Naan Mahaan Allai

Medium : Tamil
Starring : Karthi, Kajal Agarwal, Jayaprakash, Soori
Director : Suseendran
Music : Yuvan Shankar Raja

Director of super hit movie 'Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu', Suseendran is back with his 2nd project. This time he took a city based subject with Karthi and Kajal Agarwal in the lead roles. Karthi is here after enjoying the success of 'Paiyya'. Though a pupular figure in telugu, Kajal Agarwal ('Magadheera' & 'Darling' fame), has not got any big break in tamil so far, her pevious movies in lead roles being 'Modhi Vilayaadu' & 'Pazhani'. The title, 'Naan Mahaan Allai' is borrowed from a Rajnikanth starrer movie in the 80's. Dayanidhi Azhagiri for Clud Nine banner, has distributed this movie.

Jeeva (Karthi) is an easy going guy who is not interested in doing job and earn money. He lives happily with his father (Jayaprakash), a call taxi driver, mother and sister. He met Priya (Kajal Agarwal) in a marriage function, which later developed into love. As per advice of her father, he started doing job. He was not at all serious in his life until his father met with an accident and had to take bed rest for quite sometime. It has changed Jeeva's life pattern. At one stage Priya's father, who is a leading lawyer, stood against her relationship with Jeeva that later developed into a series of incidents.

The specialty of 'Naan Mahaan Allai' stands in the way in which it is presented. Director Suseendran needs special appreciation for developing two separate tracks in the story which meets at a certain point in the second half. The characterization of the new faces who comes in the negative roles are also different. The comedy situations shown in the movie are also good. The main attraction lies in the natural action sequences directed by Anal Arasu. The whole episode gives us a breathless feel. The violence shown in the movie is too realistic and heavy, since it is an adaptation from the happenings in the real world, no need to raise complaint. Cinematographer Madhi ('Paiyya' & 'Nepali' fame) did a good job, so as editor Kasi Viswanathan.

Karthi is good in the lead role. The jolly type character is developed in an attractive manner. His chemistry with Kajal Agarwal is impressive. Jayaprakash ('Nadodikal' & 'Pasanga' fame) did the lovable father role with ease. Another big name to be pointed out is the music director Yuvan Shankar Raja, who gave the 'life' for the movie with an excellent background score; a couple of songs are also good.

'Naan Mahaan Allai' is a real time pass. It starts slowly with a romance, emotionally travels through the second half to reach its real pace towards the later portions.

Rating : 8 / 10

Modhi Vilayadu

Medium : Tamil

Starring : Vinay, Kajal Agarwal, Kalabhavan Mani, Cochin Haneefa

Director : Saran

Music : Colonial Cousins, Steven Devassy

Director Saran who gave variety subjects like 'Amarkkalam', 'Parthen Rasithen', 'Gemini', 'Vasoolraja MBBS', 'Attahasam', 'JJ' etc has come up with his newproject 'Modhi Vilayadu'. He has got Vinay ('Unnale Unnale', 'Jayam Konden' fame) as the hero and the heroine is Kajal Agarwal ('Pazhani' fame). KalabhavanMani, who got a break in tamil through the same director's film, 'Gemini', has done a vital role. Music is handled by Collonial Cousins (Hariharan and Lesle Lewis) who were so far notable in the non filmi music field.

The opening scene of the film itself is rich, since it is the introduction of the hero's father character, who is an international multi millionaire. The proposed sequences gave me a shocking uneasiness, since the character done by Kalabhavan Mani is shown landing in his house (looks like an IT park) in a helicopter. This is the area where the image of the actor plays a negative role.

Hero (Vinay) looks after the wide business maintained by his father. He has got an assistant (Yuva), who always accompanies him by a bulk of body guards. He met the heroine on the way through a car mishap caused due to her carelessness. She is being asked by the hero to pay the price by doing his household jobs (such an agreement is a foolishness, but the director can use it as the reason for them to love each other).

The father had got some serious opponents in the business who tries to destroy them. A professional killer is being arranged. By mistake, he shoots the hero's companion.This incident change the life style of the hero. Now the suspense is revealed that the person who is dead, is the real son of the business tycoon. This caused a break up in the relation of the hero and the rich man. What all benefits that were provided to the hero were withdrawn and he is being targeted also. How he overcomes all these hurdles and takes revenge on the rich man is where ''Modhi Vilayadu' ends.

The film has got a good story line. But the execution failed in many areas. The way in which the heroine is shown working in the hero's house, looks amateur. The revenge episode is told too fastly and hence it is not convincing. The comedy scenes featuring Mayil Sami and Cochin Haneef are also not upto the mark. It is good to hear that the hero Vinay has dubbed in his own voice, but it lacks stability. Kalabhavan Mani in such a heavy character is a miscasting. The songs by the debutant music duo are very below average only. I don't know why music director Bharadwaj was opted out from Saran's favorite list this time. Anyway, debutant Steven Devassy ('Hariharan Pillai Happiyanu' fame), who gave a peppy background score had tried his best to maintain the tempo. Cinematography by Karun is good.

'Modhi Vilayadu' is such a project which should have been made in a better way since the base story line is good.

Rating : 5.5 / 10