well with her expressions and suits the rôle almost to a T, barring a dilemma with make up. Paresh Rawal will always be one helluva an actor with a distinct voice so while his rôle isn't outstanding, he cakewalks through it and makes an impression. Sonu Sood is a little eye candy on the side that you feel sorry for towards the end but like Paresh, he doesn't get much to do. It would have been nice to get a different dubbing artist for these two actors though. Dana is super sexy but that's about it.

Now to the technical side of things.First up has to be the cinematography. After a long break cinematographer Jayanan Vincent returned with Om Sakthi last year and despite the film not doing so well, garned much recognition. With Teenmaar, you witness some of the great work again with Capetown and Varanasi shown in new light. The dialogue definitely has the typical Trivikram touch, working wonders in so many places yet some may find it to be a little squirmish attempt on occasion for the normally family friendly writer. Jayant was smart to change a few scenes to suit the south audience but he is isn't consistent. One of my fav scenes that shows off the duo's capacity if the scene about kissing with Michael asking the question and Arjun answering. Editing by MR Varma only enhances this scene further. Mani Sharma music worked well with the film with Sri Ganga and Chiguru Boniya the pick of the lot with Aale Bhale being infectious.

Yet the remake does have its downfalls. While Jayant's adaptation proved a clearer picture, the director does the same mistake as LAK with a patchy screenplay. Add to that, MR Varma's insufficient use of his scissors and you will find yourself a little confused and bored where the dialogue doesn't save you. However, like the inconsistency, this too is not frequent. It also would have been better if the characters Michelle and Sudhir weren't so 2 dimensional. Yes, they are only there for a short period but the screenplay doesn't allow you to feel for them making the emotional connection a little weak. Another setback is the re-recording is rather poor and sticks out like a sore thumb, taking away from the scenes.

Rating: 3.5/5- All said and done, Pawan makes up for most of the setbacks and is thoroughly enjoyable to watch.

Manmadhan Ambu Review

When it comes to Kamal Haasan, even if it’s your routine masala flick, he infuses something different into it. And when he joins hands with K.S.Ravikumar, their films are sure to create a laugh riot. Add to the mix one of my favourites Madhavan, Miss Talk-of-the-town Trisha, and some rocking music by Devi Sriprasad and the fun is sure to be unlimited. I did have some apprehension think that it was a love story between Kamal Haasan and Trisha but the way Kamal and K.S.Ravikumar have depicted a concept of how honest people are in their relationship as the basis to Manmadhan Ambu cleared it all. So h  ere we go.

Scene: Airport. Actress Nisha aka Ambujakshi [Trisha] has planned a holiday on a cruise with her recently divorced friend Deepa [Sangeetha] and her two kids. Even with the picturesque views of Europe in front of her, Ambu's mind is preoccupied with the past. Flashback to Kodaikanal. Ambu is shooting a song with actor Suriya when her fiancé business tycoon Madhanagopal [Madhavan] comes on set with his parents [Usha Uthup and Kitty]. All is fine till Madhan mistakes a conference call between Suriya, his daughter [!!] and Ambu to be the two actors canoodling over the phone in broad daylight. Not wanting to make a scene, Madhan and Ambu go for a car ride where Madhan gives her a piece of his mind and before they realise, their argument consumes them so much that they have an accident with an oncoming vehicle. The two come out of it without any major damage but the same can’t be said for their relationship. Cut back to the present and we find out Madhan will not let go of Ambu all that easily. He enlists the assistance of Indian Army Officer Major Mannar to spy on Ambu while she is on her cruise. In return Madhan will pay for the treatment for Major's friend Rajan [Ramesh Arvind] who's in hospital with cancer. Seemingly a simple task, Major proceeds as directed and finds no secret lover or any other faults for that matter, with Ambu and reports this to Madhan. But instead of coming through with his side of the deal, Madhan backtracks, creating grief for Major as Rajan needs to be operated on urgently. Stepping aside from his honest and upright nature, Major tells a lie to save his friend. But as you all know, lies never come alone. What you witness from here is how that one lie will land Major in more trouble that he bargains for and to a truth that will change his life.

 

I know that Kamal Haasan needs no introduction and his acting skills are undeniable. But what I love about the way Kamal plays Major Mannar is that barring his intro scene, you won’t find him being over the top at all. Yes, it’s a comical situation with some odd turns but nothing that seems completely far-fetched like the climatic chase in Avvai Shanmughi or Panchathathiram. He is simple and honest without major dramatics. Dear Madhavan, welcome back to Tamil cinema. Oh how I have missed you! I have always had a firm belief that Madhavan has a flare for comedy that he has not exposed completely. The man is simply superb as the possessive fiancé [I personally think he deserves the "Best Drunken Act" Award and tweeted it to him too]. Trisha is by no means lagging behind the two in the film. I personally love the fact she dubbed for herself in the film and think why didn't producers/directors ask her to do it for her earlier projects. In fact, the sync sound worked enormously well with the entire cast. But, back to Trisha. She beautifully executes her love, frustration and turmoil and holds her ground next to the legendary actor. However, she has strong competition in the form of Sangeetha. Man, oh man do I love this woman. She has proved time and again that she is more than capable but I love her in this comedy avatar as Deepa, the stylish, rough-around-the-edges, street smart friend of Ambu. Kunjan and Manju Pillai as Mr and Mrs Kurup are hilarious as were the two little kiddies in the film. The usual suspects of Ramesh Arvind, Urvashi, and Sreeman do their bit as expected.

 

I have mentioned before that comedy is a serious business. Kamal Haasan has proven his comedic timing several times but this time he has tried his hand at 5 hats, Story-Screenplay-Dialogue-Lyric Writer and Actor. His trademark of comedy with a thought behind it to think about is evident. Even though the initial promos were confusing with Man Madhan Ambu shaped differently, the two reasons for it show that this is not just a normal love story, which it clearly isn’t. I love the way he has infuses emotion into a scene with his dialogue without making a caricature out it. And supporting him in a major way is K.S.Ravikumar. Making sure that the writing doesn’t get lost on celluloid, he makes the proceedings intriguing and easy to watch. But that doesn’t mean the film doesn’t have its sad moments. Watch the way he depicts the scenes between Kamal and Trisha where they talk about his wife. Manush Nandan has done a great job with his cinematography, showing Europe in spectacular form and it’s sure to boost the tourist counts. Editing by Shaan Mohammed is clean and crisp.

When it comes to Devi Sriprasad I am always a little two minded. Don’t get me wrong, I love his work so there is always excitement when he has projects like these. But there have a few occasions when his songs seem the same, quite the opposite of his re-recording. However, my love for his work doesn’t get compromised this time around as DSP has scores majorly on both counts, with Kamal Haasan writing the lyrics for all the songs barring Oyyale which is written by Viveka. [Side note: The difference is quite evident]. Neela Vaanam, Thakida Thatham and the poem [yes it was still in the film] by Trisha and Kamal Haasan are the pick of the lot. A special must be made to the costumes of all the artists as each look amazing and natural to the character they played.

Amongst all the good stuff what can I say about the downfalls? Yes they are there. Kamal Haasan isn’t perfect as a writer as I wish he had given the actress who plays his wife and Oviya [Madhan marriageable cousin, Sunandha] a little more screen time and depth, respectively. It does get a little predictable but when the pluses outweigh the minuses, it is really easy to overlook these factors.  

At the end of it all, you will look into yourself and think how honest you are to your relationships while you tap your feet to the title track Manmadhan Ambu.

Rating: 4/5


Thanks to my twitter friend Vivek Ranjit's review, just found out that Gouthami is the mastermind behind the costumes. Cool!